Technology Autobiography

When I think about my experiences and views of technology I have to go back to my first encounter of a computer, complete with banner style paper with the perforated edges on the sides to feed through the printer. It was a big box, and I thought the Paint program was amazing. However, I was only about eight years old. I also remember the TV shows that had rooms dedicated to computers that "crashed" or those space shows with quirky special effects. Since then I have thankfully upgraded to a tablet PC, roughly the size of a piece of paper. Thank you technology.

I have used technology in many ways, including projector slides, digital pictures, floppy disks, cds, rewritable cds (I remember when I thought that was amazing.), USB drives, memory cards, webcams, audio recordings, Microsoft Office, and for fun things like music and DVD watching. Through this list it is obvious that some things are now outdated by others, e.g. floppy disks and USB drives. The most recent has so many more capabilities than the latter, and there is really no comparison as far as value, but we all know that transitions can be tough. Outside of the computer world, I had a rough time with the film to digital photo transition. On a trip overseas in 8th grade I remember packing and buying around 20 rolls of 35mm filim, and I even printed them all. Around the next year or so was the digital camera boom, and from the intimate/love/hate relationship with film I wasn't too eager to move ahead with the times, especially with the monetary investment they required. Now seeming a hypocrite, I haven't touched a roll of film or disposable camera since. The ease of loading and sharing digital photos has proven a great asset to my education and career building, especially with my portfolio artifacts. Who wants to look at a bunch of scanned photos that have less pixel quality? Not I.
This past semester in the elementary classroom I like to think I maximized the technology available. I got to experience smart boards, projectors, various online software and freeware, and CSILE. The impact and intrest on the students was so apparent by the comparison of assessments to other units without the same technology focus.

Students should have access to computers throughout the school day during breaks and before and after school. Some students do not have the access necessary to complete assignments at home, and may need more time allotted during the school day. They do not need a personal computer with them at all times.

After this class, I have come across more intentional ways of utilizing technology. Specifically, podcasts, Flickr, and moviemaker are major applications that will interest the students more into their studies and consequently learn more as a result. Many students who are visual learners can now have their needs met by the education system because of these applications. Auditory learners have another outlet as well. This is not the end of technology, or the ways to use it.