Interactivity 1

                At this point in my life the three most influential communication technologies are my cell phone, Skype, and Facebook. As a student I can see how influential technology is in my everyday life as well as in the lives of others.

                 From watching the video in which the viewer is taken through the daily life of Olivia my views on the powers of technology have been reinforced, especially when I view the video through the eyes of a future teacher. For example, I am sure that my future students may not have access to a computer at home but like Olivia, this does not mean that their computer skills are insufficient. Though Olivia lacks a home computer, she ventures to other locations where she can obtain access. By doing this she becomes technologically knowledgeable by learning computer basics (such as sending emails) and how to perform more difficult operations such as customizing and creating pages (myspace), adding pictures and videos to websites, and various other operations. 

                  I believe that my future students will use various forms of technology in their everyday lives. Besides using a computer, Olivia uses her cell phone everyday to stay connected to everyone in her life through text messages, phone calls, and by checking her myspace page. She also uses her iPod on a daily basis, a device that I am sure most of my students will possess especially since it is now possible to play games, check email, obtain internet access, use social networking, as well as run many other programs with the iPods.

                 Furthermore, as a teacher I believe it is important that I become aware of Olivia’s relationship to and use of technology. By knowing the types of technology  that she is accustomed to I will be able to create assignments that she will be able to complete using creativity. By watching this video I have learned that Olivia is always ready to learn new things, a trait that will be beneficial in the classroom when it comes to teaching new material and using critical thinking. Additionally, the video states that she spends four to five hours every night conducting research on things that she has found online. Though it seems like a lot of her time is being spent interacting socially, Olivia also expands her intellectual horizons through said research. As a teacher I could also give her focus areas in which she could research that would both increase her interests and education. As one can see from the conclusion of the video, social media, various communication media, and other devices have benefited Olivia greatly due to the fact that she is now one of the top three students in her class. I plan to use technology in the class room to aid my students just has it has aided Olivia.

 
                                Through the second video, I have learned all of the different ways in which young people use the technology to learn. Examples include music production, writing, listening to music, “tweeting”, keeping in touch  via text message, maintaining hobbies, learning different languages, expressing oneself creatively, experimentation, learning how to successfully execute group work through gaming, and using a cell phone to take pictures for projects. Here it is evident that though some choose to use social media for entertainment purposes, many can benefit from the educational aspects as well. As one can see, there are obviously many ways for students to express themselves while learning through technology and when I become a teacher I plan to integrate multimedia as well as other medium  into the curriculum in way where the latter will be possible.

                Each of the technologies I have listed at the beginning of the entry has impacted the ways in which I learn new information. Though Facebook, it is really easy to stay in touch with friends and family but the website is also a great way to keep oneself updated with current events. For those who do not watch the news, they can obtain a brief, though biased, overview of events such as the Penn State scandal, the more recent internet censorship, and various others. By hearing about these events on Facebook one is motivated to research the events online for a more comprehensive and objective reporting. However, I do find at times that  I become distracted by Facebook and there are some times where assignments fall second to updating and checking my page. Here it is essential that I, as well as many other students do not overuse Facebook at risk of not completing priority items and assignments. Moreover, Skype has also proved influential because through this program I am able to video chat with family and friends overseas and learn new things about their lives as well as things that are happening in their home countries. Unfortunately, Skype does require excellent internet strength from both parties or else the video and audio effects become choppy and it becomes very hard to understand and see one another. For this reason, I usually use Skype for communication with my relatives in Italy and Belgium, but there are times when Skype does not function properly and I must result in a simple telephone call in order to communicate. Furthermore, the most influential communication technology is the cell phone. I am currently a proud owner of the iPhone4 and must say that my information intake has grown exponentially since I received it. I now have access to various applications that allow information to fly at my fingertips. For example I can keep in touch with friends and family through text messages, or even keep myself up to date with school assignments via email and the Blackboard and Dropbox applications. By using my phone I am able to learn new things where ever I am and even complete assignments when I am far from home. However, even though the iPhone has been very beneficial to me, I have also seen how the device can be detrimental to others as they find themselves sending text messages or playing games in class. Though I do not engage in these types of activities, I see how easy it is for others to do so. Taking this into consideration I plan to deduct participation points from students' grades whenever they use cellphones and other devices in this manner. As a student, I have found this system to be a great motivator for students who are tempted to use devices negatively during class time.
                                                                 

                   My uses of technologies are both similar and different to the uses described in the two videos.  It seems to me that I use technology just as often as those presented and that the reasons for using technology seem to be just about the same. I must note however that those in the video seem to use technology more for entertainment purposes. The use of the iPod was highlighted several times in the videos and I must say that I use my iPod sparingly. My uses for technology are more focused on communicative or educational purposes, though I do use the technologies for entertainment in my spare time.