My Research Pre-Proposal

Over the past year I have become an advocate for the incorporation of new media and technology in the classroom. I truly believe that student writing engagement can be encouraged through the incorporation of new media such as blogs, wikis, and virtual worlds. However, the question of access continues to impede widespread adoption of these tools. It is difficult to find an article discussing new media and education that doesn’t also discuss computer access and/or the digital divide.
In this research project, I propose to address the issue of computer and internet access and the digital divide on a local level. My two research questions are: 1) How many students in Las Cruces, New Mexico have computer access on a regular basis outside of school? 2) What is the quality of that access, and does it include internet? In the second question, I am addressing the type of internet access available to students because I believe that it is no longer enough to simply have access to a word processor. Based on the answers I receive to these two questions I will proceed to either look for programs available to improve student computer and internet access outside of school, or use my findings to convince and encourage teachers in the district to incorporate digital media tools in their classrooms.
I will conduct my research using a mixed methods model for data collection in order to ensure the greatest level of validity. I will begin my research by taking a random sample survey of students throughout Las Cruces Public Schools ranging from middle school to high school. The random sample is important to me to ensure I receive a variety of responses from students of different races, cultures, genders, ages, and economic levels- all of which could influence access issues and contribute to the digital divide. I will also organize several focus groups based on the same participants to discuss the survey questions in greater detail, in order to get a better sense of how students feel about the importance of their computer access, and their responses to possible solutions to provision of access. I will then code all of the information and from there be able to understand what the current situation is, and how to move forward.
I will be drawing on a number of scholars in the field such as Hawisher and Selfe, Wolsey and Grisham, and others who advocate the use of new media in education. I will also be looking at the work of Patrick Tucker on measuring the digital divide(2007), the JBHE Foundation on issues of race and access(2009), David Sexton, et al. on attitudes towards computers(1999), and a case study done in Spring, Texas in which action was taken to provide internet access to all students in the community(2004).
I am expecting to find that access to computers and the internet outside of school is still not available to all students. If I am able to offer help to even one student, this project will be well worth the effort. No more can we as teachers afford to sit back and allow students to fall behind due to a lack of computer access. Through research, we can find ways to eradicate the digital divide and offer all students the same opportunities.

My choices in Research

When I think about my research project, I think I am driven by both a passion for my project as well as a real desire to come to an answer to my research question. I feel like I am approaching my project proposal from an action research position. In a lot of ways I can see how the research question I want to address has grown out of my desire to somehow, somewhere make a difference.

When it comes to choosing my methodology, I agree with Johanek and Creswell, in that there are multiple ways to come to an answer through the use of mixed methods. I hope that I would choose the best method(s) for the question at hand.

I can really see how a feminist viewpoint in my concern for the "Other(s)" as well as a social constructionist point of view really shapes the types of research I am drawn to. So I guess more than anything, I am passionate about helping others in some way, which takes me back to my greatest fear...Who am I to determine who or what needs change?