Learning Theory Group 2 Wiki Debrief

A wiki is a great tool to use for collaboration in the classroom. It can be used for something like our class did or it can be used for an entire semester as a source for discussion and peer editing/help. It can be a great alternative for schools that don't have a blackboard site but wish to work together online. We began using wikispaces where I work as a tool for people to create their own work schedules rather than bog me down with hundreds of emails. It has made our scheduling process so much quicker and easier. One of the biggest challenges in using the wiki is making sure everyone using the wiki works within any set rules you may have. For example, all of my student employees know that if they erase something from the schedule that we will take disciplinary action against them. Nevertheless, I still expect someone to try and sneak by that and get rid of one of their shifts. we'll see what happens...

Learning Theory Group 1

I thought that the wiki was a great way to create a project. It was my first time using the wiki so I tested a lot of things out before the final project. Overall, I think that the group did very well using the wiki. We were all able to put the information into the message board or onto the page and then edit each others. As a group, we worked well editing each others work. After experiencing this project, I think I will be much more proficient in using the wiki another time. I enjoyed changing the font, adding pictures, and widgets. I had some difficulty changing the background of the whole page.

While using the wiki, many of my members posted messages but I was not notified. I had to check periodically to see the changes. I would not have wanted to be notified every time something changed because there were so many group members, but it would have been nice to receive an e-mail that a message or change had been made on my group.

Professionally I think that it would be a great way for teachers to collaborate and make new things for students. The students would also be able to have an opportunity to participate in the wiki and make changes. The students would be able to learn many skills using the technology, communication skills, and learning the content. A wiki allows people who are not able to physically meet the ability to collaborate and make a project that is presentable.

Learning Group 5 (Masters)

I think all in all our group was able to use the wiki successfully. Jennifer and Joshua definitely have more experience using the wiki so they were able to do most of the formatting for the group. Putting pictures onto the wiki page was the most difficult part personally. It was nice having the discussion board for our specific group so that we could discuss things. I think the wiki could be very useful in the classroom, even if it's just for them to communicate outside of school for projects and what not. It even be a useful study tool. I also know that schools are now using them for grades and as a way for teachers to communicates with parents and students at home.

Learning Theory Group 3-Wiki Debrief: Gina Giles

The use of a Wiki for our project in general was easy to use. We had the discussion board as a way to communicate and that helped us figure out who was researching what. It was nice to know that when I found my information, all I had to do was post it in the discussion section and I know that all of my group members would see it. Although some challenges occurred, such as not being able to get in touch with some group members, the final product looked great.

Wiki would be a great asset in the professional world. Students could use Wiki to generate group discussions as well as use it as a great way to share research and collaborate. Not only, could students use it to share information, but also to present information. The way Wiki allows a student to insert links in the home page is also a great way to incorporate other sites into the presentation. For the future when I am teaching Biology classes, a Wiki would be a great way for my high school students to complete group projects as well as use Wiki for study guides or study sessions. Also, the students could ask each other questions, and I could be able to see what students were having a hard time with and assist them.

Learning Theory Group 4 Wiki Debrief: Adam Hagin

Our group experience was overall good, I think. I can not entirely speak for the others in my group. However, there were a few problems I encountered with using a Wiki. Our group collaborated well through the discussion page and our final write-up was good. While trying to edit the front page, however, I could not figure out how to view a new page that I created. Despite that minor problem, which I eventually figured out, I think using a Wiki is a good learning tool. It fosters online collaboration and allows for easy communication while in groups.

Professionally, one could use a Wiki to develop a presentation or have an online meeting. The Wiki would document all collaboration and workers could view their work long after completing the presentation or something of the sort. In the classroom, I would use a Wiki, as we did, for group work. I think that I can use a Wiki in my field, Social Sciences. I could use a Wiki to allow my students to create a group presentation. The Wiki would allow students to easily collaborate outside of the classroom and make for a better learning experience. Then the groups could simply show their final Wiki to the class as a visual aid during their presentation.

Technobiography- Laura Elliott

My earliest experiences with technology involve my gameboy, Super Nintendo, and our Gateway Computer equipped with instant messenger. I used to always complain about the level of technology at home but looking back we weren't so bad. I always got educational gifts for Birthdays and Christmas but usually electronic or interactive ones. I pretty much learned all I know about technology from encountering it in my everyday life. I used computers for the basics in college and high school, papers, projects, and social networking. In college I bought my first smart phone and have never looked back but always forward to making my life simpler by integrating technology.

