DonTre McFarland

College of Southern Nevada

EDU 214
June 30, 2015

Dear Clark County School District,

My name is DonTre McFarland and I am a math teacher at ABC Community School. It
has recently been brought to my attention that officials of the Clark County School District wish
to abolish technology. For a school that is so heavily immersed in the use of technology in
instruction, this news has felt like a stab in the back to not only me, but other colleagues and
teachers of ABC Community School.
As you most likely know, our school has been considered a leader in the district; a title
we hold very dear to our hearts; a title we achieved not only with exceptional teaching skills and
administration but also with technology incorporation. When our students graduate to college, it
has often been said that they are some of the most well prepared students when given
technological instructions and assignments by many professors and deans of the surrounding
colleges.
Although I have been teaching in the school district for years, I have also taught in
private and charter schools. These schools that I have taught in have also been leaders in
education and use technology a great deal. There students were also raved about and were
accepted into high-end universities where technological competence is a must to succeed.
In regards to present students, the abolishment of technology use will cause a disruption
to the culture of ABC Community School. Our students are focused and committed to their
assignments and instructions, and abolishing technology an aspect that they are very use to
will cause such a dramatic change that such focus will long be forgotten. The students would
have to reconfigure themselves. Also, abolishing technology would do our students a great
disservice. Colleges and universities use technology heavily for instructions and assignments. If
our students no longer have access to such technology, they will not be prepared for college and
become more likely to drop out.
One of the biggest issues in our educational community is the attitudes students have on
learning. The love for learning is often replaced with loathe and the need to know things for
upcoming tests. Studies have proven that technology changes this mentality and has other
benefits for students. According to John Kosakowski of Eric Digest, the studies reveal that
students feel more successful in school are more motivated to learn and have increased selfconfidence and self-esteem when using technology (Kosakowski 4).
Sincerely,
Mr. DonTre McFarland

Works Cited
Kosakowski, John. "The Benefits of Information Technology." Eric Digest (1998): 1-8. ERIC.
ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology Syracuse NY, June 1998. Web. 30
June 2015.

Name of lesson: Report Presentation

Grade Level Appropriateness: English Composition (9th 10th grade English)
Technology Content Standard Addressed:
o Creativity and Innovation
B. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
Other Content Standard Addressed:
o Writing Standards 6 12
Text Types and Purposes: Grades 9 10
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey
complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately
through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of
content.
Objective: Students will understand how to use the PowerPoint application to put their
previous research paper into a presentation.
Materials needed to facilitate the lesson: Computers, PowerPoint, previous research essay
Suggested group size: Individual
Procedures:
o First, teacher will greet the class and explain that they will be creating a
PowerPoint presentation on the previous research essay that they should have
already completed.
o Instruct the students that did not complete the essay that they will still have to
complete the presentation.
o Gather the students and quietly walk to the computer lab. Make sure the students
have their essays with them.
o Log into the computers. If there are not enough computers, present the class with
external laptops to compensate.
o Once the computers are warmed up and ready to go, have the students start up the
PowerPoint application.
o Instruct the students that their presentation needs to include the following: Thesis
of essay, key points and information, images related to topic, and eye-catching
themes and transitions.
o As the students begin to work, facilitate and guide students on specific questions
that they may have about the PowerPoint application
o Students will have one and a half class periods to complete assignment.
o After the last class period, students will present their presentations in alphabetical
order.
Assessment: Students will be graded upon the correct usage of PowerPoint presentation
and on the presents of the required items: thesis of essay, key points and information,
images related to topic, and eye-catching themes and transitions.