Cohesive Argument

Unit 8 Assignment: Cohesive Argument

CM220 College Composition II

Purdue University Global

Paragraph 1: Introduction

In the state of California there are 10 districts that supplies tablets to students within the classroom using the G Suite program – a program suite of tools designed to empower educators and students as they learn and innovate together. (Edu.google, 2019) Should tablets be utilize for educational purpose? Technology is invading the education field at an increasing pace. The integration has effectively evolved from learning on blackboards to learning on interactive whiteboards. With some concerns that parent have on “how much assumptions of technologies is okay” prevent them to understand some of the benefit that technologies has to offer. Riverside County should implement technology tablets or Chromebook in the classroom in because this will help the students learn more and engage their imaginations while also reducing waste.

Paragraph 2: Students learning more

Living in the 21st century, technology is integrated with almost everything that is used. Some of today learning environment is that students just listening to the teachers without much interaction with that many kids find what is being taught to be boring. While at least two other smaller surrounding districts have already utilized the services of tablets in the classroom this integration should expand within Riverside County where all middle/high schools offer this unique program. Mobile learning, the use of portable electronic devices to access and share information, is a trend in higher education, and is redefining the manner in which learning takes place and how instruction is delivered. The skills that are needed for innovation are creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication; a recipe for success. Technologies within the classroom help promotes students to put in perspective the knowledge and experience accumulated to complete the activity, and then communicate what they learned from the project. Technologies like tablets or Chromebook can be integrated into all aspects of the core curriculum such as science, math, history, and language arts. G Suite program allow educators to create opportunities for learning, streamline administrative tasks, and challenge their students to think critically—all without disrupting current workflows. (Edu.google, 2019)

With the launching of the ConnectEd program in 2013, President Obama tasked the FCC with a five-year project aimed to provide all schools and libraries with access to high-speed boardband connections. President Obama noted that, “[w]e are living in a digital age, and to help our students get ahead, we must make sure they have access to cutting-edge technology. (ProCon.org, 2008). May 2009 after then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger launched the Free Digital Textbook Initiative Riverside was one of the first school districts in California to implement the use of digital textbooks. Ramona High School principal stated, “Teachers are also discovering students are more willing and likely to do their homework because of tablets’ interactivity” homework is not boring anymore. (Frey, 2011) Tablets are easy to use than desktop and laptop computers, or even paper books, provide direct communication with students, parents and teachers – handwritten notes can get lost intentionally or accidentally. Tablets provide a live knowledge base – instructor can quickly deliver engaging material to students in real time in just a couple clicks. Recommended resources to assistant student with homework is easily provided and a tremendous knowledge base available at their fingertips. Tablets can be program or added features to accommodates special needs. Learners who have a disability will appreciate the tablet’s flexibility, freedom of access and tailored curriculums. Technologies open up doors to the unknow, the universe, to expand students, adults, and kids of all age imagination unlike textbooks. Textbooks provide the expansion that is given only my the author where as technologies it is just a click away from any questions or concerns during interactions.

Paragraph 3: Students using their imaginations more

Tablets – technologies in general – promotes imaginations, curiosity, and explorations. Once given the opportunities students can personalize their district-issued iPad, Android or other netbook with photos, videos and music. (Frey, 2011)

Tablets help students to stay connected with other students and teachers. G Suite for Education allow student to work online or offline at any given time with the use of tools that encourage collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and one-on-one or with the whole class. (Edu.google, 2009)

ConnectEd: learning powered by technology; a program launch by President Obama allow students to learn more, at their own pace and irrespective of geography, and to develop the knowledge and skills employers demand, provide teachers with opportunities to share best practices and personalize learning for students, and it also allows parents to engage more deeply and immediately in their children’s learning. Ever seem those ads on television for kids learning games for example ABC Mouse or tutoring or subject base apps to help students comprehend and practice to better themselves in that subject.

“Technology is not a silver bullet. It’s only as good as the teachers … using it as one more tool to help inspire, and teach, and work through problems.”

— President Barack Obama, November 19, 2014

Video games are important learning tools that provide immersive, interactive, and creative spaces for students to learn and explore in 21st century classroom. Tablets provides a faster visualization, quicker reporting – a great incentive for cultivating scientific skills. For instance, students can document their field trips right away or taking pictures for a reports, students can make use of interactive maps or facility-specific content available on smartphones and tablets. Earlier usage of tablets improving computer skills, boosting creativity, and learning simulations.

Like it or not, computers rule the world, so it’s vital to learn how to use computers from as early as possible. It might be too risky and costly to fly a jet or spaceship in a test mode, yet simulations give you the right feeling and some of the required skills. Pilots, soldiers, and surgeons have been using simulation games for an eternity. Now they are available on tablet devices. Playing is not all about distraction and procrastination, games can really inspire creativity and out-of-the-box thinking given the opportunities to utilize it vise waiting until later down maturity.

Paragraph 4: Reducing waste

Utilizing tablets or Chromebook in school can be apart of initiation process of reducing waste just as San Diego or a small town, Kamikatsu, Japan. Kamikatsu, Japan sorting their garbage into 34 separate categories of waste; which they used to incinerate its trash, but eventually realized how damaging it was to the environment, vast quantities of greenhouse gases and toxins that can damage the food supply turn to where 80% of the town’s garbage is recycled, reused, or composted, with the rest going to a landfill (Garfield, 2017) According to the World Bank 2015 report globally the amount of trash produced is growing faster than the rate of urbanization. Closer to home is the city of San Diego implementing a Zero-Waste program to help with reducing waste. In 2015 San Diego made an announced to reduce trash by 75% by 2030. Riverside should implement a similar plan starting with the reducing the printing of textbooks and paperwork; a small but helpful start.

