Interactivity #1

                            My Experience with Technology

 My entire life, I have been exposed to new technology and although at times I have used it for entertainment, I have also used technology for educational purposes. The three most influential communication technologies in my life are my cell phone, my laptop, and my fax machine. All three technological devices have helped me learn new material in different ways. In fact, I do not know where I would be if it was not for these three devices. The first device that I am constantly thankful for is my cell phone because at times, when I have been absent to a class, I have been able to call a classmate, put him/her on speaker, open the note taker in my phone, and copy down the things that the class worked on on that day. I could use my cell phone anywhere and anytime, as long as I have wi-fi connection. Also, during my college career, I have taken a couple of online classes. One of them (Women Gender Studies) required us to hear the professor’s pre-recorded lectures posted on blackboard and then answer a set of questions. I had to work a lot during that time, so my cellphone was the tool I used in order to complete these assignments and to listen to the lectures. I found myself downloading the lectures to my cell phone and listening to them while in the car, bus, at lunch, on my break, etc...Also, I would then open the note where I copied down the questions and answer them on my phone. I have also used my cell phone to take pictures of class notes that were covered on days when I was absent, teacher notes that were written on the board, but which I did not have time to copy down, and other related notes that would take me too long to copy. After, I would simply send the pictures to my email, print them out and I miraculously had all the notes that I needed without too much effort.

The other device that would be very hard to live without is my laptop. I write all of my essays there and read all of the online teacher assigned readings in it. Moreover,  every semester, I make an online notebook using Microsoft One Note and I keep all of my class information in there. Furthermore, I use programs like Outlook to constantly check my emails and set reminders of  things  I have to do, which are connected to my phone and email. In addition, I have used my laptop to have video and audio conferences with classmates about a project when we are not able to meet in person because all our schedules are different. Also, I have had video conferences instead of a class meeting on snow days, when my professor did not want us to show up to class, but did not want to cancel class either. Lastly, I also use my computer to write my thoughts, homework, due dates and a lot of other things that I would lose if they were on paper.

Lastly, I also use my fax machine a lot. At times, when I have not been able to buy my books for class, yet have assigned homework due that same week or the following,  my fax machine allows other classmates to send me a copy of the pages due for homework from their houses. Also, I have used my fax machine to correct my group members’ papers and to send them mine for them to check. Lastly, I constantly use my fax machine to send class notes and at times also receive class notes from students in my class through fax.

In comparison, the students in the two videos and I use computers to read, to work together within our groups and to figure out what we can do with what we have through the use of computers, and we also use our cell phones to take pictures of projects. However, one thing that astonished me and that made me want to try was an idea that another student in the second video mentioned, about learning a new language in your computer. Also, the devices that they use are mostly like mine, but they do not use the fax machine as a way to communicate through technology. Overall, it was very interesting to see how these young adults use technology to their benefit, just like I do every day.