TECNOLOGY IN OUR SOCIETY

Fahrenheit 451 was published in 1953. Though Ray Bradbury has claimed he was
trying to “prevent the future” rather than predict it, he did foresee many future
developments with remarkable accuracy. Bradbury himself has pointed out that the
fictional Seashell radios were a prediction of the Walkman. Other future shocks that
he anticipated include big-screen and interactive televisions, the population
explosion, the rise in violence, growing illiteracy, and the condensation of information
into what we now can find with the click of a button. Bradbury’s futuristic society,
which is full of advanced technology, is not much different from our own in many
ways. In Bradbury’s novel, an entire society full of mindless, non-questioning,
entertainment starved citizens was destroyed. Did technology play a role in this
destruction? Does technology have an effect on our society?

Write a RESEARCH essay focusing on the effects that modern technology has had on our
society.

ASK YOURSELF :
1) What technologies exist today that we did not have access to 58 years ago?
2) What types of technologies do I use on a daily basis? How would my life change without them?
3) Is there a specific type of technology that I want to focus on?
4) Is there a specific population or group of people that this technology affects? Or is society as a
whole affected by it?
5) Are these effects on society positive or negative?

FORM YOUR THESIS STATEMENT:

Step #1 – Identify a Topic – Internet, Specific Websites,
Step #2 – Decide what statement you would like to make/what point you would like to prove
Step #3 – Formulate your Topic & statement into a single sentence

Every Thesis Statement Must Have 3 Parts – X, Y, and Z

Follow this format: X has affected Y in Z.

X = specific type of technology or technological advancement

Examples: Internet, a specific website, iPod, cell phone, GPS, hybrid cars, DVR, video games, medicine,
space travel, etc.

Y = specific group or population in society, or society as a whole

Examples: kids, teens, adults, elderly, students, business professionals, communities/societies as a whole

Z = specific types of effect or outcomes because of it (positive or negative)

Examples: positive or negative, how/why?

Example:
X = smart phones
Y = consumers
Z = positive, information, communication, education

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Thesis Statement: Since arriving on the market in 1993, smart phones have had a major impact on
society by helping consumers in a number of ways.

REMEMBER:
• You are to provide examples or reasons that support your THESIS STATMENT
• You will conduct RESEARCH to find these examples, reasons, and supporting information.
• If you cannot find solid support through RESEARCH, you will need to adjust your Thesis
Statement accordingly.

SEARCH ENGINES: http://www.googleguide.com/synonym_operator.html

Conduct your research with the following idea in mind:

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else.” - Yogi Berra

Use the following websites to locate information

Sweet Search http://www.sweetsearch.com/

SearchCredible http://www.searchcredible.com/
Ref Seek http://www.refseek.com/
Duck Duck Go http://duckduckgo.com/
Google http://www.google.com
Yahoo http://www.yahoo.com
Bing http://www.bing.com/

Thursday February 10th asd

Friday February 11th asd

Monday February 14th asd

Tuesday 15th asd

Wednesday 16th asd

Thursday 17th asd

Friday 18th asd

1) Acceptable Web Search Engines

2) Web Search Strategies Common Craft Video -
http://www.commoncraft.com/search
3) Evaluating Websites – handout
4) Bookmarking with Diigo

Students will receive points for:

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• Identifying Topic and what they will say about that topic - Inspiration
• Sharing (1 – 2?) resources with title, description, appropriate tags in
Diigo
• Evaluate Sources/Website
• Note card handout – minimum of 2 sources; 3 notes for each source that
supports their thesis
• Outline w/ thesis & topic sentences
• Final Draft

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Advancement of Technology in Our Society
Good or Bad?
How – Educationally, Socially, Productivity,
Where – School, Home, Community
Who – Kids, Teens, College, Adults

Does modern technology make life more convenient, or was life better when technology was simpler?

Will modern technology, such as the internet ever replace the book or the written word as the main
source of information?

We are becoming overwhelmingly dependent on computers. Is this dependence on computers a good

thing or should we be more suspicious of their benefits?

Technology makes communication easier in today's world. Many people choose to work at home in front
of a computer screen. What danger does the society face depending on computer screens rather than
face-to-face contact as the main means of communication? Are we the prisoners of the progress?

What are the effects of violent video games on teens and young children?

AHS Issues and Controversies

The issue: Are social networking Web sites appropriate for teenagers? Or should their access to
such Web sites be restricted?

The issue: Should the U.S. government federally mandate rules to protect users' privacy on social
networking sites? Or should people protect their own privacy on the Internet by refraining from
posting personal information?

The issue: Should students' use of cellular telephones (cell phones) be banned on school property?
Or should students be permitted to use cell phones without restrictions?