August 9, 2007
Kenneth Sherwood
Leonard Hall, 110
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA 15705
Sherwood@iup.edu
Dear Dr. Sherwood:
As my mind was flooded with thoughts of every aspect of technology and its effect of everyday life, I blogged every day focused and moved by many of the works we had to read for this class. Typically, I’m a biography and autobiography reader; never really touching on what is actually going today in the here and now. Initially when we were assigned the readings in the beginning of the term I was stubborn. Convincing myself that I would not like the works before even opening them up I dreaded blogging.
Once I succumbed to the idea of reading “outside of my element” so to speak, I actually for the readings interesting. I found myself liking the homework and excited to read the technology related works. I must say that I particularly favored, The Medium is the Massage. I was in awe for several reasons. First of all the book in regard to the printing was ridiculous. Turning it upside down and trying to understand how the pictures related kept my occupied and intrigued. By the time I had complete all of the assigned readings I was more in tune to the concept of the digital world and all of the dimensions of life it affects.
As time neared and I had to chose a topic and create a thesis. I found myself a little lost. I wanted to do something interesting and beneficial to me but also it had to appeal to the reader. As I narrowed my topic of educational technology, I found myself favoring the negative affects, and being able to relate to those beliefs better that the supporting argument. Although I feel it would have been a little easier to support technology use in classrooms, I enjoyed the challenge. By the time the rough draft was due, I was still trying to narrow down where I wanted to go with the paper and the idea that I really wanted to stress. I found that after getting my draft back it was easier after talking to you and peers to rewrite the entire paper. I was very generalized and wouldn’t commit to one idea and go with it. During the rewrite of my new draft I felt more focused. I found more supporting sources once I narrowed my technology to just computers instead of computers and calculators. I found myself writing whole paragraphs then only using one sentence from them because I was getting to broad.
The completion of my “Uneducational Technology” paper was the most satisfying feeling of my entire summer. I have not only spent hours of research prior to even picking a topic but also read numerous educational technology sources. Even with all the additional time I spent on rewriting the paper I feel I improved on organization and supporting my beliefs. I still found it hard to find enough support that actually based its findings on research. This Research Writing class not only made me a more organized and systematic writer who is more open to different types of writings, but it also inspired determination and a new passion to read more works that I had previously refused to read. Thank you very much for this opportunity.
Sincerely,
Sherry D’george
PO Box 871
Fogelsville PA 18051
gvzm@iup.edu
Field Work
August 1st, 2007
Field Report- Out of 100 College Students Surveyed, here are the results
Questions:
Do you prefer to use a calculator for simple math problems such as (55-27=)?
Yes-77%
No-20%
No Opinion-3%
In what grade did you learn how to use a calculator?
1st grade- 4%
2nd grade-5%
3rd grade-39%
4th grade-51%
Don’t Remember-1%
Do you have a computer in your house?
Yes- 96%
No-4%
At what age were you introduced to a computer?
Before 5yrs- 2%
5-6yrs-32%
7-8yrs-61%
9-10yrs-5%
Do you think more or less time should be spent teaching children how to use computers?
More-49%
Less-49%
No Opinion-2%
Outline
July 31st, 2007
Uneducational Technology
Thesis statement: The proficiency of students is lowered by the introduction of internet, calculators and computers
I. The internet has a negative side in education
A. No ability to use card catalog
B. Less reading, more summarizing by sparknotes and cliffnotes
1. Student can get book summaries online
2. Students can get research papers online instead of writing them
II. Calculators are helpful and hurtful
A. Classrooms emphasize the right answer instead of the correct mathematical process
B. Students do not understand and are not competent in basic math skills
1. Dependency on calculators
2. Negative effects in the future
III. Computer technology
A. Poor Penminship
B. Horrible Spelling
1. Spell Check
2. Grammar and writing software makes up for education’s inconsistencies
Field Work
July 26th, 2007
For my idea I would like to do a survey asking 100 colleges aged students how to spell 5 different words that you typically learn in elementary but are commonly misspelled. And to Ask 5 different basic math problems and time how long it mentally takes them to find the answer to the elementary problem.
the proposal
July 26th, 2007
1. Theme: Digital Culture + Childhood Education Technologies
2. Broad Topic: Negative effects of simple technology in Childhood Education
3. Concept Streams:
Effects on penminship
Effects on basic math skills
Effects on researching skills
Unhealthy dependency on technology (calculators, computers)
Side effects of overuse of spell check
Technologies that substitute rudimentary skills
4. Relevant Conversations/sources: -
-School Boards
-National Bord of Education
-Teacher Associations
-National Testing Organizations
-Students
-Teachers
-Educational Technology Developers
Possible Sources:
Negative Effects of Computers in Classrooms-By Jessie Norman
http://courses.wcupa.edu/fletcher/english121/projects/10b/jessy.
