A Working Post: The Literary Effects of Youth and E-Readers

Working Thesis Statement:
While many people enjoy the traditional use of books for learning, E-readers are a modern method of educating students that advance the reading and writing proficiency of youth through its tailored learning features and easier access to online learning.

Preliminary Exploration:
I have read more blogs and articles than I can count on this subject. I have also discovered great non-profit organizations that actually service youth by providing them with e-reads to promote literacy. I have curated a lot of material here on Springpad. I have also written blogs about youth thriving by embracing the net generation they are in, completing a book review regarding youth being online, and how important it is to incorporate digital culture into the classroom and educating more. I have also written in several forums and communities to gather input from others.

Relevance:
This subject is relevant to the subject of digital humanities, as there is a lot of debate surrounding the topic of whether or not reading on a tablet is as beneficial as reading from a book. School districts are starting to put these e-readers in classrooms for students to use, but there are also a lot of teachers against this idea. I don't want teachers to think I'm advocating to rid students of books (heaven forbid), but I want to inspire teachers to embrace this other form of advancing literacy among their students.

Format:
I will be writing an academic research paper.

Outlet:
I want to do a guest blog post at Learn Egg and a proposal for the Journal of Youth Development. Both are great resources that are relevant with my subject.

Curation:
a) Content for Analysis: I have curated a lot of data through documented research projects, my own personal observations and experiences, trends.
b.) Secondary texts: I have curated a large number of blogs and articles, Don Tapscott's book, Grown Up Digital, and a lot of scholarly research from my classmates.
c.) Community: There are some great Google+ communities that focus on digital culture and technology in education, such as here, EdTech, and E-Learning and Digital Cultures.

Social Proof:
I have done a lot of social proof on my Facebook page, and I've especially reached out to friends who have become teachers and my past educators. I have also created a Twitter account that has allowed me to spark conversation. I have made posts in several Google+ communities and forums that are relevant to my subject. My Facebook efforts have been the most helpful. I haven't gotten many responses from the other sources.

Next Steps:
I've curated a lot of research, so now I need to organize and outline my paper. I also want to push for more social proof. Although I have received feedback from my Facebook friends, I would really like to get a conversation going in relevant websites that focus on education and digital culture.