Sunday, September 22, 2013

Technology Autobiography

Technology and I have never been the best of friends, however there are some communications technologies that have definitely made my life easier. The three most influential communications technologies that I have are my laptop, my cell phone, and my digital camera.

The most influential communications device I have is my laptop. It is the device that I access everything involving the internet. There I communicate through emails, facebook, and other numerous social mediums. The newest communication use is AESOP, where I find substitute teaching jobs. AESOP gives me a chance to reach out to these teachers with any questions I may have; and teachers can reach out to me if they so choose to inform me on anything prior to subbing. Besides using my laptop for communicative purposes, it is my main source to learning new information. All I have to do is type what I want to know in a search engine, and off I go, to learning more than I already knew.

I am very grateful to have my laptop, however there are times when it does not work. For instance when I lived at MSU, my laptop had a serious freezing problem. It would constantly freeze up; it would take hours to complete a task when it should have been done within minutes. No matter who I brought it to, it would come back acting just the same. It was so bad to the point where I would strongly consider throwing the possessed object out the window… A broken laptop postpones schoolwork, and that is never a good thing!

I mostly use my cell phone to call and text people. I am not a huge fan of texting, but it has come in handy numerous times. I text to contact people when I am not in a good place to call them. Texting and calling people on the phone is a huge time saver. If I have a question, or need to contact someone immediately, I can ask them and usually get a response within minutes. It sure beats waiting until the next time I see the person face to face. The only problem I have with my cell phone is when I have poor connection. I hate it when my phone looses connection, especially when I am on the phone talking to a potential employer. It is embarrassing calling them back like that.

The third most important communications technology I have is my digital camera. One of my favorite art mediums is photography, so I do take a great deal of photos. Sharing photos is a way of communicating using a few, or sometimes no words. I usually will share my photos on facebook as a way to let close friends and family see what is going on in my life. In case you do not know, some digital cameras have lots of buttons, switches and features. Like any other device, I learn how my digital camera works by using it, and doing some trial and error. Whatever I can not figure out on my own, I can learn by reading the directions or asking other people. Honestly, I have not had many camera problems. I think the worst thing that can happen is the battery dying, or the camera physically breaks.

The students in the video brought up tons of different aspects to using technology. I would say that I use my three devices similarly to the ways that the students do. Most use their devices even more than I do. I agree that technology has become so important in our lives that it is going to help us evolve as humans, for better or for worse. Unlike the student that mentioned they would not care if their devices were glued to them, I am very opposite of that. Despite how helpful technology can be, I like being able to put my phone down and have some time for myself, not worrying about who is trying to reach me. I most related to the girl who was ranting about the abbreviations with texting. I loved her comment, “I am a person, not a computer.” I have had text and email conversations with people that were very abbreviated and short; it’s just not professional. It is a very different feeling having a conversation via text or email compared to face to face. Even though technology can be easier at times, it takes away a very personal aspect to conversation.


5 comments:

  1. Computer problems are the worst. Any type of technological break down whether it is a broken car or a laptop reminds us of how dependent we are on technology.
    As much as I miss the simplicity and comfort of doing my research in the library, I must admit that the world that we live in demands technology at our finger tips. Once we know what technology can do for us it is merely impossible to function efficiently without it.

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    1. Karen LSeptember 24, 2013 at 8:42 AM

      I had to laugh at your opening statement, because, I too, have not had a smooth relationship with technology at times. Running into computer problems has definitely been very frustrating. Usually using the computer is supposed to make life easier, but it also can make life stressful, especially when technical issues arise. I have also struggled with the use of software, such as Photoshop, so I am always thankful for the tutorials that people post. I also agree with the fact that technology can take away the personal aspect of communication. I think that it has a negative affect on people's ability to converse with one another. I also think that certain tones of texts can be taken differently from how they were intended.

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  3. I wish I took the Visual Arts Workshop but because of a schedule conflict I resorted to take Graphic Design instead.
    Of the technologies that you suggested as good sources I think it is a great idea to present videos in class, especially for the students who were absent.
    Touching the same topic of video recording, Bill Gates suggested that teachers could use video recording for teacher development because when getting evaluated they could get more feedback than just “satisfactory” but they could be point out what they did right, and what can they improve.
    I am not sure if it is a great idea to be under surveillance 24/7 but as a personal and private tool, I think that if we were to teach the same subject for more than one year we can have recordings of it to go along our lesson plans, that way we can review what we did we said, how did the students react, what were their questions, so that we can improve each year.

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  4. Technology can be a pain especially if you don't know how to fix them. People are so dependent on cell phones that people barely talk when they go out to social functions. Teachers have to find a way to build the bridge between the two.

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