Secondary Math/Science

Before each lab in my high school chemistry class, the teacher would hand us the instructions, we would read through them, and then we watched a video he had made of him doing the experiment.  As we watched we could see the exact signs we were looking for and see the reactions we should get.  This helped a lot for us to know what to expect and helped with different kinds of learners.  I have tried to convince him to post the videos to youtube so his students can review them while writing their lab reports but he has not gotten there yet. 

 For another student in our group, her biology class used microscopes connected to a computer so the slides would be projected for the class to see.  That way each student could compare their results with what the teacher had on their slides.  

 Each of these uses of technology in science classes assisted with our understanding of the material and helped us become more successful.  

Technobiography

Sorry this is late, just was added to the blog.

I have been around technology all my life.  From listening to Peter, Paul, and Mary tapes in the car with my family to game boys, I can’t remember a time without technology surrounding me.  As I grew up we got more computers, newer computers and my biggest question was which games it would come with (Bugdom is still my favorite).  My family has always had Macs so I have a definitive preference for them.  Over time I began using AIM, email, iphoto, itunes, etc.  Exploring random programs on my computer is now something I do when I am bored. 

 Lately my use of technology has moved towards staying connected.  The camp I work at in the summer has international staff.  After nine weeks of living together non-stop we now find ourselves without each other, some the only one in their country with memories of Camp Conowingo.  We use facebook, skype, and email to all keep in touch (international calling plans are far too expensive).  My brother is also currently studying abroad in Florence, Italy so I need to communicate with him too.  My latest technological exploration has come from playing with imovie and GarageBand to create a movie for a friend of mine.  I like to try to figure out programs like that.

Pre Elementary Ed

My group discussed many different ways in which technology was used to help us learn. One way in particular was in my 7th grade spanish class. Whenever we had new vocabulary we would go to the computer lab and play a game. The game would show a cartoon setting (a supermarket, living room, school, etc.) and the vocab words would drop from the top of the screen. We had to use the arrows to place to word on to the correct item. This game was a fun way to make sure we were all studying and working on our vocab. Because the game was fun it made learning much easier.

Seondary English/SS

Technology is something that my teachers loved to use in the classroom but barely did. One class I always used it in was Newspaper. While that seems obvious, piecing together the newspaper to final format was not always the easiest thing. I always though teachers did that. However, fitting lines perfectly together with the right sized captions was a job I had to learn to do. Every day in newspaper I worked a bit harder on the program that was on the computer to discover a bit more about it. It was more of a free based project than one with specific directions from the teacher. All she told me was how much room I had and what I had to fit onto it, after that, it was all mine. Being able to use this technology in school was to great advantage to me. By having this experience I find it easier to be able to design certain things and I gained more knowledge on the particular program (which of course I can't remember what it is).

Elementary Education

Use of Technology as a student.

In school we were taught using Microsoft Word to help us learn how to type. In elementary school we practiced our typing in Technology class once a week. We were taught how to use the appropriate hand position in order to type efficiently. We were quizzed by having our hands covered with a cardboard box so we could not cheat and look at the keys. We were timed at how fast and correctly we could type.
Typing helped us with our spelling and grammar. We were able to express ourselves in another way besides writing on paper. Since being taught the basics of Word, we use it daily. We type not only in word, but in online documents, PowerPoint’s, and communication on the computer. The typing class in elementary school prepared us for typing in our daily lives now.

-Jen Musotto, Andrea Becker

Technobiography

Although I have grown up with technology, there are many things I do not know how to properly use. I have a digital camera and I think I am pretty good using that. I am proficient with my cell phone but there are some applications that I have never used. I have never created my own website but I have used HTML codes many times on my MySpace page. Most of the time when I don't understand something that comes to technology, I leave it alone until someone can help me because I am afraid of breaking it. I get frustrated easily when I try to use something new and it does not work. I will admit that I am easily intimidated by new technology and I definitely wait for my friends to buy something first so I can learn how to use it from their teaching me.

