Students have increased their dependence on media, in some cases to a point of addiction.

Try to find any college student without a smart phone or laptop. You will find that it is nearly impossible.

College students have become more and more dependent on the media.

As student we feel an attachment to the media. It runs into almost all aspects of our lives. We can't go a whole day without checking our Facebook updates or scrolling through Reddit. We think without media, it would be impossible to get an A in the class. Without media, we can't communicate with our friends or the rest of the world. Without media, we can't properly function as a member of society.

Our dependence on media is evident and can even reach a point of addiction. Some may say media addiction doesn't exist or that the phrase is over-dramatizing the situation. But what is an addiction? Google defines it as being "physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, and unable to stop taking it without incurring adverse effects." I have had firsthand experience of these "adverse effects."

This past spring I chose to give up Facebook for Lent. Lent lasts for 40 days and just after 14 days I started to get anxious. I felt like I was missing out. My friends would talk about events that I was oblivious to and photos that were blind to me. The uneasy feeling just increased and after about 25 days I gave in. It wasn't even a conscious decision, but I found myself scrolling down my newsfeed one day in class. So from my very personal experience I sympathize with those who say we can be addicted to media.

Clearly any sort of addictions should not be brushed under the rug. It is important that schools implement certain rules to help their students use media in a healthy way. For instance, instead of allowing students to use laptops during lecture, the professor should be able to block sites or tasks that do not pertain to the course. This way media is used as a tool and not a distraction.

While over exposure to media can be addictive, if administered correctly, the right dose could be incredibly beneficial.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/Brunch/Brunch-Stories/Internet-Addiction/Article1-1118405.aspx

Passive mediums of media have a greater effect on users than more active mediums.

It is a well-known fact that humans are able to absorb massive amounts of information being thrown at them, even if they are not conscious of it. We are constantly exposed to media in many different forms, some passive and some interactive. 
Passive mediums are forms of media that can only be consumed. The biggest and most widely experienced medium of this sort would be the television. Watching TV requires no real effort from the user. We sit, we listen and we watch. Some may watch while eating, others may keep it on as background noise, either way it leaves a significant impact on the viewer. 
More interactive mediums of media are ones that physically engage the viewer along with consumption. A common example of this would be video games. Video games need the constant engagement and response of the viewer in order for the user to understand the content.
It can be conceived that video games have a greater effect on users because they are controlling what they are being exposed to. But I would say that is why television has such a greater effect. Video game users are only exposed to the game itself. They consciously control the moves they will make and they are aware of what is happening. On the other hand television viewers are being effected without being aware of it. They are exposed to hundreds of advertisements, which many try to tune out or ignore. Yet how many times have you caught yourself singing along to a cheesy "freecreditreport.com" jingle? Television plays a much larger part in our lives than we suspect. 
It is important to note that these mediums are not necessarily a direct cause of user actions. But they are more like symptoms to of their actions.

Sources: http://contently.com/strategist/2012/09/06/understanding-active-vs-passive-media-the-road-out-of-marketing-hell/

Pavlik, John V., and Shawn Mcintosh. Converging Media. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2011. 445. Print.

Test

This is my new eportfolio.