Nate Muramatsu, a freshman majoring in international affairs, is a Hatchet opinions writer.

Technology is a staple in the modern classroom. Laptops and smartphones have saturated today’s lecture halls, and no class is complete without a PowerPoint presentation. In response, professors have been finding more creative and effective ways to teach their students.

For example, professors can ask students to use apps on their smartphones to participate in class, or to post in online discussion forums. Many homework assignments must be submitted online, and some professors even teach their students by using YouTube videos or social media platforms.

However, there’s something extraordinarily prevalent in the life of the average college student that professors have yet to exploit: Netflix. Most people see Netflix as purely an entertainment tool, used for binge-watching shows like “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” in just a few weeks. But professors should consider the platform’s educational value and start assigning shows or documentaries on Netflix for homework.

Unfortunately, I’ve never had a professor that’s done this. But I think it would help some students feel much more comfortable contributing to discussions if the topic was something they learned about by watching Netflix, as opposed to yet another dense reading that they may have skipped. This would likely lead to better participation grades, and a better theoretical understanding of a course’s main ideas. Plus, each student has a radically different learning style and professors should plan accordingly. For visual learners like me, watching show on Netflix would help me retain information better than reading a book.

There are plenty of documentaries – covering science, social issues and politics – on Netflix that would be helpful in certain classes. For example, the true crime series “Making a Murderer” offers a shocking level of insight into our criminal justice and legal system and raises questions about the effectiveness of the courts and police departments. It could offer important insights for a criminal justice or sociology class.

But more entertaining shows have value, too. Popular dramas like “House” or “Dexter” force us to think about morality, and whether or not beneficial outcomes in the long run justify detrimental decisions in the short term. These shows in particular would work well in a philosophy, economics or University Writing class because students are challenged to think critically about the world. Dexter, a serial killer who only murders other serial killers who escape justice, must decide if taking matters into his own hands is a better decision than to turn these people over to the authorities. House is a medical doctor who saves the lives of his patients by any means necessary, and he makes very ethically questionable decisions in order to do so.

We often explore moral questions in our classes, and Netflix gives professors thousands of examples to illustrate these dilemmas. It may be unconventional, but it’s time to give it a try. Netflix is more than just for fun: It can be a learning tool, too. It may get students more excited about their classes – and it may teach professors a thing or two, as well.

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