Supporter of tablets state that they are much lighter than print textbooks. Tablets can hold hundreds of textbooks, save the environment by lowering the amount of printing, increase student interactivity and creativity, and that digital textbooks are cheaper than print textbooks. Every Student Succeeds Act and extension act of No Student Left Behind of 2015 created a grant program authorizing an annual of up to $1.6 billion for school districts to support digital learning to funds variety of activities such as teacher-training programs on the effective use of digital technologies, provide resources to students in under-served communities, and blended-learning projects taught partly online and partly in the classroom (ProCon.org, 2008) By far an electronic textbooks are much cheaper than paper textbooks, so if the district can spends less after its initial investment some of that funds can be use to funds other educational projects or improve in the development of the communities.

When you get right down to it, in the mid- to long-term perspective, the tablet is, in fact, a really smart investment. If pays off well when you get the burden of supporting obsolete infrastructure off your shoulders. No dust, no price hikes, no surprises from textbook providers, no storage and damage issues. Full scalability and lightweight backpack that fits thousands of textbooks in a single device. With some tech-savvy institutions who have already adopted the system where students turn in their papers in a strictly digital format. Paper is no longer an option. Paperless innovation is the new trend. No more ink and notepads. It’s all digital, eliminating the paper and helping the environment unless you prefer the old fashion way.

Paragraph 5: Counterargument

Now, some conservative educators and parent are concerned that’s tablets will being a major distraction, easy to break, expensive, and costly/time-consuming to fix; which they might be right but it shouldn’t be a concepts to not jump. Also stating that tablets/computer contribute to eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision, an added excuse for students to not do their homework due to gaming, require a costly Wi-Fi networks, becoming outdated quickly as newer technologies are released, and student losing the devices. (ProCon.org, 2008)

Dr. Susan Greenfield stated in her article, Five Reasons iPads Should NOT Be In Classrooms, because of her intense educational background and achievement as a medical research scientist stated the pros and cons however, Dr. Greenfield professional opinion are base on her own research and not so much as experience. She is the CEO of a biotech company, Neurobio.com “founded in 2013 to develop a disruptive approach to Alzheimer’s disease based on her research exploring novel brain mechanisms linked to neurodegeneration.” (Greenfield, 2019). Her research focus was to narrow and her reference “study” was not clearly stated as where her source was from to really indict that tablets are not a useful tool in a classroom setting; allow room for questioning on her professional opinion. In a traditional academic understanding – sources and evidences – contained the gathering of ideas and information so that we can expand and enrich our own knowledge and understanding. It is also to identify, build, and support arguments and/or research which demonstrate that we understand what we have acquired. Dr. Greenfield has some convincing argument for opposing tablet within a classroom setting but with careful consideration if tablets within a classroom has such negative consequences then there would being federal funding or program to implement technologies within the classroom. These factors don’t constitute any real deal breakers, it does take time and determination to embrace the new technology, but after all, the rewards outweigh the risks many times over.

Paragraph 6: Conclusion

In conclusion when deciding whether to incorporate tablets into your curriculum, it’s key to define your ultimate goals and major stakeholders. Unanimous acceptance is crucial to make the new initiative work despite the possible downsides to improve the next generation of intelligent and preserve the beauty of mother earth.

Furthermore, education stakeholders should commit to working together across organizational and geographic boundaries to use technology to improve American education and parent should try to understand that time has change as it once did when they were young; a lot has change, some change are big and some are small.

Tablets prepare students for the future workplace, they give confidence and creative tools unrivalled by traditional classroom infrastructure, and they engage those who are hard to reach and motivate. Last but not least, they just help our kids and ourselves speak the same language – that’s an opportunity you really don’t want to squander. Have you ever wonder how your parent felt about automobile, or how is it so difficult for them to use Facebook? Technologies is ever evolving, enrichment, exploration, and unlimited possibilities why restrict our children to traditional when traditional can meet new evolution.

Reference

Google (2019) Get in Touch with Reference Districts in California. Retrieve from https://edu.google.com/k-12-solutions/districts/california/?modal_active=none

Frey, Susan (2011, December 8) Riverside Schools Point to Power of Technology in the Classroom. Retrieve from https://edsource.org/2011/riverside-schools-point-to-power-of-technology-in-the-classroom/3915

ProCon.org (2008, November 16) History of Tablets v. Textbooks. Retrieve from https://tablets-textbooks.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=006584

Garfield, L. (2017, July 10) The Simple Way this Japanese town has become nearly Zero-Waste. Retrieve from https://www.businessinsider.com/zero-waste-town-kamikatsu-japan-2017-7

SanDiego.gov (2015, June) City of San Diego Zero Waste Plan. Retrieve from https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/mayor/pdf/2015/ZeroWastePlan.pdf

Edu.google.com (2019) Spark Learning with G Suite for Education Retrieve from https://edu.google.com/products/gsuite-for-education/?modal_active=none

U.S. Department of Education (2014) ConnectED: Learning Powered by Technology Retrieve from https://www.ed.gov/connectED

Edweek.org (2015, December 8) The Every Student Succeeds Act: Explained Retrieve from http://www.ride.ri.gov/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Information-and-Accountability-User-Friendly-Data/ESSA/CoP/Education_Week_Every_Student_Succeeds_Act_Explained.pdf

Office of Educational Technology (2019) What We Do Retrieve from https://tech.ed.gov/what-we-do/

Greenfield, S. Ph.D. (October 1, 2015) Five Reasons iPads Should NOT Be In Classrooms. Psychology Today. Retrieve from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-change/201510/five-reasons-ipads-should-not-be-in-classrooms