The Need to Use Classroom Computers More Efficiently :: Education Teaching

The Need to Use Classroom Computers More Efficiently Author Clifford Stoll has chosen to explore the value of today's technology in the classroom. In his article, "On Classrooms, With and Without Computers", he makes a claim of value in the first sentence by questioning "How well does our new technology fit into the classroom?" (413). With this question he effectively identifies his purpose and audience as a broad-based readership of students, teachers, administrators, and parents. These concerned readers are immediately drawn in by his abrupt claim; however, he may eliminate a more general or deeply intellectual audience by making his claim so readily apparent. Stoll asks his readership to explore the positive and negative outcomes of relying heavily on computers as a form of education. Although it is unclear in the beginning of his discussion which side he will take, he later expresses a sincere concern for the consequences of our growing dependency on this style of teaching. Because of this, his opening paragraph is a strikingly pow erful lead. Moving from this nicely articulated claim to his support, Stoll relies on an underlying assumption to establish the logic of his argument. His stated warrant "If a child doesn't have a questioning mind, what good does all this networked technology do?" (415), stimulates the readers' ethical concern that their children receive adequate education before incorporating technological advancements into the classroom. Stoll continues to evaluate the excessive use of computers by describing how simple tasks, such as finding pizza prices for a geography project, prove to be the wrong use of resources. Using pizza as an example works well for the reader because it's a simple analogy to which they find easier to relate. Stoll is also careful to define certain phrases used in the computer debate; for example, when he uses the phrase "What do we mean by computer literacy?" (414). He breaks away from his original argument in his essay to clarify this term for his readers. By doing this, he success fully identifies their need for a clear explanation of such widely used phrases before he attempts to debate it. He avoids confusing his audience by recognizing their need for definition. Although an academic readership may find this pause to serve as an unnecessary interruption, his target audience will appreciate his display of sincere concern for their understanding. Defining such terms first, enables him to use them more convincingly later in his article. The Need to Use Classroom Computers More Efficiently :: Education Teaching The Need to Use Classroom Computers More Efficiently Author Clifford Stoll has chosen to explore the value of today's technology in the classroom. In his article, "On Classrooms, With and Without Computers", he makes a claim of value in the first sentence by questioning "How well does our new technology fit into the classroom?" (413). With this question he effectively identifies his purpose and audience as a broad-based readership of students, teachers, administrators, and parents. These concerned readers are immediately drawn in by his abrupt claim; however, he may eliminate a more general or deeply intellectual audience by making his claim so readily apparent. Stoll asks his readership to explore the positive and negative outcomes of relying heavily on computers as a form of education. Although it is unclear in the beginning of his discussion which side he will take, he later expresses a sincere concern for the consequences of our growing dependency on this style of teaching. Because of this, his opening paragraph is a strikingly pow erful lead. Moving from this nicely articulated claim to his support, Stoll relies on an underlying assumption to establish the logic of his argument. His stated warrant "If a child doesn't have a questioning mind, what good does all this networked technology do?" (415), stimulates the readers' ethical concern that their children receive adequate education before incorporating technological advancements into the classroom. Stoll continues to evaluate the excessive use of computers by describing how simple tasks, such as finding pizza prices for a geography project, prove to be the wrong use of resources. Using pizza as an example works well for the reader because it's a simple analogy to which they find easier to relate. Stoll is also careful to define certain phrases used in the computer debate; for example, when he uses the phrase "What do we mean by computer literacy?" (414). He breaks away from his original argument in his essay to clarify this term for his readers. By doing this, he success fully identifies their need for a clear explanation of such widely used phrases before he attempts to debate it. He avoids confusing his audience by recognizing their need for definition. Although an academic readership may find this pause to serve as an unnecessary interruption, his target audience will appreciate his display of sincere concern for their understanding. Defining such terms first, enables him to use them more convincingly later in his article.