Josh Weeks- Technobiography

Sorry this is so late in coming. In keeping with the technology trend, I changed internet service providers and Verizon's date of service starting isn't until the end of next week. My school that I work at has a filter that prevents any blogging sites, and I finally just had to hit my local library up at the right time for a computer. Oh well...
Anyways, I can remember using technology all the way back to elementary school. Back then, it was a privelage to be able to use the computer lab during specials or before or after school. The games I remember playing were things like LOGO, Reader Rabiit, The Oregon Trail, and Commander Keen. I still think its funny when I now see the reincaranations of alot of those franchises. When I used computers and technology back in grade school, they were still the green screens with DOS where you had to hit a command prompt like keen.exe. I remember clearly using technology in my education and for some leisure growing up though.
I never had a true gaming system until I got a Game Gear. My friends always had a playstation or Genesis, etc, while I usually was a little more late to the party. My parents made me read a certain amount before I could play video games, too. I still thank them for that. I still love reading, though I can't say that I don't enjoy my gaming as well.
I use technology every day and am always looking for the next greatest gadget. I usually wait for the prices to drop, though. The onloy technology out there that I don't use is texting. I just think its impersonal and meanings can be misconstrued in texting. I use Skype though to talk with friends and family, use alot of technology in my teaching, and am always looking to get better and more familiar with the latest trends in technology.

Kasey Trudgeon- Technobiography

The very first thing that I can remember regarding technology, other than VHS movies (we didn't have cable!), is probably playing tapes in my Teddy Ruxbin with my older sister. She also had a tape of this guy who sang about brussel sprouts. My very first tape, which I played in my very own walkman, was Ace of Base. Around the same time, I remember my father kicking his kids' butts (or at least kicking Bowzer's butt) in Nintendo; Mario brothers and duck hunt were a part of our weekly routine, and we would play for what seemed like hours. I would later play my brother's PlayStation but never get too good!

In the mornings, when I was getting ready for school, I would listen to the radio on my boombox and record songs that I liked on tapes. Then my walkman turned into a discman; I remember buying my very first CD by TLC in Costco for $20. 

Then, I think around third grade, came our first computer for Christmas.  In school, we would type papers, and my best friend at the time had a computer; however, I was never able to explore on my own, especially on the internet! I immediately got a Yahoo! messenger and checked out the online chat rooms with my friends. I also became an expert at Tetris. The computer became more useful to me as I became older. Fortunately, my fifth grade teacher insisted that his students learn to type and use PowerPoint. As I progressed through school, the internet became very useful for research and communication, after switching to AOL Aim. 

I got my first cell phone in 8th grade, but I remember when my parents got their first cordless phone. I also remember seeing car phones on television (after we got cable around 2nd grade) and being amazed! I have had the same phone for about two to three years now. 

I now own a Mac, which I got freshman year of college, and an ipod (and an I-home), which I got around the same time. I'm not too technologically advanced! My roommates have a Wii, which I can play with their help. I don't tend to seek out new technology; it usually comes to me, via family or friends. 

Jenn Musotto's Technobiography

For as long as I can remember technology has been apart of my life. I remember having one huge box-like computer in my parent's bedroom that was NOT allowed to be played with. Many times I was caught playing games on the computer as well as my younger siblings. Eventually we were given that computer in our playroom and my parents upgraded to a smaller box-like computer. I didn't know how to do much on the computer except play the games on it. In fourth and fifth grade we all were placed in computer classes to help become acquainted with the new technology, but I feel as though the teachers weren't pressed on what we learned everyday in that class. To this day, i have to look at the keyboard to type my papers or simple messages to friends through the internet. Now, having access to the internet or a computer is necessary to get by on a daily basis. I finally gave in and bought a laptop when I started at Towson because so much work was required to be done on the computer and I couldn't always be on my mom's computer. Time has changed a great deal because instead of having one computer in my house, each of my family members have one in their room, including my 13 year old brother who seems to know more about technology then myself. I also finally upgraded my phone to a Blackberry where i can access internet and my email constantly throughout the day. I always said i would never give in and get a blackberry or have internet on my phone because i didn't see the point: a phone is used to make calls to other people, not worry about the internet and email. I can truly say if anything happened to my phone I would be lost and probably wouldn't be able to function. It has become apart of my life and I need it to get me through each day!

alex cox technobiography

I actually dont remember too much of technology from early in my life. I remember we had a black and white television in one of our bedrooms and I always thought it was broken because it had no color. We didnt watch many movies, but had a couple vhs tapes. We also had one of those big video cameras that I always wanted to play around with. For music we relied mostly on the radio but CDs eventually became more and more popular. I didnt have a video game system, but my best friend did and I was always excited to go over his house to video games. Like most other families we eventually got a computer with the really slow dial up internet that made all the funny noises, but I didnt use it much. My first experiences with technology revolved mostly around television and radio.

