1) In class today we discussed a quote by David Noble that particularly struck me.  The quote, which can also be found in our reading for last night stated, “In future years we will look upon the wired remains of our once great democratic higher education system and wonder how we let it happen.”  The quote references Noble’s belief that the advent and advancement of Information Technology would signal the end of the University education. I would be interested to learn more about Noble’s opinion and the basis behind his pessimism.  I would also be interested to know if there has been any scientific research done to examine the effects of such technology on students’ ability to gather and retain information.  Such research would provide interesting insight into exactly what we as a society have gained through the development of Information Technology.

2) Vietnam War Memorial

• Design – What was the original concept behind the design and why did the artist choose to evoke that particular  imagery when memorializing the Vietnam War?
• Initial Public Response – What were both the negative and positive responses of the public to design following its release?
• Current Public Response – How has that response changed over the years and how is the monument regarded in 2013 as compared to  the time that it was built?

The Vietnam War Memorial is one of the most controversial of all of the monuments that make up the Washington DC landscape and there are subsequently many historical arguments to be made about the structure.  These are the three topics that I will research specifically to determine my historical argument.