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Kayla Warren Instructor: Malcolm Campbell English 1102 February 4, 2013 A Decade of Educational Transformation Introduction/Overview I will be researching how education has changed over the past twenty years due to increased use and the advancement of technology in schools. Not only has the most recent generation of students had to adapt to constantly changing technology; teachers, professors, and other educators have had to evolve into avid techies as well. "During the past few years, teachers' use of technology at my school has changed quite a bit," Jennifer Wagner told Education World, "Teachers are beginning to see that the computer is not a toy -- but a tool," Wagner added. Another teacher, Beth Gregor, who was interviewed by Education World said, "When I first started this job, I had my work cut out for me. I had to convince people that using computers would simplify their lives, not add extra work. That was eight years ago. Now, teachers use computers all the time The beginning of my research has been done through searching for online articles, mostly interviews with teachers, and will conclude with several education magazines and newspaper articles. At first, I did believe my topic would be sort of difficult, but after finding several interesting articles, it will be much easier to research than I initially thought. Throughout reading multiple articles it has been discovered there are two distinct conflicting groups, either in favor of technological use in the classroom or against it. The two arguments found in an online blog, done by Elizabeth Gibson, argue technology is both

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contributing to real world experience and aiding in learning, or the use of technology has enabled an over-reliance and dependency on it. Initial Inquiry Question(s) With the development of technology and the uses of it in classrooms, how has it changed the criteria and methods of teaching and learning? My Interest in this Topic I have become interested in this topic, of how education has changed, because of personal experience with my younger siblings. As I recall being in elementary school, our classes wrote everything on paper, only used computers once a week, and the teachers only wrote on dry erase boards. Now, in 2013, as I sit down and help my seven year old sister with homework, the level of learning they are doing in elementary schools, or at least hers, is completely baffling. It seems that the curriculum for students in the present day is much more intense than twenty or even just ten years ago. Every classroom in her school has a set of computers for the students and a smart board. They use the computers daily, and for several weeks even learned how to use PowerPoint and Microsoft Word while at age 7. My school was not taught how to use either until the sixth and seventh grade. The change in education interests me because it seems as if students now are learning more than my own generation ever did in school. I want to look into how true that actually is. Next Steps For further research of my topic I will be spending several hours in the library looking over educational books and magazines such as, American Scholar and National Geographic, among others. As well as browsing through online blogs and websites such as The Department of Educations official website.