Once I got into middle school the computer started to grow on me. The internet was a fun place to be and I noticed many of friends started talking about instant messenger which I obviously had to join in on as well. As middle school transitioned to high school I felt like I was becoming pretty fluent with the computer and the internet. When DVDs showed up, my interest in movies really took off. I never had many VHS tapes, but I loved getting DVDs. I also got a playstation which quickly started taking up a lot of time. Movies and television were still a popular source of entertainment, but the computer and video game time was growing. I was building an extensive collection of CDs until I got my first ipod. I was pretty excited about it and I havent looked back since. I also got my first cell phone, one of the big nokias that was built like brick. I didnt use it much at first, but like the ipod it became a staple of my daily life.

Once I got to college I realized I had become completely dependent on technology. I couldnt go a day without listening to my ipod, talking on my cell phone, watching movies, browsing the internet or checking email. There were those days when my phone battery would die or my internet would be down and at first I would think its no big deal, but I was wrong about that. At this point in my life I know that I rely on technology for everything from entertainment, to socializing to school work.

Samantha Aikins – TechnoBiography

I really don’t remember using the computer for much more than making and copying c.d.'s before high school. Even in high school, I really only used the computer to make c.d.’s and to write papers. I didn’t have a personal computer in high school and I have four siblings plus a mother who loves technology so getting to the computer was a trial. I saw the computer as a wonderful and mysterious thing that works of it’s own accord.

My relationship with technology changed when I left for college. I got a laptop and learned to enjoy exploring on it. However, I was utilizing my computer mainly for writing papers because as a History major I wrote plenty of them. I did eventually get an iPod and a digital camera, both of which I can use in the most basic of senses. Through various classes and campus jobs I learned how to use the Microsoft functions, including Excel, PowerPoint, etc.

I still see my computer as a mysterious thing that works because it wants to, and I just let it do whatever it wants. Despite that, I really could not live without my computer, my iPod touch (yes I did advance from my original iPod after a few years), and my cell phone.

Jeff Hinkeldey's Techno Biography

For as long as I can remember, technology has been a part of my life. I can still remember when we had a computer running Windows 3.1 on a desk in the corner of the dining room. When everything was simpler I knew everything about computers. I would help the teachers in middle school when they had problems. Then technology caught up to me. It can be frustrating sometimes knowing that I could do any task imaginable when I was twelve years old, but now that I'm twenty I don't know how to use so many popular programs. I guess I know how my mom felt back when I was twelve.

(Just as a side note, I just saw a commercial for a cell phone powered by Google. Remember when Google was just a search engine and nothing more?)

When I graduated from middle school my parents bought me a PDA. Everyone thought I was so cool with the touch screen and stylus pen. It didn't have wifi or a decent video player - but it had a color screen and ran on Windows. I bought a wireless keyboard and in high school took notes on it. My teachers thought the keyboard was so cool that they didn't even tell me to put it away. Now I guess I'm pretty much just like anyone else when it comes to technology. I know enough to make my presentations look good. I spend a lot of time in Powerpoint and Movie Maker for my job in undergraduate marketing and I get better in Movie Maker every time I use it.

Technobiography

I first remember having a computer in my house when I was 4 or 5 years old. Every since then, I have been able to use a computer for my everyday needs. As i grow older, I use a computer for more efficient ways of doing things. I used to only use it to communicate with my friends or research a few things. Technology has been taking place of many books, media, and paper. Instead of reading the newspaper, I will find out what is happening from the internet.

In elementary, our class had a computer class in which we learned to type and played number munchers and other "educational" games. Since then, I have taken few other computer classes and have taught myself the basics. I learn best through examples and have learned the most by watching other people use various programs and then experimenting myself.

