researched essay.

Modern means of technology have led to many positive and negative effects. Speed and efficiency has become the basis of American communication, especially with the introduction of cell phones, and more recently Americans new addiction to text messaging. Not only does text messaging get right to the point, texting is quick, simple and immediate. Although many people agree that the new rise of text messaging is contributing to the demise of the English language, other believe that texting is increasing reading and writing, thus changing the way future generations will learn. Text messaging has become a dominant force in communication, from teenagers to adults texting is changing the way we speak, write and learn.

“In 2004, the Pew Internet and American Life Project said that sixteen million teenagers were using instant messaging and text messaging to communicate, up from thirteen million in 2000.”(1) For some reason, text messaging has drawn millions into the craze. Perhaps it’s the quick delivery and the lack of actually having to have a conversation, or maybe it’s just more fun to receive a new message than a new call, whatever it is, society has become addicted and text messaging may be the key to the future of communication around the world.

“She was too busy sending IMs and text messages to bother with e-mail “(Lorenz). American communication has changed drastically with the introduction of the internet. Prior to Emailing, writing formal letters was the way to keep in touch with family and relative. Thus students were practicing their reading and writing skills by sending and receiving formal letters. However once the internet was developed , email had a new way to connect families. It was quick and efficient, and also began to change the way people were writing, using shorthand and abbreviations instead of full words. Emailing was the new craze, until instant messaging and text messaging was introduced.

Unlike emailing, instant and text messaging have changed and formed a language of their own. “I write cuz a lot instead of because, said Nick Miron, 17 (1).” Many teenagers would agree that their use of the English language, vocabulary and grammar skills is not up to par when using texting and IMing. Often text messages look something lyk this makin lil use of thngs learnd in skool, and this is where the problems, or the benefits of texting come into play.

“Adolescent literacy achievement across the U.S. is in crisis. More than 8 million students in grades 4-12 are identified as struggling readers”( Sternberg pg 416) . Many people are attributing this “crisis” to technology. Some scholars are saying that because of text and instant messaging younger people of the newer generations are losing the English language. The young people are using this text language and it’s contributing to the demise of the English language, but on the other hand many other scholars are fighting to make use and include technology in lesson plans and in schools. “Professionals and lay people are increasingly voicing support for inclusion of this element in a literacy program, because technology plays an increasingly central role in our society”(Sternberg 416). One article that decribes this split between scholars is Another article that shows possible effects of texting and new technology is “Txt msgs creep in2 class;some say that’s gr8”. “Its appearance is dividing teachers in Minnesota and across the nation. Some can’t stand seeing the lingo in any form. Others say it may be a way to keep kids writing.” One teacher, Mrs Yancey from Minnesota supports making use of technology in the classroom. She says that “Since students have proven so proficient at embedding all these different communication tools into their daily lives with no training from adults ,Yancey said schools should find ways to incorporate those tools into teaching. If a student is proficient in texting, but not in reading Shakespeare, she said, perhaps a teacher could ask students to translate Shakespeare into text language”(Pg 3) This idea really shows how drastically technology and especially text messaging is changing the ways we think and learn. Not surprisingly, Yancey is not the only teacher that believes that we should start using more technology within the classroom. One middle school in Connecticut has become fully dedicated with the hands on use of technology.

“A Day in the Life of Web 2.0” shows how one middle school is completely tech savvy. Teachers make use of blogs to post the weeks schedules, students work is done through the use of blogging, teachers use Wikis to make review sheets for exams, and important lessons are recorded and posted as PodCasts . We can relate to this because this is our AMS class. We use blogs and the internet and Wikis, when was the last time we used a pen in this class?

This Middle School and our AMS class are not the only two schools using more and more technology is run classes. Scholars are recognizing that times are changing, and with the increase in technology we need to change the way we learn.

Sooner or later, all schools will be accustomed to the new use of technology. It is necessary for people to adapt to the new language that is evolving from technology. Being that there is no way to turn back time and return to life before the Internet, E Mails, Instant Messaging and Text Messaging, I think that we need to make use and adjust to what the use of technology has provided. “ Combining instant and text messaging with other technologies can maximize students learned potential and creativity, and that linguistic behaviors in communication modes such as Instant Messaging show how skilled students are with the English language” (Sternberg 416). Is texting and instant messaging changing the way we live? Yes. But as for the demise of the English language, I think people need to take a closer look and see that change may not be such a bad thing. The new technology may in fact be crucial is helping preserve the English language, not causing the demise.

Without a doubt, around ninety percent of students in our own class would agree that text messaging is a major form of communication and a great way to keep in touch with friends and family back home. Without a doubt we would all also agree that they way we were brought u, reading books and sining songs is way different than the way children are learning basic skills today, most abies are picking things up from electronics and mini computers.

Things have changed a lot because of technology and texting, and our AMS class is a perfect example. Not once have we used a pen of a pencil, this class is done through blogs and the internet, this is the perfect example as to how learning in the United States and the world is changing.

Works Cited

1)Walsh, James. “Txt msgs creep in2 class; some day thts gr8t” Star Tribune.

