Finding Sources

Source #1: Clopfer, Eric, Scot Osterweil, Jennifer Groff, and Jason Haas. "Using the Technology of Today, in the Classroom Today: The Instructional Power of Digital Games, Social Networking, Simulations and How Teachers Can Leverage Them." Mit.edu. 2009. Web. 2 Feb. 2012. http://education.mit.edu/papers/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf.

In this article, these four authors make the case that social networking is helping mold how students communicate and is better preparing them for the real world and how people truly communicate in the business world. They go on to say that although students can still learn a valuable lesson without these new technologies, it is better to get them used to the way that the outside world approaches socializing. They also go on to explain how multiple middle and high school teachers have used digital games to help educate their kids. These instructors explain their stories and how these games have made it easier and more fun for the kids to learn the specific subject at hand.

I believe this source is a great one and I plan on using it in my paper. It gives excellent data as well as feedback from instructors who have used it first-hand on their students and find that it works. I also believe that it is a reliable source, being that it comes from the Massachusetts Institution of Technology, which is a very reputable source.

Source #2: "Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students." U.S. Department of Education. Web. 02 Feb. 2012. http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html.

In this article, the author explains how technology in its entirety is helping out students in the classroom. As opposed to being subjected to the usual lecture that the instructor gives to the student, it is helping the student interact and make it a more hands-on learning experience for the student. The article held a survey of teachers who used technology in their classrooms and it was almost a unanimous agreement that it helped the students to solve more complex assignments. The article also goes on to state how technology increases the peer-to-peer interaction, as students are looking at their classmates' work and commenting on it and giving advice.

I found this article to be even more helpful than the first, as it gives more reason to why technology in general is good for a classroom setting. It goes in depth explanation of how it specifically helps the students out in specific areas on learning and how instructors can utilize it. It is also from a very reputable source, as it comes from the United States Department of Education.