Reflection on Influential Technologies
Almost everyone can/does believe that technology has made life much easier and more comfortable and has enabled us to perform tasks that we cannot do otherwise. "Technology is just so convenient regardless of what medium you are using it for."(Learning to Change, Changing to Learn: Student Voices') (0:13). Technology is at the tip of our hands everywhere we go whether we think so or not. We use technology on an everyday basis and to think about what life would be without it in this day and age is almost impossible. My top three technologies that have impacted my life on an everyday basis is my smart phone, Mac book, and Global positioning system (GPS).
Without my iPhone an entire portion of my life would be lost. Like one student said in the 'Learning to Change, Changing to Learn: Student Voices' video "My phone is almost like my third hand"(0:36), this is exactly how myself and I am sure most of us feel most of the time. At the tip of my hands my iPhone gives me access to so many important functions I need to carry out everyday tasks. Text messages makes communication between my peers, friends, and clients easy and quick. It provides me with my music to help me escape reality, my camera to capture candid moments, emails so I don't miss what is going on at school or in my professional life, and applications to keep up to date on everyday news, sports, podcasts to listen to motivational learning and life strategies, and even helping me keep track of my clients and payments. My iPhone also gives me quick access to the Internet if I ever need to use it to read or research something new I need to learn.
In today's society as one student said in the video "a lap top is a bare necessity." Without our laptop many things could not be possible. It is the open window to accessing infinite amount of information. Not only has it helped me learn it has also made my last 5 years of undergrad and now my first year of graduate school easier and more efficient. It is convenient enough to throw in my backpack and take with me to class in order to take notes in class. It has also been a tool used for Skype interviews I have had in the past and also to get into this graduate program. In the video students have used lap tops to learn how to read, write, and learn a new language which is just a few of the laptops beneficial uses we are lucky enough to be a part of today.
My GPS system is my third most influential piece of technology in my life today. Surprisingly this was not mentioned in the video, because it may not be something we use in the classroom, but it is something we use that is incredibly important. Without this device I would be one lost human being. I am someone who is to say the least, awful with directions, but this beautiful creation makes my life easier to get to point a, to point b on time with out worrying if I am going to get lost. Although, it may take the longer route at times it has never let me down. The GPS also has helped me to learn how to get to different places without relying on it eventually if I go there enough times.
In conclusion, technology will continue to expand and be part of our everyday uses. We live in a time where it is widely accepted and a necessity whether you are a student or a professional. We rely on technology everyday from the time we wake up to the time we go to sleep. There are great amount of similarities that I use technology for in comparison to the students in the video. We all use our cell phones to communicate effectively, capture moments, listen to music, applications, as well as multiple handfuls of other useful information and functions. Lap tops are not only used to read, write and learn a new language, but also gives us the ability to create. Create movies, clips, music, and art, as well as give us access to information we never thought we can find. From where we live at home to the classroom technology is helping us learn and become better students when used efficiently.