2) Sternberg, Betty J. “Enhancing adolescent literacy achievement through integration of technology in the classroom.” Reading Research Quarterly. Vol. 42:3. September 2007. Pg 416-420.

3) Lorenz, Chad.”The Death of Email”. http://www.slate.com/id/2177969/ .14 November 2007. Washington Post. 19 November 2007.

4) Warlick, David. “A Day in the Life of Web 2.0”. www.techlearning.com Pg 20-26.

text messaging & the way we learn.

[bubbleshare 274656]

works cited:

one:http://photobucket.com/mediadetail/?media=http%3A%2F%2Fi237.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff12%2Fjctech3438%2F312176542_42b235a536.jpg&searchTerm=mailbox&pageOffset=3

picture by jctech3438

two:http://photobucket.com/mediadetail/?media=http%3A%2F%2Fi14.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa308%2FShadowbaneX%2FUntitled-1.png&searchTerm=email&pageOffset=4

picture by ShadowbaneX

three:http://photobucket.com/mediadetail/?media=http%3A%2F%2Fi156.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft1%2Fcnemuffins%2Faimlgin.jpg&searchTerm=aol&pageOffset=16

picture by cnemuffins

four: http://www.flickr.com/photos/julieunplugged/526996244/

by juliecinci

five: by zarathomas96

http://photobucket.com/mediadetail/?media=http%3A%2F%2Fi145.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fr225%2Fzarathomas96%2FNotebooks%2F000_0002_37.jpg&searchTerm=notebooks&pageOffset=18

six: My picture.

seven:http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiddenpeanuts/4179663/

by Hidden Peanuts

eight: My picture.

nine:http://photobucket.com/mediadetail/?media=http%3A%2F%2Fi21.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb291%2Ffishball_tiramisu%2Fclassroom2.jpg&searchTerm=classroom&pageOffset=14

by:fishball tiramisu

ten:http://www.flickr.com/photos/acsamman/433447478/

ACS Amman

goals

My goals for this little project are to show how technology–texting, IMing, Internet, Emailing, etc has changed some of the traditional ways of learning.  I want to to show how the traditional classroom has changed, how IMing and texting are changing the English language, how we use blogs instead of regular notebooks, the Internet to research instead of textbooks.  I am going to find images that show the old and the new and compare them.

english class.

Skeletal Draft/distillation of argument- The issue that I have decided to work with is technology in the classroom and how teaching and learning has changed from the traditional setting to the more modern classroom that includes the use of various means of technology.

Summary of Issue- I want to show the differences in classrooms and learning from before the internet. Using real textbooks, notebooks and pens vs internet- wikis, sparknotes, laptops, etc. Right now theres a huge dilemma going on about whether or not texting is changing the way we write. Some scholars are saying that the use of texting and iming is causing the nations youth to be less intelligent than previous generations. People are actually worried that this new texting craze is contributing to the demise of the English language, whereas other scholars are saying that this is great, teens and young people are reading and writing, so what if they’re not just the “proper” English grammar and vocabulary skills? Thus this argument is making the ways we think write and learn change drastically.

Thesis- Text messaging has become a dominant force in communication, and is changing the way we speak, write and learn.

Main Points-

• abc vs T9 Word–which is better?
• older generation vs new generation
• beneficial vs negative
• academic effects
• wikis
• blogs
• podCasts
• chalkboards vs blackboard
• spell & grammar check

Key Quotes-

“I write cuz a lot instead of because, sad Nick Miron,17″.

“Adolescent literacy achievement across the U.S. is in crisis. More than 8 million students in grades 4-12 are identified as struggling readers”.

“Professionals and lay people are increasingly voicing support for inclusion of this element in a literacy program, because technology plays an increasingly central role in our society”.

“Its appearance is dividing teachers in Minnesota and across the nation. Some can’t stand seeing the lino in any form. Others day it may be a way to keep kids wriitng”.

“Since students have proven so proficient at embedding all these different communication tools into their daily lives with no training from adults, Yancey said schools should find ways to incorporate those tools into teaching. If a student is so proficient in texting, but not in reading Shakespeare, she said, perhaps a teacher could ask students to translate Shakespeare into text language”.

“Combining instant and text messaging with other technologies can maximize students leaned potential and creativity, and that linguistic behaviors in communication modes such as Instant Messaging show how skilled students are with the English language”.

twentytwo

“F:F:F is open there, and she flips back and forth between posts, getting a sense of what’s been going on. Not much, aside from ongoing analysis of #135, which is normal, and discussion of this Vatican story from Brazil. Maurice, interestingly, posts to point out that both the story and the alleged papel interest seem to issue from Brazil, and that there has apparently been no independent confirmation from elsewhere” (90).

Cayce interacts directly with the forum. She is constantly checking the FFF and is an avid user. Cayce says that the forum has become like a second home, the FFF gives her the ability to interact and connect with other users, and she is able to use information from the forum in her job.

