Try thinking of a way in which every part of our daily life is not impacted by technology.  It simply cannot be done because technology is everywhere.  Technology does everything from making food arrive at your doorstep, to providing instant entertainment. It connects the world physically by transportation, digitally through video calling, and has become a great power that humanity has continued to advance and develop over the last century. However, technology, while it is a super power, has great benefits as well as terrible detriments. Technology can often get a bad reputation and cause people to forget the praise it receives. Since technology has both benefits and detriments, there must be a certain balance to maximize its efficiency and usefulness while decreasing the downsides that come with using it. 

I have deep-rooted ties to technology for both better and for worse. I absolutely love technology because it has made my life great. Not only is it making the world better, but it also continues to make advances to continually make life easier and easier. I have been surrounded by technology all my life and that is why I chose this research area. I feel as though I have more experience and knowledge in this field compared to the others. I know very little about food, the environment, and consent, but I do know a lot about technology. With that being said, I have decided to write my research paper about how to maximize efficacy in the use of technology.

Starting off, the first source is an article in the Carolina Rhetoric titled, "Hooked on Technology, and Paying the Price" by Matt Richtel. Richtel is best known for winning the Pulitzer Prize in 2010 for a series he wrote about driving and multitasking and the dangers that come with the two. That series inspired legislative efforts to end this danger in society. In this article, published in June of 2010, Richtel explains many of the dangers that can come with the use of technology in everyday life. His main example is a man named Kord Campbell. Mr. Campbell uses technology to such a degree that he is almost removed from his family entirely. When he is away from his computer, he is itching to get back to it and defaults by escaping to his phone instead, exhibiting characteristics of addiction. Richtel points out that Mr. Campbell barely can hold a relationship with his family because of technology. He explains that Mr. Campbell has been so consumed by technology that it is damaging his personal life by connecting the rapid flow of information to Mr. Campbell's inability to focus. In summary, technology has severely impacted Mr. Campbell's life for the worst.  

The second source, also from the Carolina Rhetoric, by author Ian Leslie is titled "Google makes us all Dumber: the Neuroscience of Search Engines" and was published online in October, 2014.  Ian Leslie is the author of the book Curious and the topics he often writes about are psychology, trends, and politics. He crosses the topics of trends and psychology when he wrote this article, acting like a bridge connecting these two ideas. This article first points out how great it is that everyone can whip out their smartphones and have instant access to any answer they are looking for online. As an author himself, he writes that it has become incredibly easy to find any research information or inspiration for whatever he is currently writing. However, he draws the conclusion that this has in fact made people dumber. He explains that the use of the search engine that provides an instant result has killed the search for knowledge, leaving only the search for answers. Without the time and the journey spent in searching for answers, no new knowledge is gained, creating a dumber society as Leslie states. 

Finally, the third source, found online, is by author Ted Hasslebring, who is a Research Professor of Special Education at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. He is the author for many programs including the intervention program READ 180, System44, and FASST Math. The article we will by looking at by Hasslebring is called "Five Reasons Readers Need Technology" published in Reading: The Core Skill in March 2012. The first reason he states is that technology is adaptive, providing each individual with the best learning environment possible. The next reason he states is that technology is good at creating repetitive practice that is important in the areas a student might be struggling in. The final reasons are that technology is available all the time, it excels at gathering and processing data, and it is very motivating. Because of these reasons, Hasslebring claims that technology would be the best tool for struggling students, especially those having a hard time in reading. He states that technology is already a part of their lives; however, it does need to be changed slightly in order to be used to its fullest potential in the classroom. 

My research question far from black and white. Everyone will have a different opinion on how much technology will be implemented into his or her lives. Some believe technology needs to be extremely limited or taken away completely, while others say technology is not being used enough in order to maximize efficiency. There are even disputes in my sources, while one author wants to change how technology is used in the classroom while another author blames technology for people's lack of knowledge. Because of this, I might have to revise my question so that it is more specific once I find all of my sources. It would become more specific in the way that it would describe the perfect balance instead of keeping it at just an ideal balance, becoming extremely controversial to some and coinciding with others personal thoughts. 

Technology has woven a web so beautiful an intricate that everyone is now surrounded by it with no escape in sight. However, it has made society and companies work faster than ever by providing opportunities that are new to humanity. On one side of the spectrum, technology can be very damaging. In Mr. Campbell's story, it has destroyed his relationship with his family and has been shown to kill the search for true knowledge and just for the raw answer. But it is not all bad, because technology can accelerate a learning process as much as if the student was one on one with the teacher. Technology does not have to be a necessary evil and it does not have to be eradicated from people's lives; technology is simply a tool that needs to be used in the correct way. Technology needs to be refined for maximum gain so that relationships in families are not broken but students also get personalized help. There needs to be a balance. 

