The Air I Breathe by Addison

The Air I Breathe by Addison - January 2020 Scholarship Essay

As oxygen is essential to life, so technology is to my education. While some may consider this dramatic, I have only known the conveniences my education has experienced through the use of technology. Although in my early years, my technology use took place only on my family’s computer and the in school’s computer lab, the advancement of technology has drastically changed my educational formation and the internet’s impact on my education is undeniable.

In sixth grade, I transferred to a school district which was uncommonly progressive in their use of technology. Placing extraordinary importance on technology in education, each student in the district was issued an iPad and SMART boards were in every classroom. Online textbooks were always at my fingertips and collaborative digital project-based learning was the norm. While the STEM courses benefited from internet usage, all classes had online requirements and the arts were no exception. With online metronomes and digital practice trackers, my violin skills grew. Digital tours of the world’s greatest museums expanded my love for the arts. Classes in digital citizenship encouraged proper digital etiquette. Attending such a digitally advanced middle school excelled my education and technology played a monumental part.

In my high school, students used the district’s devices, but BYOT “Bring Your Own Technology”, was encouraged. Quizzes were conducted on an online game-based learning platform, where teachers could quickly identify if part of their lesson was unclear and could re-teach that portion. Requizzing allowed for instant assessment of students’ understanding. The vast majority of research I conducted took place online. As a high school athlete, I enjoyed the opportunity to take classes through our district’s virtual learning academy, giving me more flexibility. Because of online storage options, my art has been stored in a digital portfolio. Impressively, AP judges viewed a large collection of my works, while only requiring me to submit a few physical pieces. Earning college credits during high school, by both online and traditional classes has allowed me to be on track to complete my four year Art Education degree in just three years. Immensely technology has impacted my education throughout high school.

Being able to research universities online, I narrowed down my options and am thrilled to continue my education at Texas Woman’s University in their Honors Scholar Program. Utilizing the same course management system that supports online learning and teaching that my high school utilized, professors at my university can post grades, information, and assignments online. Already being familiar with this system gives me a head start on my college career. Although my collegiate days have only begun, the internet is accessed constantly for my educational advancements.

Committed to being a life long learner, I appreciate the benefits of being part of the Information Age and growing up with technology. In my future teaching career, I will impress on my middle school students the value this of imperative tool, because it is crucial as the air I breathe.