The Pew Research Center shows this in scenarios 3 & 4. They have said that technology has eliminated privacy, allows people to know where we are at all times. Users of the forum relate to this because they are addicted to the technology much like the Pew Research talks about.
“Even her relationship to the footage is changing. Margot had called the footage Cayce’s hobby, but Cayce has never been a person who had hobbies. Obsessions, yes. Worlds. Places to retreat to. “But it’s no name,” Margot had said, of the footage, “that’s why you like it. Isn’t it? Like your trademark thing.” (Pattern Recognition Page 94-95)

1) Cayce is the user of the forum.

2) Cayce is always using the footage, Margot says that it has become an obsession rather than a hobby.

3)The FFF seems like a place for Cayce to escape from her real world, as quoted from above the FFF can be compared to a “place to retreat to”.

4) This is the same as the above, the Pew Research Center talks about how addicting technology is, and the above passage shows how Cayce is obsessed with the forum.

21

“Even her relationship to the footage is changing.  Margot had called the footage Cayce’s hobby, but Cayce has never been a person who had hobbies.  Obsessions, yes.  Worlds.  Places to retreat to.  “But it’s no name,” Margot had said, of the footage, “that’s why you like it.  Isn’t it?  Like your trademark thing.”  (Pattern Recognition Page 94-95)

It seems as though Cayce has a strong addiction to this FFF thing.  It’s more than just a hobby, something she would do for fun, its an addiction which means shes on it all the time, checking it and updating things.  I think that the person isnt really too excited about this media.  It seems as though theyre are saying that Cayce is just obsessed with it and its a little bit ridiculous.

Facebook, say whatttttt. We are addicted.  I sit in class ALL the time checking my facebook.  Its an obsession for all of us, like th FFF is for Cayce.  I would defiantly say that with out a doubt the FFF is to Cayce what Facebook is to us.

twenty

“It is a way now, approximately, of being at home. The forum has become one of the most consistent places in her life, like a familiar cafe that exists somehow outside of geography and beyond time zones.”(4)

1) home- I think that this is a strong statement in the passage because when I think of being at home I think of being comfortable and being in a loving environment. When using the phrase “Is is way now, approximately, of being at home” the author is able to give me a sense that this “forum” is a very essential part of Cayce’s life.

2) forum- I don’t even know what to think when I see this word. It reminds me of something like a chat room or something, clearly the forum is really important because its technology and thats what the basis of this course has been so yeah.

3) consistent- If something is consistent is means that its repetitive. This means that this forum is visited quite a lot by Cayce.

4) familiar cafe – At my house my parents have this one Coffee Shop or cafe that we get coffee from every morning, so this term/idea really stuck out to me because I know what a familiar cafe is like. The cafe has become a vital part of our mornings, they know our names and just how we like our coffee, so relating that back to the novel, the forum must be a very important part of Cayce, and if there is a way for the forum to recognize of know Cayce, it does.

5) “outside of geography and beyond time zones”- This means that this is not a place that physically exists. It is there, but not really, I guess kind of like the internet.

Home. Using home and a familiar cafe to associate Cayce with the forum shows how important the forum is to her. It shows that Cayce goes there a lot and she feels comfortable there. It also tells us that this forum is going to be a big part of the novel, and alot to do with the plot. I think that is also means that one of the themes of the novel is going to be Cayce’s addiction/dependency on the forum, which is going to relate back to our class because its a part of technology.

19B

…communities however, are held together through the mutual production and reciprocal exchange of knowledge. (Jenkins 27).

This quote means that communities or groups are able to stay united and functioning because of people working together and sharing information. By having people work together and exchange their knowledge, the knowledge is able to spread thus creating a more knit community, in which every member is able to become educated and share more information.

I think that this quote explains our work in class with the wikis. By working together and using all of our knowledge as a group, we have contributed to the wiki community. Without this combined use and exchange of knowledge, there would be no wikispace. Now because of our added knowledge to wikispaces, other wiki users are able to gain knowledge from our pages and spread it to others as well.

blog nineteen a

The obvious but hard-to-grasp truth is that living with the media is today one of the main things American and many other human beings do. (Gitlin 5)

This quotes means that people are so used to living with media and technology that we don’t even realize it anymore. This relates to my topic because my topic is text messaging and people are addicted and we dont even realize it. People use their cell phones nowadays without even realizing that ten years ago we never had cellphones. Technology has consumer our lives and we cant stop it. It’s all around us, but we just take it for granted.

media convergence.

“None of us really knows how to live in this era of media convergence, collective intelligence, and participatory culture” (170) .

Technology and media have been so routine in or daily lives, sometimes we forget it’s even there.  Everyone is guilty  is being dependent on some sort of new media.  Cell phones, iPods, everyone has one.

I personally am addicted to my cell phone.  If my cell phone is not by my side at all times I have major issues.  Not only does my cell phone have everyone’s number in it, it’s my main source of communication.  I text nonstop, and call people when I feel the need to talk, without it, I’m lost.

When I first got my cell phone around the middle school age, I would have never imagined being so dependent on a device that really should not be a vital part of my life, but now a day without it and I can almost not function.

Now that media and technology has gotten so big, media and technology will be a part of our lives forever.