2010 AP English Language and Compositon Free- Response Questions Question 1
Question 1
As an American teenager having my phone glued to my hand seems like the most natural thing in the world, though I know my parents and teachers hate it because I constantly ignore them, and instead am focused on my LED screen, unaware that they may even be trying to talk to me. Imagine if instead of being scolded, that behavior was encouraged, and not just to me, but to every teen throughout the country.
In 2005 an Arizona high school passed out iBooks to all of its students instead of the traditional textbook (Source A). School officials were under the impression that having this technology would further engage their students in learning, though what they failed to address is other things it might engage their students in. Teenagers of this age already have short attention spans, and when using the internet, the moment a student gets bored they can click out and focus on something that suits them more than hundred year old articles about the Declaration of Independence, and instead spend hours scrolling though Tumblr or watching pointless music videos- or porn (Source E). Until schools figure out a way to quality control the internet, passing out laptops and iPads will not necessarily engage their students in learning.
Tim Wilson, a technology- integration specialist from a high school in Minnesota asked “how do we communicate with students today who have grown up with technology from the beginning?” (Source B). The answer is astoundingly simple. Talk to us. Speaking to each other will always be the best form of communication possible- and it’s free. It is up to teachers to engage their students, and present information in creative ways. Limited technology could be useful, and prepare kids for the adult world, though the focus in classrooms should always be the teachers, so that students learn respect and can lengthen their attention span.
As an American teenager having my phone glued to my hand seems like the most natural thing in the world, though I know my parents and teachers hate it because I constantly ignore them, and instead am focused on my LED screen, unaware that they may even be trying to talk to me. Imagine if instead of being scolded, that behavior was encouraged, and not just to me, but to every teen throughout the country.
In 2005 an Arizona high school passed out iBooks to all of its students instead of the traditional textbook (Source A). School officials were under the impression that having this technology would further engage their students in learning, though what they failed to address is other things it might engage their students in. Teenagers of this age already have short attention spans, and when using the internet, the moment a student gets bored they can click out and focus on something that suits them more than hundred year old articles about the Declaration of Independence, and instead spend hours scrolling though Tumblr or watching pointless music videos- or porn (Source E). Until schools figure out a way to quality control the internet, passing out laptops and iPads will not necessarily engage their students in learning.
Tim Wilson, a technology- integration specialist from a high school in Minnesota asked “how do we communicate with students today who have grown up with technology from the beginning?” (Source B). The answer is astoundingly simple. Talk to us. Speaking to each other will always be the best form of communication possible- and it’s free. It is up to teachers to engage their students, and present information in creative ways. Limited technology could be useful, and prepare kids for the adult world, though the focus in classrooms should always be the teachers, so that students learn respect and can lengthen their attention span.