The traditional Library verses The Internet in the classroom
This assignment was created by students at The City College of New York for the Freshman Inquiry Writing Seminar, Web Discourse. Students are researching a social issue in one of four large topics: Urban Life, Public Health, Immigration, and Education. This will result in a final research paper that explores both how the conversations surrounding the issue are enacted and how a CCNY student may enter that conversation in a meaningful way.
This topic deserves my attention because there are a lot of controversies over it in our schools and from our educators. It fits into my designated theme of Education because the library and the internet are used by students to conduct research. Part of the curriculum in school is to teach students to research information on specific topics. My vested interest in this subject is I am student and would very much like to use the resources that would makes my research most credited and has substance.
The traditional library verses the internet in the classroom is my thesis statement. It demands that I prove which one is better for the students. Which one will they benefit the most from and gain the most knowledge. What benefits will they reap and how will it help them be better prepared for their future learning. What are the pros and cons for these two databases? I will address this topic mostly to students and educators.
Unanswered questions about my topic are: What are the differences and similarities between the two. What are the controversies? Which one is better beneficial to the students in furthering their education?
I will research my topic by using both the Internet and Library for information and studies done on this topic. I will use blog articles, newspaper articles, scholarly sources and a book. I will use statistics to back up my evidence. I already have a few articles on this subject. I will be able to interview a librarian and an educator.
Anticipated Challenges will be choosing one of them and agreeing why it is a better research tool. Finding information especially for schools with limited funding who cannot afford to have technology in their schools or even to update their library supplies.
Comments
You're topic is certainly interesting as well as relevant to most students today. Personally, I would love to read your final product to see where you arrive at your conclusions as this would be useful in my own future research projects.
However I think you should challenge yourself to not feel obligated to pick a side. Many issues are too complex for a simple answer and I think this case may be one of them.
I also find it interesting that you are using both the internet and print resources to form your own research project on the issue of whether the library or the internet is a better resource for these projects. While certainly necessary, perhaps it also suggests that the solution is a synthesis of both the internet and the library.
Often the best arguments are nuanced qualified arguments and not straight up answers.
Posted by: Matt Sencenbaugh | October 20, 2009 11:58 AM
I think this is definitely an interesting and pertinent debate, and your plan to use both forms of resources (Internet and Library) is a good one. I think that you should include some reflection on your experience in using these two forms of research, so that your paper would have a sort of self-reflective aspect to it. Perhaps you could detail your own findings and opinions about the two different mediums of research, while also exploring those of others.
Posted by: Claire | October 20, 2009 02:30 PM
Researching and writing this paper is going to be like looking in parallel mirrors that generate infinite reflections. Not necessarily a bad thing.
Here at Stanford, the library interfaces quite handily with the internet since we can access many materials both online and through the library's website. I certainly don't think either of these two sources will be better, but there is certainly plenty of ways to explore their differences. Perhaps this could turn into a project that, instead of setting the library and the internet at odds, researches ways in which they can be more effectively integrated, so that each can play more completely to its respective strengths.
Posted by: Franklin | November 1, 2009 04:05 PM