As of this year, all language arts classes, besides AP, have changed their curriculum to correspond with Studysync. Studysync is a program that keeps all language arts curriculum the same throughout all of Orange County classes. Will this program last and is it efficient for students?

Studysync provides each student with four booklets. Each booklet contains many articles, short stories, and poems. Students are told to read each article and answer the few questions that coincide with what they read. After the students read these articles, they are told to go on a computer to answer more critical questions on the topics they have been reviewing for the past few days.

The main question that comes to mind is whether this is a good change to the student’s curriculum or not? Now that this is in place, students have been forced to spend more time on their computers. While it may have been put into effect to keep up with technology, school was a place where everyone could read a book the old fashion way. Now everything is done electronically on the Studysync’s website. The simplicity of feeling a book in your hands is dying, and this adds to the problem.

This new model confines students to their computers with fewer interactions with their teachers. The conversations that used to be in our classrooms are disappearing. Amanda Kassem (11), says that this creates a “boring and repetitive” environment for students to learn in. She states that it is “uninteresting to sit in a class where all [she] does is the same thing every day”.

Savannah Pietsch (10), states that although “it is easy, it is mainly busy work” that teachers give to use up spare time in class. Not only does it seem like useless work to most students, it gives students difficulty while answering questions. Many students like Nellie Pinkevich (11), thinks that there should be “more comprehension questions and less critical questions that ask for your opinion”.

Many students around campus have been talking about the changes, and most are not happy. Over the past few weeks, we have been getting used to the idea of Studysync. Looking over what we have learned, it is obvious that this is a waste of time. Most students would rather sit in a class and listen to a teacher give a lecture than to a computer-generated audio recording. This method of teaching does not make for a better environment.

Studysync is a controversial program that was put into effect this year. Hopefully, over the next few years, teachers and staff members will make the adjustments needed to ensure a more engaging curriculum for future years.