Category: Thought Process

In the meeting I had with Professor Smith, I got a lot of new ideas on how to narrow down my focus. I think I will alter the thesis to something along the lines of “The changing architecture in libraries and classrooms has encouraged more collaboration and changed how we learn.” Although I am still debating whether or not to keep libraries as a discussion point. I think this will narrow my focus and make more a more interesting research paper. Some of the other points we discussed were a counterargument, plagiarism and analyzing the quotes more.

I haven’t updated the blog in a while, but I’ve finished the draft of my essay. My thesis transformed a little from the beginning. Originally I had just planned to write about the layout of rooms and how that has changed. But based on the information I found, I decided that describing the physical makeup of these institutions, including workers would be better since not many people realize the changes. I put a lot of information about librarians and how their job has changed since they are part of the physical makeup of the library, they are always there and have added to the resources the library provides.

It was a challenging paper to write, and I know I have lots to revise. But it was good getting all my ideas down in a draft, it turns out that my original idea was slightly altered due to the information and data that I found.

Still not perfected, but I think the thesis will be something like:

“By changing how we learn, the Internet has also altered the architecture of learning, mainly in classrooms and libraries, forcing beneficial physical changes to adapt to this advance in learning.”

Supporting Claims: I am still looking for more sources, and always trying to improve on the ones I have now, but 2-3 good supporting claims are:

1) It has been proven that students have benefited from Internet techniques such as video learning and because of this, classrooms and libraries have changed. They have added more Internet resources to assist in student education after seeing how positive the effects were. Libraries have especially focused on Internet to change with the current times. The role of the librarian has also been changed and I may go into that for a physical change as well. Maybe even online renewing and such.

2) Classrooms have taken to the Internet with virtual classrooms rather than traditional settings. The additions of blogs, Blackboard, projectors and the like have benefited student learning and are staples in classes today. Comparing these classrooms to the ones years ago will show a big difference, I may use a personal story about how even my middle school classrooms have changed since I left, with projectors allowing for Internet to be shown.

There are other claims I am working with but it is hard to judge which my best supporting claims are. I am thinking of:

– The libraries that have not adjusted by adding Internet resources have struggled financially.

– The setup for classrooms and libraries allows for more mobility now in order to crowd around computers, making technology a focal point of learning.

 

http://web.ebscohost.com.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=25&sid=bf51723a-6f9f-4c06-a4d1-e220a5f40537%40sessionmgr4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=61967047

This article gives classroom practices (teaching methods) that draw off of Web 2.0, or technology beyond the static pages of earlier sites. This means that these teaching methods rely on the Internet for effective techniques, meaning that the Internet has changed learning with blogs and video learning. This allows me to make the jump into changing the classroom itself. Since learning takes place on video and online blogs now, classrooms must adapt to suit the changing teaching techniques. It would be pointless to teach an online class with no computers so there must have been adaptation.

http://web.ebscohost.com.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/ehost/detail?vid=5&hid=25&sid=2822c005-3e71-4841-96fa-0dc5d258d165%40sessionmgr4&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=37043069

In this study, a comparison between a traditional classroom setting and Internet video format was done to see the difference in learning effects. Results show that students were responding more positively to the video format than the classroom setting. This is valuable because it helps prove the benefits of the impact of the Internet on learning since students responded better to the teachings. The direct comparison between classroom and Internet is also very good in proving my point. This would also have to change a classroom, allowing for computers and video rather than just a blackboard and chalk.

For my research project, I plan to write a paper on how the architecture of learning is changing. I will focus on two places where learning has taken place for years (the library and the classroom), and talk about how the physical setup has changed with the rise of the Internet and how it positively impacts us. This is a good topic for the assignment because it can reveal to people subtle changes in buildings and rooms due to the explosion of Internet usage that they may not have noticed. I imagine my thesis to be something along the lines of:

“Not only has the Internet affected how we learn, but the architecture of learning, mainly in classrooms and libraries, has been forced to physically change due to the explosion of Internet usage, allowing for more convenient learning.”

Libraries have brought in computers and have even altered room set ups so that the focus is on the Internet and not on the books. Many of the libraries that have failed to adapt are struggling financially. Classrooms have changed, offering virtual classrooms and mobility so that students can gather together around a screen. Projectors have also enabled professors to teach while showing images or articles from the Internet. These are just some positive examples of what I may use to prove my thesis. They show how the architecture of learning has changed, but how it has made learning easier for us, making these changes positive.

For now, I still don’t know what exactly I want to research for the project. But I also really want to know how I can post to pages rather than making one long post!

Some of the questions I was thinking of were:

How have libraries adapted to the recent technology to stay useful?

How has teaching changed over the years with the introduction of the Internet?

Loss and gain of the Kindle? What are its effects?

Feedback?