I used to think that I was pretty adequate with technology until last Monday. Although I was able to follow during the ISTC class, the information was extremely new. All the programs and applications we are going to use are things I have never used before. I do not dislike technology when it goes right but I am not knowledgeable enough to fix some of the problems that arise. I like to use technology in the classroom as much as I can. I find that technology is a great way to engage and motivate my elementary students. Students are captivated by many things used by the computer. I use Power Points to introduce new stories or concepts. I use little video clips from Safari Montage, or Brain pop to recap a lesson. I also like to have easy to follow games or interactive Power Points that the students can use on their own during center time. I hope to learn more programs that would be applicable for me to use when teaching the younger students.

Nathaniel Kahn Technobiography

I have liked technology for many years and I really can’t imagine what life would be like without it. Everyday, I use some form of technology and usually multiple technological items. Outside of the classroom, I use my MAC laptop to access the internet everyday and also to check my e-mail and instant message At my house, I have had MAC desktop computer for almost all of my life, which I use for the same purposes. In addition to using the computer, I also use my cell phone on a regular bases to communicate with others through text messaging and calling. Also, I have had a couple of televisions since I was born, where I watch programs and movies. Initially, I had a VCR to play VHS tapes, but now I have a DVD player. I also had a Play Station, but now I have a Play Station 2, where I play video games on.

In school, I have taken multiple classes where using technology was either the main focus of the class or used in it. In high school I took a Software Applications class and in college a Computers and Creativity class. In both of these courses I worked almost with extensively with computers using several different programs. These programs include Microsoft Excel, Adobe Flash Player, Microsoft Sharepoint, and a variety of other programs. In various classes in high school, I had to use power point for projects. . I also use my laptop for multiple school purposes such as writing papers on Microsoft Word, accessing information for school, or reading documents for classes.

Lane Conigliaro's Technobiography

Over the past ten years I have been able to engage and enjoy technology myself, without needing help from my parents. In fact, unlike before, they're the ones asking me for help. Now in their defense they are very technology savy but with new things coming out every day who can really keep up with it anyway? I would say I was much more interested in technology when I was younger and talking to AIM was the coolest thing to do when you were done your homework. However, more recently as I have started college I don't knowo where I would be without it. From lap tops to cell phones I've honestly been obsessed with them since I saw them. Being someone that loves talking, what's better than to talk to someone you're not even with? The first memory I have of a computer was a old box looking thing that had a story my brother's wrote. Of course, there was none of the grammer or spelling tools that computers have now so who knows who many mistakes were in the story. Being the not even seven year old I was, I had to sneak around to use it by myself and pray that somehow I wouldn't break it. Since then I've learned to love technology and I've learned to hate it. Of course you can't ALWAYS count on it, such as a phone book that can get erased with an accidental click of a botton. In all, I've had great experiences with technology throughout my life yet I've learned to not always count on it.

Eileen Prigal technobiography

For as long as I can remember I have been around technology. When I was younger my dad and uncles all had Nextel phones that they would use the walkie-talkie and when I was about 9 my parents let me get my own AOL account. I remember going into Backstreet Boys message boards and thinking it was the coolest thing ever. I have also always enjoyed video games. My sisters and I played the original Nintendo until it broke down completely and then moved on to Nintendo 64. My dad and I would stay up late challenging each other in Mario Kart. Now my brother, sister, and I play the wii with my dad. My favorite part of school was playing Number Munchers and Oregon trail on the computer.

While technology has been a huge part of my life I still have a some what love/hate relationship with it. I love certain aspects of technology, especially its ability to bring people together through websites such as facebook and through things like text messaging which can connect you to someone all the way around the world. However for the most part I feel very overwhelmed by technology. It seems that every time I get a grasp on something, something newer comes along. Technology doesn’t come easy to me so I have to constantly stay alert and on top of things to keep up.

