Research Proposal

 My next step to beginning my research project was to make my final research proposal explaining the issue I will be researching.  For this process, I began my quest for information by divulging into databases finding numerous secondary and primary sources.  Once I collected several initial data sources, I was able to better redefine my research question.  My revised question is, How has technology affected college students' ability to learn and altered literacy in their classrooms? I came up with my final research question by analyzing the sources and information I was able to find about my topic on the databases.  I now have a better approach and know which angle I will be coming from when officially beginning the analytical part of my research. My document below explains my new research question, why it is important to me, and why my issue needs further research and investigations.  It also gives my predictions about what I will find at the end of my research and some proposed readings.

The Influence of Technology on College Students in the United States

I. Background:

            The standard hardcover textbook and notes on the chalkboard are no longer apart of classroom learning for college students.  The new generation has transformed into a technology-based society.  Power points are replacing chalkboards and homework is now completed and turned in online instead handing in a piece of paper.  Moreover, teachers are learning to only teach with technology, as they know this generation of college students seems to learn better with computers, iPads, and iPhones.  The new usage of technology has brought upon both positives and negatives in students’ literary development.

II Question:

            The primary question being researched here is: How has technology in the educational setting changed students’ learning throughout universities in the United States?  Many academic journals such as, The Journal of Economic Education and the Journal of Technology Education, have posed research about this issue, as technology has its pros and cons in the academic environment.  Scholars, such as Yong Zhao professor at Michigan State University and Scott D. Johnson from the University of Illinois, have conducted research studies on the impact of technology in the classroom, as well.  Additionally, from my own personal experience, I have found that completing homework online and taking online courses lead to distractions, as the rest of the Internet and social networking sites are of easy access.  Thus, I wish to explore if technology is actually beneficial for learning and how it has changed the overall classroom experience.  Furthermore, I will research how teachers, the primary literary sponsors of college students, have adapted to these changes in the classroom and if teachers are adapting adequately enough to this new form of learning.  The types of technology that have been installed into education will be researched, as well.  Finally, I wish to analyze students’ attitudes toward technological use and see their perspective on whether or not it is actually beneficial to their literary development.

III Proposed Readings:

Secondary Sources:

Buzzard, Christopher, et al. "The use of Digital Technologies in the Classroom: A Teaching and Learning Perspective." Journal of Marketing Education 33.2 (2011): 131-9. ERIC. Web. 27 Sep. 2012.

Goffe, William L., and Kim Sosin. “Teaching with Technology: May You Live in Interesting Times.” The Journal of Economic Education 36.3 (2005): 278-291. JSTOR. Web. 16 Sept. 2012.

Goode, Joanna. "Mind The Gap: The Digital Dimension Of College Access." Journal Of Higher Education 81.5 (2010): 583-618. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Sept. 2012.

Hsin-Liang, Chen, and James Patrick Williams. "Use Of Multi-Modal Media And Tools In An Online Information Literacy Course: College Students' Attitudes And Perceptions." Journal Of Academic Librarianship 35.1 (2009): 14-24. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Sept. 2012.

Johnson, Scott D., and Jenny Daugherty. "Quality and Characteristics of Recent Research in Technology Education." Journal of Technology Education 20.1 (2008): 16-31. ERIC. Web. 16 Sep. 2012.

Kaifi, Belal A., Bahaudin G. Mujtaba, and Albert A. Williams. "Online College Education for Computer-Savvy Students: A Study of Perceptions and Needs." Journal of College Teaching and Learning 6.6 (2009): 1-15. ABI/INFORM Complete. Web. 27 Sep. 2012.

Katz, Irvin R. "Testing Information Literacy In Digital Environments: ETS's Iskills Assessment." Information Technology & Libraries 26.3 (2007): 3-12. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Sept. 2012.

Langer, Arthur M., and L. Lee Knefelkamp. “College Students' Technology Arc: A Model for Understanding Progress.” Theory Into Practice 47.3 (2008): 186-196. JSTOR. Web. 13 Sept. 2012.

Lawless, Kimberly A., and James W. Pellegrino. "Professional Development in Integrating Technology into Teaching and Learning: Knowns, Unknowns, and Ways to Pursue Better Questions and Answers." Review of Educational Research 77.4 (2007): 575-614. JSTOR. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.

Luis, William, Ritu Agarwal, and V. Sambamurthy. "Sources of Influence on Beliefs about Information Technology Use: An Empirical Study of Knowledge Workers." MIS Quarterly 27.4 (2003): 657-78. JSTOR. Web. 14 Sept. 2012.

McCoy, Cindy. "Perceived Self-Efficacy And Technology Proficiency In Undergraduate College Students." Computers & Education 55.4 (2010): 1614-1617. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Sept. 2012.

O'Connor, Noreen. "Harnessing technology to improve liberal learning." Peer Review 8.4 (2006): 12+. Academic ASAP. Web. 27 Sep. 2012.

Tingting, Liu, and Sun Haibin. "Analysis Of Information Literacy Education Strategies For College Students Majoring In Science And Engineering." Modern Applied Science 5.5 (2011): 227-231. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Sept. 2012.

Watson, Joseph A., and Loretta L. Pecchioni. "Digital Natives And Digital Media In The College Classroom: Assignment Design And Impacts On Student Learning." Educational Media International 48.4 (2011): 307-320. ERIC. Web. 28 Sept. 2012.

Zhao, Yong, and Kenneth A. Frank. “Factors Affecting Technology Uses in Schools: An Ecological Perspective.” American Educational Research Journal 40.4 (2003): 807-840. JSTOR. Web. 16 Sept. 2012.

Primary Sources:

Skiba, Diane J. "Back to school: what's in your students' backpacks?" Nursing Education Perspectives 31.5 (2010): 318+. Popular Magazines. Web. 13 Sep. 2012.

West, Gail B. "Teaching and Technology in Higher Education: CHANGES AND CHALLENGES." Adult Learning 10.4 (1999): 16. Popular Magazines. Web. 13 Sep. 2012.

IV Prediction of Outcomes:

            After carefully conducting my research I feel that I will discover that even though technology has made learning more efficient both inside and outside the classroom, there are many problems that arise with technology teaching.  I feel that there will be a gap between teachers and students in their technology preferences.  For example, teachers may wish to use technology in one form while students may be learning better in a different form of technology.  Moreover, I predict I will find some sources on the fact that student’s own personal motivation and study skills are what drive their academic success, not technology.  I will also discover that students become more distracted when doing work on their iPads and computers, which in the end hinders literary development, similar as it did for me.  Overall, I predict that technology will have more negative impacts than positives.