As technology has taken our society by storm, it has also found itself in our school system. For the majority, technology has proven itself to be more efficient compared to the older ways that schools used to do things. Although it has made things more streamlined, I believe that it has taken away something very important for student life: the school’s newspaper. I know that Kokomo High School has a school newspaper since I am currently writing an article for it, but I feel that it is not the same as having a physical copy for students and staff to read everyday.
For me, there is something different about reading an article on a physical copy compared to a digital copy. Having the physical newspaper engages me more on a sensory level that a digital copy can’t replicate. Ranging from flipping through the pages, feeling the texture, and even the unique smell of the freshly printed ink, I feel like these factors are a must in a learning environment. The sensory levels really help engage the readers and form a connection to the content.
Another important aspect that physical copies do for readers is reduce the amount of screen time a student has during the day. Schools now require students to spend most of the period looking at some form of a screen. This could be our school laptops, projectors, calculators and other electronic devices. Counting the amount of time students spend on their phones nearly doubles or triples that number. Having the school newspaper is a great way for students to take a break from the screen.
My final reason for having the school’s newspaper in a physical form is the accessibility. When telling my friends at the school that I have a newspaper/yearbook class I get one of two responses. It is either “I did not know we had a school newspaper” or “I did not know that we had a specific class for newspapers.” I feel like a large percentage of the students do not know or care about the school’s newspaper, which undermines the amount of effort that the class is putting into it. I believe that if the school were to revert back to a physical copy, many students would be more inclined to pick one up when they see it, or teachers could pass some around the class during down time.
The digital advancements that have revolutionized school have taken away one of the values that persevered in print newspapers. Having a print copy could reduce the amount of screen time, engage the readers more into the articles and increase the amount of credit that the authors of the school newspaper deserve. I believe that by embracing a healthy balance between technology and physical copies the school can really engage the students into the life that high school brings.
