Digital Connections

Although my podcast focused on the downsides of computers' effects on societies, my research paper will not ignore the benefits they have contributed to interpersonal, international, and cross-cultural connections. New sources I have found reflect the whole new world opened up to internet users who are fortunate enough to have internet access and the ways in which people are helping to provide computers to paces below the poverty level. I already know the internet must be connecting people who otherwise would not know each other, and educating each other through contact. Philanthropy is helping those deprived of such contact in some places. Surely there is potential for development of a broader reach. I hope to find recent articles on how the internet is now pushing people closer together of farther apart. The way my paper is shaping up, it will address not only the digital divide, which is definitely a reality, but also how it might be bridged. My paper will shed light upon what the internet means to different segments of our society an world.

DD Podcast

Changed Research Topic

Recently I changed my research paper topic. Instead of researching digital research I will be researching the digital divide. There are actually multiple divides. I am going to write about various viewpoints on the nature of the digital divide. Also, I will write about statistics which will be the most important part of my paper. The numbers that I have looked at so far show that there is a gulf between those who are computer savvy and those who don't know the basics of using a computer. This gulf divides many segments of our society in a polarizing way. Maybe in my search for more sources I will find evidence that supports the idea that computers and internet usage are actually making the world a more equitable place. I hope to find such data to even out my paper.

Research Paper 2

Here are some less generalized ideas I will explore:

Digital research includes not only computer related resources, but also television and film.

How digital research can be incorporated into essays and the broad spectrum of media that can be utilized in creating digital output.


Pros of internet sources: They are the best way to cover all current events. They can be accessed almost instantly. A great multitude of sources can be sorted through with little time.

Cons of paper texts: The time it takes to acquire different materials. Limited sources at any given library.

Pros of paper texts: Valuable because many texts, especially fiction, are not found on the internet. Critical works by time tested authors suitable for a historical subject may only be found on a library shelf.

Cons of internet sources: Uncertainty of reliability of websites.

I found an educational website, http:/www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk, which has information on innumerable historical topics. It also has many links to other educational websites. I am not sure, though, how to tell if it is definitely a creditable source. This type of question is part of what I intend to discern in my paper.

Research Paper:

I will be looking into digital research. I will examine what it means to research for essays or for digital output in today's world. I will also weigh the pros and cons of using internet sources. I will find out what kinds of sources are the most creditable.

The internet is a way to find the most up to date information for a given topic. So, it is necessary for students to have the know how to navigate the web with proficiency lest they not be caught up with the most recent data.

I will include in my paper the relative value of written texts. Are they still viable? Can they contend with digital research?

I will look up some of the best websites and demonstrate the vast resources of the internet by finding the multitude of content which allows for a student to find information very specific to his or her thesis.

web2.0 and Kidsperation

The technology I am learning to utilize is going to help me in m future teaching career. Google Reader is a great scholarly resource that is easily accessible and much faster than looking through a library. Twitter and Delicious may allow me to find experts in the fields of education and technology. My use of Kidsperation has showed me the helpfulness of this type of software. Provided with a template, a teacher can organize ideas and categories. Conversely, a student may use the software to organize and categorize him or herself.