10-13-2004, 10:16 AM
Hello all!
Here we are again. Another thread, another essay. For those of you who missed the last one, I wrote an essay on the Age of Discovery last year for my undergraduate course in history. With the help of you nice folk, I managed to get an A. I'd very much like to make that a tradition.
This year, however, it's much more serious and much more gruelling. (Well, it's suppsed to be anyway :P) I am taking a master's course in literacy studies, and for one of my essays, I have chosen to write about literacy and modern technology. The topic is "Advantages and disadvantages of modern technology in the promotion of literacy." I will use this thread as a study aid; I will come to you when I run into problems. I would also like to pick your brains for ideas and comments on the subject. I've run into a problem already. I will quote pieces of my text (at this early stage it serves as the preface/introduction to my essay, but who knows where it'll wind up)
The rapid technological progress in the last ten years has heralded a new era in our understanding of promoting literacy. In Theory & practice of writing, William Grabe and Robert B. Kaplan explain the advantages of computer technology in the classroom. By discussing these advantages, as well as any disadvantages to the use of computer technology in class, it is the aim of this essay to discuss whether or not this technology is useful in promoting literacy among young learners of English. In addition to seeing how computer technology may be used in the classroom, the way pupils use technology in their spare time; especially television and computers, will also impact on this discussion.
Now here's where it gets tricky. Note, this is the latest stuff I've written, so I really haven't been looking at sentence structure, vocabulary and such:
Because technology evolves at an ever-increasing speed, and because there are major differences in schools and pupils all over the world, this discussion cannot be universal; it cannot involve everyone at all time. I choose to focus on pupils in the western world because “literacy and technology” is a subject more applicable to America, Great Britain or Scandinavia, than in developing countries.
The problem is: How do I say this without sounding like a racist? I mean, somehow I have to manage to say that I will only be writing about people from the western world, basically because modern technology is more used there than in "other places." How do I say this without sounding racist and/or patronizing?
--------
Although I did come to you for a specific problem, I would want you to voice your opinion, if any, on the subject, regardless of whether or not you can answer my question or not.
Thanks again!
- [wcip]Angel
Here we are again. Another thread, another essay. For those of you who missed the last one, I wrote an essay on the Age of Discovery last year for my undergraduate course in history. With the help of you nice folk, I managed to get an A. I'd very much like to make that a tradition.
This year, however, it's much more serious and much more gruelling. (Well, it's suppsed to be anyway :P) I am taking a master's course in literacy studies, and for one of my essays, I have chosen to write about literacy and modern technology. The topic is "Advantages and disadvantages of modern technology in the promotion of literacy." I will use this thread as a study aid; I will come to you when I run into problems. I would also like to pick your brains for ideas and comments on the subject. I've run into a problem already. I will quote pieces of my text (at this early stage it serves as the preface/introduction to my essay, but who knows where it'll wind up)
The rapid technological progress in the last ten years has heralded a new era in our understanding of promoting literacy. In Theory & practice of writing, William Grabe and Robert B. Kaplan explain the advantages of computer technology in the classroom. By discussing these advantages, as well as any disadvantages to the use of computer technology in class, it is the aim of this essay to discuss whether or not this technology is useful in promoting literacy among young learners of English. In addition to seeing how computer technology may be used in the classroom, the way pupils use technology in their spare time; especially television and computers, will also impact on this discussion.
Now here's where it gets tricky. Note, this is the latest stuff I've written, so I really haven't been looking at sentence structure, vocabulary and such:
Because technology evolves at an ever-increasing speed, and because there are major differences in schools and pupils all over the world, this discussion cannot be universal; it cannot involve everyone at all time. I choose to focus on pupils in the western world because “literacy and technology” is a subject more applicable to America, Great Britain or Scandinavia, than in developing countries.
The problem is: How do I say this without sounding like a racist? I mean, somehow I have to manage to say that I will only be writing about people from the western world, basically because modern technology is more used there than in "other places." How do I say this without sounding racist and/or patronizing?
--------
Although I did come to you for a specific problem, I would want you to voice your opinion, if any, on the subject, regardless of whether or not you can answer my question or not.
Thanks again!
- [wcip]Angel
