In this day and age, media play a crucial role in our lives, it is present in almost every aspect, both from what we knowingly divulge on social media to other bits of information we don’t, such as our location using GPS on phones. Colleges have started to use data and information to completely transform higher education, to allow for higher retention rates and produce higher graduation rates than recorded in history. There are also many downsides to this new technology as it invades many student’s privacy without their knowledge as it goes beyond tracking students’ performance in schools. There are many who oppose this new method, but there are a great many who welcome it with open arms and embrace the method. These new technologies can improve, …show more content…
Universities use software’s to predict how well a student will be able to do in certain courses even before setting foot in college, through one’s grades, ACT, and SAT scores. These algorithms are not limited just the criteria from high school but can also track, record, and inform a student on how they are doing on their classes, and provide information to help students improve if they are struggling. These technologies can also be used to allow students learn at their own pace. This form of education is very controversial due to many not being able to succeeding, while others are. These algorithms can go beyond these criteria, and it can calculate how a student is doing socially, and how a student can fit into school using key card swipes in certain recreational areas around campus. Although most algorithms are in the developing phase, but in the future, it is expected these software’s can track and compile almost every activity a student does on campus. There are many who oppose this use of technology since many of the data collected are without the knowledge of the students. On the flip side, there are many who support the technology as it produces positive results regarding grades, information retention, and higher graduation …show more content…
They use students and faculty’s first person account to provide information to the reader on the technology in use at this university. The author of the article Marc Parry explored the various uses the technology encompasses such as the eAdvisor, the “Stop Light”, and the many other features these colleges use. Parry uses many credible sources such as the developers, faculty, students, and researchers. Marc Parry starts off by following a student who goes to Arizona State University, a school that uses such systems to track a student’s degree plan. In the article, Parry details how A.S.U uses big data to help students keep track on their degree plans and advise students on their degrees. Parry also includes how the system is not limited to just educational and degree oriented, it also can dive into student lives through Facebook as it “mines profiles to suggest friends. One classmate shares eight things in common with Ms. Allisone [, the student], who “likes” education, photography and tattoos” it uses information provided through social media to help students make friends. Although Parry also states that these programs are still rudimentary and mainly focus on the educational aspect, but has potential to grow. He mentions that the “Researchers are even trying to figure out social ties based on anonymized data culled from swipes of ID cards around the Tempe campus”.