Gina Giles Technobio

Although I am not as technology savvy as I wish to be, I have had technology in my life for quite a while now. I grew up with a father who was a Baltimore SWAT team officer so I constantly had his radio, beeper, and cell phone going off. I started to become familiar with technology when my brother got a Nintendo 64. I liked playing it, but always got frustrated when he was better than me. I could never understand how he could get a new game one day and within the next hour have beaten every level.
I got my first computer when I was in seventh grade and thought it was the coolest thing ever. It had been an old computer at my dad’s work so we got to have it. I remember it took forever to load everything but still I would be on it for hours. Next I had the portable tape player, which I thought nothing could get any better, and then came the portable CD player and again I couldn’t think of anything being more “cool.” And along with those things, at first I had a VCR, and then a DVD player and I remember teaching my mom how to work both of those things.
Then, my family made the big step in buying a flat screen computer that was actually new and didn’t take an hour to get to the homepage. On this computer I learned how to upload pictures, download music, talk to my friends on AIM, and discovered the amazing invention of MySpace. Along with the computer, I was given my own digital camera as well as an IPod. It amazed me how easy it was for me to figure out how to work them and more importantly how well I was at teaching my mom how to work them. Every time she didn’t know how to do something on the computer, she called me and even though I explained it to her, the next day she would be asking the same question again.
As I got older, the need for a cell phone came into play. I had just gotten my license so my parents finally gave in and bought me a cell phone for Christmas. My dad had a Nextel for work so he got the phones for free, so lucky me I got a Nextel for my first phone. I remember it was as big as our TV remote, but just the same I was obsessed with it. After having that phone for about 2 years, I was able to get a new and improved phone which I loved because it was a “flip” phone. I had that phone until it broke and got another phone with Verizon which was so much better than Nextel in all aspects. Throughout this period of phone transitioning, I attempted to teach my mom how to text, which I am still teaching her today.
In my life now, I have a Voyager phone, an iTouch, a laptop, digital camera, a flat screen TV with a DVD player and an iHome for my iTouch. I would have to say that as technology becomes more advanced; I tend to keep up with it, even though some of it I just plain do not understand.

Jennifer Gorelik Technobiography

I am pretty comfortable with most technology and enjoy it very much. I remember when my family got our first computer, with a floppy drive and when we first got an internet connection and am amazed by the speed that technology has evolved. The first computer I ever used had a tiny fraction of the space that I have on a cheap flash drive. I remember as a kid being obsessed with music and carting around a backpack full of compact disks, all of which can now be put on a tiny iPod with room to spare.

I couldn’t imagine living without technology. I have been an avid gamer since I got my first Nintendo NES and currently enjoy games on the PC as well as various consoles and handhelds. Technology is also vital for my education and future professional life. To research and create documents is so much easier using the internet and computers than the traditional way, and it also is much better for the environment because you aren’t using as much paper. I am very much looking forward to seeing what new technologies are in the future.

rebecca hernandez technobio blog

Since birth the technology that I can say I had a relationship with in my house were tv's, telephones, vcr's, and tape players. Since I grew up with these devices when I was around the first grade age i was capable of using these devices on my own, and know how to properly use them. When I was around the second or third grade the entire class was taking a computer class in order to learn how to use desktops and solve problem and write the answers on the computer. All the kids liked this because when we were finished our assignment we were allowed to use the computer to our own liking, which just meant that we would all play the computer games. Around the age of 10 or 11 my parents also bought the first computer for the house. Which i really did not know much about, except, to play games and log on to the internet I do not think that i took a technology class unitl about 8th grade, and in the class we used the computers to calculate formulas and build new things. Also, when i was in the 8th grade is when my family finally got our first cell phone. The phone was so big and fat at the time but, my brother and i were always playing with it trying to figure out how it worked. It was not until probably my high school years that technology really started to play a role in my life and the new "Gotta have it" things for society. Eventually we got dvd players, a lap top, more cell phones. And around my senior year they came out with mp3 players and ipods. I also got an ipod and my own laptop. To this day to me my cell phone now has got to be the object of technology that i use most, on my phone I can record video's, listen to the radio, watch current programs from channels from the television, surf the web, find my way with its built in gps system, have my email sent directly to my phone, go shooping on my phone, play games, play back music like an mp3, and find out the weather and news. I feel as though technology grows it is becoming more and more easier to have everything at arms lenghth, and even though i may not always technology i am forced to learn how it works and use it.

Jessica Crutchfield's Techno Biography

For as long as I can remember, I was technology savvy. I can remember my first television, first video game console and first cell phone. But most profoundly, I can remember seeing my first America Online commercial in the early 90s. I begged my mom to get a desktop computer with Windows. Of course I didn't understand that dynamic of what Windows actually meant. I just new that there was something greater than DOS and that's all that mattered. To this day, I remember how long it took that little AOL man to sign into web through dial-up.

