Reflection on Influential Technologies

The three most influential technologies for me, to date, have been my cell phone, computer, and car. With today’s cell phone technology, we can do everything from email to homework to entertainment and communication on a cell phone; the possibilities are truly endless. I know that I often use it as a quick reference guide if I’m trying to figure out some information while on the move. In addition, I use different news apps to stay apprised of what’s happening in the U.S. and abroad, and it is through these apps that I first learned about events such as the Syrian refugee crisis in Germany or the benching of Johnny Manziel; the range of news and information is limitless. Cell phones are also great resources of information about our friends and family. One downside to this technology is the overuse of cell phones in today’s society, something I am guilty of as well, often using my cell even when I am out with others or in classes. Like the one student said in the video, I am texting all the time, often more than I talk with others. I have tried to tone this down in recent years, but it is still a main aspect of my cell phone usage as it is like my “third hand” and I ensure to bring my phone everywhere with me. The biggest different with my phone usage and those in the videos is the lack of social media and picture taking that I engage in. I practically never use social media, and while I do take some pictures during my travels, I never share them with others online like the one student mentions.

The second technology that has greatly influenced my life is a computer. While computers have been somewhat supplanted in recent years as the only source of information by cell phones, they are still an amazing source for research and information and have additional capabilities that a phone’s limited processes may be unable to perform. For example, I am currently working in a research capacity on African-American school segregation in Northern states. There are several great databases with newspapers scanned where I can search for the information needed, some dating back to the 1840’s. This information would be much harder to collect and synthesized if it had to be done manually. In addition to the traditional research and information on the web, a wider access to videos, documentaries, and other non-traditional sources of information have made computers indispensable when gathering new information, though we do sometimes become slightly over-reliant on their capabilities which can cause some laziness if the information we’re looking for does not appear instantly. I definitely agree with many of the students in the video regarding the necessity of their laptops and how if there were no computers, most of my hobbies would also disappear. For example, one of my main hobbies is watching different TV shows, and I tend to watch all of them on my computer. One thing I typically don’t use my computer for is the creation of websites, something that several of the students in the video mentioned, though I am trying to learn more on that topic with this blog.

The third influential technology that has impact my life, though not traditionally considered technology along the same lines of computers and phones, are cars. While it doesn’t have search capabilities for information like a cell phone or computer, my car has brought me to numerous destinations over the years that have aided in my learning experiences. I am able to read as much as I want about certain places on sites such as Wikipedia, but without seeing and experiencing it for myself, I will never fully grasp much of the information provided. In my undergrad, for example, I was studying the Civil War in one class and had never been to Gettysburg. One weekend I decided to drive there and experience the history and location for myself. While it was great learning about the event in class and online, it was really amazing experiencing it in person, something I would’ve been unable to do without the technology of my car. None of the students in the video mentioned cars as a technology they use, though that’s not surprising based on their ages. I am positive that once they begin driving more they will see its benefits, and will end up using it in new and imaginative ways to aid in their information gathering.