This document discusses the impact of communication technology (CMC) on young students and teachers in the United States. It provides background on the author's personal experiences with classroom technology as a student. The author's research question examines the impact of technology on communication between younger students and teachers. The document then provides reasons why CMC is becoming increasingly popular in schools, such as preparing students for the future and supporting changes in school structures. Both positive and negative impacts of CMC on students and teachers are discussed, including increased motivation but also potential for superficial discourse. The conclusion is that while technology impacts students and teachers both positively and negatively, it is an important skill for young students to learn given its role in modern communication and the workforce.

1. CMC in Schools
Erin Dunlap
Communication & Technology

2. Personal Experience
I’ve used the following technologies in class when I was young:
– Powerpoint
– Computers
– Smartboard
– Projectors
– Television
I am studying young American students because I know that college
students have been studied more often. A reason that young
students may not have been studied as much is because they are
not as adapted to technology as much as older, college-aged
students.

3. Research Question
What is the impact of technology in the
communication of and between younger
students and teachers in the United States?

4. Why is CMC becoming increasingly popular in
schools?
“Medium is the Message” (Berge & Collins, 1995, n.p.)
• instructional technology and media changes ways of teaching
• i.e. Denison’s website- assists students
http://denison.edu/
Long distance collaboration is popular (Berge & Collins, 1995, n.p.)
• online courses and textbooks, Skype, email, electronic lectures (Berge
& Collins, 1995, n.p.)
Communication with global audience (Fishman, 1999, p. 73)
• students from all over can communicate through the Internet
In communicating with a global audience, the concept of mobile learning
emerges. According to Kharbach (n.d.), mobile learning happens
when students can access learning materials on their cell phones on the
go. This ability is key for students to be learning outside of the
classroom, as well as to be communicating with their teachers.

5. Reasons for Bringing Technology Into
Schools
Teachers are implementing adaptive learning, or the use of
technologies for students that adapt to their specific
needs, in classrooms of younger students, and these are
the reasons why…
1. Support thinking process
– Problem solving skills, complex concepts
2. Stimulate motivation/self-esteem
– in or out of class activities
– ability to aptly use technology
3. Promote equity
– unifies students, wide variety of technologies available

6. Reasons continued…
4. Prepare students for the future
– technology needed in workforce, experience and skills
5. Support changes in school structures
– technology may free up teacher instruction time
6. Explore technology capabilities
– new technology is intriguing (faster laptops, iPads, etc.)
Adaptive learning in schools is helping younger
students understand how to use technology for the
future.

7. In order to be a life-long learner, one must
have an understanding of technology and
how it works!

8. Impact of CMC on Students
“Educational technologists have likened the
impact of television and other electronic
ways of presenting information to the
impact of the printing press on learning”
(Berge & Collins, 1995, n.p.)

9. Impact continued…
• Interactive environment compared to pen and paper (Berge &
Collins, 1995, n.p.)
• Learning takes place at home and at school (Berge &
Collins, 1995, n.p.)
• Greater technology use  more students familiar  increased
desire to communicate through technology in school
(Braak, 2001, p. 42)
• Individual/collaborative learning opportunities (Siu Cheung, Tak-
Wai, Griffin, Ulrich… 2014, p. 70)
• Learning appears more attractive while using technology, motivates
students
Negative: May cause superficial discourse
(Eyyam&Yaratan, 2014, p. 303)

10. Impact continued…
• Online textbooks, educational websites, etc.
help students learn (Olmstead, 2013, p. 30)
• i.e. My Spanish online website:
http://www.vhlcentral.com/home

11. Synchronous vs. Asynchronous
Learning
• Synchronous- students and teachers online at the same
time
• Communication occurs at the same time (online
lectures, discussions, etc.)
• Asynchronous- information may be accessed at any
time, teachers can be accessed at any time through email
I argue that young students in the United States are
currently using asynchronous learning because
they can contact teachers online at any time
during the day. This is causing a positive impact
because it helps young students take control of
their communication with their teachers.

