Impact of Technology by Casen

Impact of Technology by Casen - January 2020 Scholarship Essay

Wow! My grandmother didn’t even have a television or microwave as a student. They barely had the capabilities of making copies or having text books for the entire class. My parents were not savvy in the ways of technology upon graduation day. They have had to learn these skills on their own. My great grandparents couldn’t have imagined that people could speak to each other on a cell phone from the backyard or car. Cars drive themselves, man has gone into space, and we have 3D printers. I on the other hand, have realized that the only thing holding me back from an unimaginable future is myself. I have the right to dream of new concepts, designs and innovative machinery. The Jetsons, or Star Trek was mind blowing. My possibilities are endless. My life is extremely impacted by the use of technology. I use a microwave, GPS, face-time, social media and the world wide web.
The highest impact that technology has had on me in the classroom was to give me an individualized education and higher learning concepts. I have been lucky enough to enjoy many attributes of technology throughout my learning years in public education. In elementary school we were encouraged to participate in learning games like Math counts and Khan Academy. We had a great computer teacher that taught us how to create and present Power Points and Prezis. You Tube is available to teach us almost anything we want to learn. I can figure out how to change my oil or learn to dance the tango or study calculus derivatives. Yes, I can also watch some goofy video or watch someone jump off a cliff. With technology the world is at our fingertips.
My desire to learn more has been one of my strong characteristics. My curiosity and drive will be enhanced through technology. I got my first cell phone in junior high. I had tablets and access to home computers. Some of my peers were not allowed to get on the home computer, due to their parents’ fear of them destroying things. That is crazy to me given the benefits that have been presented to me via the use of trial and error. I have been able to look up and research subjects to enhance my education. My middle school years were equally blessed because of a program called Century 21 that I was enrolled in. It was geared toward an education through technology and modern learning styles. It was a project-based program. The possibilities of education are endless given the world wide web’s enormity. We had to weed out the trash, and I was able to learn about false information versus true facts. As in life, we also learned about spam, dangers on the internet, and security issues. Such an important topic for middle school age students. Our instructors were great at allowing us to pursue the curricula requirements using technology. We had great graphing calculators in math class assigned to us. We were given chrome books to check out for the entire year. We were taught how to charge them, respect them, and adequately operate them. By allowing us 24-hour access to technology we benefited by enhancing our skills, and having access to a learning community daily. The students that otherwise could not afford having computers or technology, now had a more even playing field for their academic success.
We can collaborate and challenge each other through technology We were the beneficiaries of a brand-new high school in our community. It has charging ports throughout the school, a well-equipped library with the latest technology, computers and projection screens in every classroom. The impact has been huge for both teachers and students as we are able to have the latest resources at our conveniences. Gifted and talented education and honor programs have benefited as well. Not only do students have the ability to research higher level information they can also collaborate with others over different media. Dual enrollment college classes are offered and group discussions in these classes are possible. A student has the capability to debate other students, skype and ask questions to scholars or authors and challenge their minds through collaboration on social media. I believe that the future in education should include technology because it is and will continue to be a part of our lives. The influence of technology has had a positive effect on me. The down side of technology is there. Cyber bullying, identity theft, etc. are just new ways that people with lack of respect, and social skills will find to make others lives as terrible as theirs. The up side of technology is that I can create, dream and believe in a future of unimaginable possibilities. My ancestors would be impressed.