Technology Autobiography

I was born in the mid-fifties so technology was virtually non-existent at that time. We had a landline telephone. I remember that neighbors shared the line and could cut into conversations when they wanted to. We didn't have a television (black and white, no less) until I was about 12. My grandpa felt sorry for us and bought it for us. Fortunately, I had developed a voracious appetite for books and read nearly everything on the children's and young readers shelves in our small town's library by then. TV was a fun pasttime but not that important to me.



By the time I was in college, we had graduated to microfiche but still had to write everything out long-hand. It sounds like the dark ages now. After I was married, my husband attended graduate school and was required to write a thesis. We bought a used Royal typewriter so that I could transcribe his notes. It was soon after that we discovered a woman who ran a business out of her home using a word processer. What a relief!! It changed everything and seemed to be a miracle. The second and third drafts were a breeze and it was finally published.



My next real encounter with technology began when I started teaching and my children were young elementary students. We purchased an Apple computer at an exorbitant price and had fun with simple games and word processing. Well, needless to say, we have upgraded many times since and now own a total of five working computers, four of them laptops. I was given a new I-book for my latest teaching job and have grown to love its quick response and handling ease. I want to learn how to navigate and use it more effectively as I still feel inept using it, but I continue to grow in my tech. literacy each day. My girls remind me constantly of how computer illiterate I truly am, which only increases my anxiety and frustration. I must admit that I do enjoy surfing the web when planning a trip or looking for a shopping bargain though.

In addition to the computer, I am now faced with learning how to utilize a smartboard in my classroom. I find it challenging and rather daunting to say the least. I felt overwhelmed with the pressure to get up to speed when I started this new job but I am slowly finding ways to integrate its use in my classroom. There are endless possibilities to engage my students while teaching them new learning strategies. We can explore new directions, use games to reinforce learning, and teach new concepts with weblinks. By giving them the freedom to choose what to write, wordprocessing can free them up from the limitations and intense labor of handwriting.

Probably the only other technology gadgets I own are my cell phone and digital camera. I've been shown how to send text messages, and can take pictures with the camera but I generally stick to basics. My cell phone's biggest use is when I need to call friends and family in an emergency. Otherwise, it stays turned off most of the time since I don't have reception at home. If I leave it on, I often forget to turn it off, only to find that the battery has run out again when I really need it. I need to learn how to download my camera's pictures easily and would love to know how to send them out to friends and family.

When I look around my household, especially my kitchen, I realize that everything is going techy. My new stove, dishwasher, and even the refrigerator are all computer driven. I have major trouble operating the television remote if I press the "wrong" button. I can program my handheld phone for basics but forget the fancy settings. In this increasing technologically based world, I feel like I am a dinosaur. I see the necessity for keeping up to speed but it is advancing so rapidly that I sometimes want to shut down and revert to my familiar ways of doing things. They feel safer somehow. I find that people who are technologically savvy often have very little patience for people like me. It's hard for them to understand how foreign and difficult computers can be to use. When explaining things, they often rattle directions off at such a speed that I'm lost from the outset. When I am learning how to use new technology, it helps to show me step-by-step, taking time for me to imitate the modeling on my own. It also helps to have good instructions written down so that I can refer to them when on my own.

Probably my biggest challenge is organization of data. In order for me to keep up with all the latest technological changes, I know that it is essential for me to keep good records. I keep a file at school with directions on how to hook up the smartboard. I also have post-it notes under my blotter, in my desk drawer, and stuck to my computer with the various passwords and websites that I use the most. I need to get better at organizing this information if I am to utilize what's out there effectively. I not sure how others manage this but I would love to hear suggestions. I'm sure there are ways to organize these things on my computer but I have yet to be shown them. I'm looking forward to increasing my technology learning curve through this course, but be patient with me. Remember, this does not come naturally.