Because my brother is much older than me, I received his hand me down video game consoles. Although most girls aren't the stereotypical gamers, I was obsessed with video gaming. My first system was Super Ninentendo. It was box shaped, olive drabb gray and accented by purple "Select" and "Reset" buttons. The games fit into the console like USB cords fit into computers, and to begin the system, you had to slide the "Reset/On" switch. The first game I ever beat was Mario: Yoshi's Island. From there it was X-Men, Star Wars and any other compatible system. Once I got bored with that system, Ninento 64 and Sega Dreamcast and Gamecube soon followed. As I aged, I lost interest in the newer consoles, such as Playstation and XBox. I was jaded by the idea of cell phones and mp3 players(I got my first cell phone when I was 13, and have taken many casualties along the way). I still enjoy the original games I was introduced to, and I love that consoles such as the Wii and Gamecube exist. It allows me to relive my childhood.

As I stated before, I can remember the first time I saw an AOL commercial. America Online then looks as appealing as Verizon Fios does now - huge, fast, shiny and awesome. When it first got installed in my home, I remember how amazing and interesting the internet seemed. My AOL homepage was custom created for someone between the ages 11 to 16. I had serious parental restrictions and I remember getting angry that I couldn't visit MTV.com. I also remember my homepage having homework help sections, a Nickelodeon section and a new music section. I used all of the hottest search engines, such ass HotBot, Lycos, Hotmail, and Yahoo. In fact, I think I created email addresses on each of those sites for fun. Two to three years later, I remember seeing Google commercials. I would have never guess Google would be the top contender, nor did I think I'd own a G1 (the Google phone).

Its really interesting to look back at that, and remember the first time I received my IBM laptop. I also remember the first Youtube video I ever watched and the first college email I ever received. My freshman year, the college I attended had a wireless campus. Thus, we'd all sit around the lounge and instant message youtube videos to one another.

Although my freshman year was only 2 years ago, I think technologically I have advanced as a person. My first iPod was a shuffle and now I have the iPod Touch. I once had an IBM and now I have an HP Entertainment PC. Youtube has lost its flair and now everyone enjoys Hulu. In all, I think its fair to say that technology has been apart of my life as much I have been apart of its life. We've had great times and we've had bad times. But I definitely look forward to continuing to grow with it.

Michelle Burgess Technobiography

If it was not for technology, I would not have a job… so I love it!

I have been working in the Information Technology field for over ten years and have been watching the evolution while starting out as a Secretary and typing reports and memos on huge machines that were some of the first computers (before Windows). After doing some light programming using Cobol and C languages, I got the chance to see the backside. Doing database administrator work, I have been given the privilege of using Unix and Oracle to create and use some advanced programs while working in this field. I also have been given the opportunity to do some graphic artist work using various photo shop software applications creating websites which has been the most fun.

Computers and/or Technology help keep us connected (facebook, twitter, blogging) in a weird sort of way and it also can help children become creative; however it is also making us very impatient and also kind of dumb. Speaking for myself, I find myself pulling out a calculator instead of doing simple math problems on a piece of paper. Reading and Writing skills are also going down because we can quickly pull up an article online, cut/copy/paste and do less thinking for ourselves without realizing it. I am not sure I can read a map anymore because I learned online and now rely on the internet or GPS (when I have it). It is a very subtle thing and we need to make sure we are not losing our basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills.

I find in order to keep up with this daily changing, fast paced technological world, I have to constantly stay educated either in classes or by the children themselves. Now, working on my second career in Elementary Education, I am looking forward to working with the next generation and seeing where and what tomorrow will bring.

Adam Hagin Technobiography

Adam Hagin
Technobiography

My relationship with technology is somewhat dualistic. While I understand and appreciate the many benefits of technology, such as GPS, the internet, and overall communication advances, I feel that technology also hinders personal contact between humans. Over the past decade people have been using an endless number of technological mediums in order to communicate. To me, it seems as though technology has directly affected human relationships by diminishing face-to-face conversation.

Pragmatically, I have a significant amount of experience with different types of technology. I know how to use a computer, ipod, GPS, and many other things. I have some experience with Mac. During high school, I took a film class and learned Adobe Premier, a complex editing program. Consequently, I know how to use most types of video cameras and digital cameras. I do not have much knowledge of things like Facebook, blogs, or anything of the sort.

Welcome

This is the course blog for Ben Smith's ISTC 301. We meet on Mondays. Welcome everyone. I am looking forward to a great semester.