Growing up I never used the computer but I did love watching television and playing Nintendo. I remember becoming obsessed with playing Nintendo and my parents would use that to their benefit and take it away as a punishment. Besides that I have never been interested in technology and I just recently have realized how much not being tech savvy is hurting me. I began becoming some what interested in computers when instant messenger came out, I was in middle school and it was purely for social reasons. When using instant messenger if I wasn't talking much to anyone I would walk away and do something else and wait for responses. I became familiar with computers because I would always be on them for school work so when I wasn't doing homework I wouldn't want to be near them. I first got a cell phone in eighth grade and briefly used face book towards the end of high school and beginning of college. I still have a face book but I only use it for the pictures.
When it came to writing I loved it. I had multiple journals starting from when I was still in elementary school. I used writing as a reliever of stress and just getting out what was on my mind. I feel growing up journaling caused me to love pen and paper as much as I do. Whenever I have needed to write a paper I would always have to write down an outline or my thoughts before I even thought about going to the computer, unless I needed to research something. This reminded me of the articles from the other night when they were discussing how the way you get your thoughts down effects how you write. Since pen and paper have always been the most comfortable for me I feel I am able to get all of my thoughts out and in a clear and orderly fashion.
To be technologically literate one knows how to use technology with ease and if becomes unsure of something they are able to figure it out quickly. I on the other hand can get lost in trying to figure out the format of an APA paper for an hour. I feel I am unable to measure up to the technology demands a teacher is faced with and I am finally seeing the detriment of becoming technology savvy, which is giving me the aspiration to finally get on the band wagon. In the future when facing technology demands I will try and do them on my own but I feel if I can’t figure something out I will ask a fellow teacher for help. I do see this as a problem because I don’t want to bother other teachers with simple technology problems and make myself look unintelligent. I find I become frustrated very quickly because I am fairly clueless about computers and I don’t know where to begin when fixing a problem. The best way for me to learn about new technologies is listening, seeing it modeled and practicing with the new technology myself as much as I can.
Katie, I am a fellow journal writer. Since the age of 12 I have laid my heart out on paper and I doubt that will ever change. I think longhand allows you time to think and reflect - or even pause as you write. There is a time and place for everything. As far as your desire to become tech savvy, I would recommend the Mac offer of buying a Mac with an extra $100 for a full year of Mac tutorials as many and as often as you would like. Nobody at school needs to know why you are becoming such a "genius" with technology. I know few of us can afford this, but in the ideal world with an ideal bank account it would seem that it would meet your needs.
ReplyDeleteKatie,I can only imagine through others' eyes what it must have been like having Nintendo as a child. I spent my time mostly playing board games, knitting, playing music on record players and creating dances for others to see after paying 10 cents! My children have the Wii, and I too use it as an incentive.
ReplyDeleteKatie--I can speak from experience that Donna's suggestion for Mac tutorials is amazing. When I bought my Mac, I was almost afraid to turn it on! I went to a few tutorials with a paper full of questions for the geniuses and soon emerged comfortable with my new computer. Definitely worth it!!
ReplyDeleteAs for Nintendo, I can remember not wanting to be punished because I knew the first thing taken away would be Donkey Kong. The graphics were so simple and the concept so easy compared to the gaming systems of today, but that entertained my brothers and me for hours upon hours. At least, until AIM came out and I became an online social butterfly as you described yourself.