Technology’s Impact on Learning
http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/tiol.html
Technology in Early Childhood Education
http://www.nwrel.org/request/june01/child.html
Technology and young Children
http://www.techandyoungchildren.org/
5a. Working Research Question(s):
Is the implementation of technology in classrooms more helpful or hurtful with resects to student’s comprehension?
Will the advances in educational technology make students less proficient?
In how many areas of childhood education is technology prominent?
5b. Focused Research Question Is the advancement in teaching and learning technology actually making students less proficient and less hardworking?
For my paper I propose to discuss the positive and negative effects of classroom learning technologies on the proficiency of students. Young children are writing with pen and paper less and less and becoming dependent on computers more and more. This change is not necessarily beneficial. Now, calculations that previous generations were able to do in their heads, for instance quick math problems, today’s children would rather use a calculator due to its availability and ease. With reguard to national test scores in the past few years, there are trends in the influx and reflux of competency with the increase in availibility of classroom technologies. Does a learning technology really help a child learn? Or does it create a crutch for less knowledgeable students to lean on? In some senses it does take a certain amount of intelligence to be able to use these technologies, but even with that considered the introduction of computers, calculators and the internet have drastically changed what children today are responsible to retain and understand.
More Sources…
July 24th, 2007
Some Direction
July 19th, 2007
1. Theme: Digital Culture + Childhood Education
2. Broad Topic: Negative effects of technology in Childhood Education
3. Concept Streams:
- Effects on penminship
- Effects math skills
- Effect on Research skills
- Dependency on technology
- Spellcheck
4. Relevant Conversations/sources:
-Negative Effects of Computers in Classrooms-By Jessy Norman http://courses.wcupa.edu/fletcher/english121/projects/10b/jessy. -Technology’s Impact on Learning http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/tiol.html
-Technology in Early Childhood Education http://www.nwrel.org/request/june01/child.html -Technology and young Children http://www.techandyoungchildren.org/
5a. Working Research Question(s): 5a. Working Research Question(s):
5a. Working Research Question(s):
- Is technology more helpful or hurtful?
- Will the advances in educational technology make students less intelligent?
- In how many ares of childhood education is technology prominent?
5b. Focussed Research Question
- Is the andvancement in teaching and learning technology actually making students less intelligent and lazy?
Conversation Time…
July 19th, 2007
Negative effects of technology on childhood education:
-Negative Effects of Computers in Classrooms-By Jessy Norman
http://courses.wcupa.edu/fletcher/english121/projects/10b/jessy.
-Technology’s Impact on Learning
http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/tiol.html
-Technology in Early Childhood Education
http://www.nwrel.org/request/june01/child.html
-Technology and young Children
I like the way I think…
July 17th, 2007
Alright here’s an idea:
I’m thinking about the effects of technology in childhood education. Think about it, now kids learn to type almost around the same time they are taught to write. They at an earlier age are forced to hand things in typed. The penminship of some of the kids I know is horrible, but they are wizez at typing. I think although computers do have aa stubstantially positive effect in brings more information to one’s fingertips it also leads to the down fall of important rudimentary skills that aren’t stressed nor even taught. What would hapen if a child had to add number in their head instead of using a calculator? Or find a book using the card catalog in the library?
Tyrrany of Copyright…
July 16th, 2007
After reading this article I thought about two very important points Boynton discussed in his article:
1. Is copywriting a form of control on consumers?
I know that the point of copywriting is to insure that the author gets the credit and money linked to his/her original work. Being a college student, I love downloading music but don’t like paying for it. For how many bands I listen to, it would be impossible to buy and in some cases even find the actual CDs. I’m almost forced to download. I’ve went to concerts where the bands have even stated that they don’t care if you’re downloading their music illegally, because their main cause is getting their message out there, not the money. This opinion varies form musican to musican, but it all ends the same way. No matter how much restraint the governement attempts to place on the cheap music/movie loving population, people are still going to get away with illegal downloading.
2. How long should families of artist recieve royalties?
Now my opinion would ovbiously differ from those who actually recieve royalties, but I believe no money, besides what is stated in the will, should be given to the family after the artist dies. If anything the royalites should go to charity.