12. Study on Students Taking Math
(Eyyam&Yaratan, 2014, p. 34-39)
• Private school in Cyprus
• Seventh grade math students
• Pretest and posttest given
• Technology used: Powerpoint and laptops
Conclusion
• Positive influence on young students in Cyprus
• Students had positive attitudes about studying math
• Can translate to United States- Powerpoints and laptops
are used here too

13. Impact of CMC on Teachers
“Computers threaten the chalkboard”
(Berge & Collins, 1995, n.p)
• Teaching takes place at home and at school (work)
• Technology updates/development need to be
implemented in staff development (Olmstead, 2013, p.
37)
• The United States has an immense amount of
technology that can be used in classrooms, as long as
teachers decide that they want to!

14. Virtual Classrooms
• Virtual classrooms are online environments
where synchronous communication between
teachers and students takes place
(Kharbach, n.d.)
• Synchronous communication- easier for young
students to contact teachers immediately
• Young students do not use virtual classrooms
yet- mostly used in college settings

15. Study on Teachers
(Braak, 2001, p. 41-57)
• Comparing CMC and non CMC
users (800 teachers)
• Factors: demographics, computer
experience and
attitudes, innovativeness, perceiv
ed medium attributes, observed
organizational constraints
Conclusion
• Language teachers used more
CMC
• CMC only used in supportive
tasks currently

16. Impact on Communication between
Students and Teachers
• Students can email teachers
– Constant communication (both students and teachers benefit)
• Teachers can update students on current class
developments
– Class website, email
• Closer connections between students and teachers
possible
• Can cause an interpersonal dividebetween
students and teachers (Bujega, 2005, p. 19)
• Communication via email lessens FTF
communication (Burnett & Marshall, 2003, p. 48)

17. Teacher and Student Online
Communication
I argue that Roger and Littlejohn present the best
communication model that correlates to
teacher and student interaction in and outside
of classrooms via technology…

18. Rogers and Littlejohn
Communication Categories
Interpersonal Group Organizational Mass
Sender One One One or more One, maintains
control
Receiver One Few, may take
turns
Large audience Mass audience
Channel FTF or
mediated
FTF or
mediated
FTF or
mediated
Mediated
Examples FTF, letters,
telephone,
email
Lecture,
discussion,
listserv, IRC
Corporate,
networks,
intranets
TV, radio,
books,
Webportals
(Burnett & Marshall, 2003, p. 49)

19. Analysis of Table
• Interpersonal- teachers use this to talk to one student
via email because there is one sender and one receiver
• Group- used mostly in virtual classrooms, but young
students do not really use virtual classrooms
Conclusion
Group communication takes place more so with older
students in virtual classrooms, but because I am
studying young American students, I think that
interpersonal communication online is better and takes
place more often though email mostly.

20. Conclusion
• Impact of technology on young
American students: +
• Impact of technology on
American teachers:
both + and -
• Impact of technology used to
communicate between students
and teachers: both + and -
Technology WILL be constantly
developing and it WILL be
used in classrooms of young
students because they need to
learn how to use technology
for the future.

21. Conclusion continued…
Educational technology has been studied for a long
time. Communication of and between teachers
and students has also been studied forever.
BUT…
My topic specifically referenced communication
technology’s impact on YOUNG AMERICAN
students and their teachers. I conclude that there
are both positive and negative impacts on young
students in the United States because face-to-face
communication is still important in schooling.

22. Further Reading:
Other Links and Blogs!
(other links are in previous slides)
1. Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne-
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
(educational technology updates)
2. Ask a Tech Teacher by Jacqui Murray- http://askatechteacher.com/
(teachers can ask technology questions and express concerns)
3. Elementary Tech Teachers- http://elementarytechteachers.ning.com/
(elementary school teachers sharing plans, ideas, frustrations about
educational technology)
4. Social Media for Teachers: Guides, Resources, and Ideas-
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/social-media-resources-educators-matt-
davis
(how teachers are using SNS with their students in the classroom and
beyond)