Writing-topic proposal

Coral&Mason& March&25,&2009& WR1224&Brown& Argument&Essay&Topic&Proposal& & TOPIC:'Computers&in&the&Classroom& & STATEMENT'OF'PURPOSE:&My&nephew&and&a&close&friend’s&daughter&both&said&they&are&very&bored&in&their&7th& and&10th&grade&classes&due&in&part&to&the&school’s&reliance&on&computerized&instruction&to&compensate&for& overcrowded&classrooms.&As&an&education&major&and&a&future&high&school&teacher,&I&want&to&see&how&educators& justify&this&lack&of&challenge&and&change&from&traditional&teaching.& ' GUIDING'QUESTION:'What&does&the&presence&of&student&computers&do&to&the&academic&environment?& ' WORKING'TITLE:&Computers&in&the&Classroom:&Educational&Babysitter& && WORKING'THESIS:'The&use&of&computers&in&most&American&classrooms&gives&teachers&the&chance&to&use&them&as& babysitters&and&frees&them&from&developing&individualized&curriculum,&grading&the&work&of&their&students,&and& makes&them&less&responsible&for&the&classes&they&are&hired&to&teach.& && PRELIMINARY'RESEARCH:'&There&is&an&abundance&of&material&about&the&educational&uses&of&computers.&I&have& already&read&two&books,&both&those&in&favor&of&this&addition&to&classrooms&and&those&opposing&this&change.&The& ERIC&database&is&bursting&with&scholarly&research&articles&on&the&topic&of&technology,&specifically&student& computers,&in&the&classroom.&&&

I&have&found&the&following&articles&that&are&more&of&a&general&understanding&of&the&topic:&& • Exploring*the*Benefits*and*Challenges*of*Using*Laptop*Computers*in*Higher*Education*Classrooms:*A*

Formative*Analysis& • Two*configurations*for*accessing*classroom*computers:*differential*impact*on*students'*critical*

reflections*and*their*empowerment& • Access*to*Classroom*Computers&

A&few&articles&were&for&the&use&of&computers&in&the&classroom:&& • Bring*on*the*computers!&& • Laptop*Computers*in*the*Elementary*Classroom:*Authentic*instruction*with*atCrisk*students.&&&

I&also&found&a&few&that&are&against&computers&in&the&classroom:&& • An*Evaluation*of*the*Conditions,*Processes,*and*Consequences*of*Laptop*Computing*in*KC12*Classrooms* • Wireless*Laptops*in*the*Classroom*(and*the*Sesame*Street*Syndrome)** • Smart*Career*Advice;*Laptops*as*a*Classroom*Distraction.&& • Gender*Differences*in*the*Use*of*Computers,*Programming,*and*Peer*Interactions*in*Computer*Science*

Classrooms.& & I&am&most&looking&forward&to&the&chance&to&observe&in&several&local&classrooms&at&various&levels&of&schooling.&My& aunt&teaches&at&McLoughlin&Middle&School&and&she&promises&to&connect&me&to&teachers&who&will&discuss&this& with&me.&&My&main&goal&of&meeting&with&the&teachers&is&to&see&if&I&can&get&any&feedback&from&a&few&students&to& see&how&they&feel&about&computers&in&the&classroom.&&& & I&honestly&believe&that&I&can&successfully&teach&my&future&students&about&World&History&with&a&good&textbook,& paper,&and&pencils&–&without&all&the&fancy&technology.&&My&overall&goal&with&the&argument&research&paper&is&to& show&that&teacher&directed&lessons&and&creative&learning&application&is&the&best&educational&experience&–&getting& caught&up&in&the&latest&technological&boom&is&not&the&way&to&educate.&