Research Questions

Is texting, lolcats, or other forms of online communication harming or improving 

people’s ability to communicate in writing or in speech?

Online communication has allowed for international connections to form and for individuals to continuously use their writing skills; but is the use of this resource completely positive, or is our society entering into a educational recession where effective communication is hindered. 

There is heated debate regarding online communication and how it is effecting people's ability to communicate offline. Bowers and Berland (2012) investigated this subject when they studied moderate computer use and its affect on high school educational success (pg.51). In this study the authors state that computer use is, "-significant and positively related to initial status in high school reading and mathematics in grade 10 and 12, but do not appear to contribute beyond this effect accumulated by grade 10 during the time between grades 10 and 12 in mathematics" (Bowers & Berland, 2012, pg. 63). Although this study did not specifically study online social communication the results show that computer use in general, when used in moderation, can aid in education. 

Bowers, A., & Berland, M., (2012). Does recreational computer use affect high school achievement. Education Tech Research Dev,61, 51-69. Retrieved March 23, 2013 from http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/795/art%253A10.1007%252Fs11423-012-9274-1.pdf?auth66=1365307480_c3a73b5c373dd46a4e4d105d96a59668&ext=.pdf