Who has time to watch TV This is a power point so you might want to save it to your computer.
Personal use of Technology
Halie Early
Kim Devries
English 1002
Freedom on my Lap
It always bothered me when my friends would talk about what they had seen on YouTube or how much more insightful their papers where because they internet and could look up interesting facts. I always felt left out, as if I was missing out on the experiences that my friends where enjoying. In my junior year of high school I won a lap top computer in an essay writing contest. It changed the way I write and gain information.
It’s a thing of beauty to be able to sit on my bed and write a paper without the whole house looking over my shoulder. My dad even got me D-link so I could tap into wireless internet anywhere. For the first time in my life I had freedom and I loved it. When I got on the internet I looked at the news and the weather reports I rarely used it for anything else. Then one winter day I was reading The Other Boleyn Girl I wonder how many wives did Henry VIII? I turned on my computer and looked it up.
There it was the information I desired at my finger tips. It was at this moment that I began to see my lap top not just as a machine that can hold the things I write, but as resource that would let me find the knowledge that I wanted. I am the kind of person who wants to know all sides of the story, wither it be about the epic poem Gilgamesh or the internal conflict in Hamlet I simply want to know my and lap top with internet would let me do just that. I did have to learn to manage the amount time that I spent on the internet time had a tendency to fly by.
I consider my lap top/internet to be an instrument to unlimited sources of information and entertainment. Many articles argue over all the distractions that the internet provides and how they hinder students in school by lower GPA. Facebook and programs like it are considered to be among the worst and get the blame, “We can’t say that Facebook leads to lower grades and less studying- but we did find a relationship there” said Aryn Karpinski, co-author of the study and doctoral student at Ohio state University. I believe if a person wants to study they will, if they don’t then than wont. Students need the desire or the incentive to study. However they will always look for things to do other than study.
Even I’m guilty of this I love distractions. Reading a book about vampires is much more entertaining than working on math or learning parts of the body. Distractions and poor time-management are the causes of lower grades in students. In today’s world distractions are plentiful, if it was not Facebook it would be something else Texting or MySpace. If anything the problem that Karpinski does not address is the real one, poor time management in students. The internet has vast amount of information and distraction alike.
A Northwestern University Professor Eszter Hargitti found no “robust negative relationships between Facebook and grades if anything Facebook were more common among individuals with higher grads” (60). This proves proof that those students who manage their time effectively find room for both studying and playing and are doing well in school. If low grades in students were because of laziness which I believe them to be, professors would find sleep as the cause of low grads. People are looking for something to blame the short-coming of students on. Things such as MySpace and Facebook, and really anything that entertains today youth must be blamed for lack of good grades.
Why should students put forth the effort anyway? Students aren’t doing well there must be something that to blame, and there is, the system. Internet, texting, MySpace, and Facebook are just things that the system can blame. Students have gotten lazy and not bothered to learn to manage their time or put forth the effort. Schools that are grades 1-12 are catering to student bad habits. “Oh John Doe you did not do your essay that was assigned two weeks ago? That’s ok it’s your senior year in high school you’re not expected to do well” John Doe going to get a rude awaking in college. Students are too comfortable in the lack of expectation. Teachers are spending more time trying to make students feel good when they should be pounding in self-discipline.
Angela Duckworth an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania research shows that “High school is assessed so as to make the kid feel good rather than to give accurate measure of is work.” (3) When did it not become ok to learn form frailer? School need to stop bending the rules to compensate for students poor performance. There can be no room for blaming objects. People don’t want a doctor who just squeaked by in school cutting them open. Facebook, is not a problem so much as it is an outlet for distraction.
In the end it’s the student’s fault when they don’t do well in school. People need to stop blaming and start doing some thing about it. Instead of blaming a program they should try to use it. Start a Facebook study club students are will to try new things. All the new ideas that are on the internet and people can’t manage to use programs to better study habits? I don’t think so it just easier to blame something than work with it. The internet has changed the way I collect my information and how I can put it down on paper. My writing has increased in vocabulary and it’s all thanks to the internet the good parts and the bad.
Games We Play
Games are for entertainment a way to live outside oneself. Games such as World of War Craft and Diablo Lord of Darkness are interactive game which means that you can talk and play with people who are states away. I myself have had a wonderful time getting to know people who live so far away but because of the internet games we are both able to enjoy one of the things we love. i love playing games of any sort humans have always found why so entertain themselves and online gaming is a safe way to do so.
Gaming is safer than motor bikes or skate boarding. How many accidents occur because kids are reckless time and time again. Games allow kid to stay in a safe place while still do what they think is fun. Parents can’t afford to take there kids snow boarding there a game for that . Sure a kid may never be a secret agent but they can still have fun going on careering out mission as James Bond.
Gaming is a safe mean do to something that maybe you cant do in real life. Talking to people is no exception, it hard to approach someone you don’t know and talk to them but on game you know you like some of the same things because if you didn’t you would not be playing the same game. It a lot easier to talk to some one you can’t see, you start off one even terms you don’t know if there hot or smart, it just a blank slate no presser. Also the diversity of people is refreshing you never who your going to meet or if you’ll ever talk to them again there something comforting in the unknowing.
I have a lot of friend on the internet mostly the one i play games with we just got along right off the bat there was no presser to be cool or funny just a couple people enjoying a game. That how it is in sports guys coming together over a common interest and there unspoken friendship. Online games are the same way people gravitate to people who are like them-selves that’s a fact. I love online game and will continue to do so as long as its offered to me it my right as an American. God Bless America for the freedom to pass our time how we like and to enjoy the wonderful pass-time that were made for enjoyment.
Evaluating Sources: How do you know what to believe
With all the things on the internet it’s increasing harder to find reliable resources. It all comes down to judgement of the one looking for information and what thire willing to belive. I wouldn’t go on a web site for information unless i could find out in another way whether the information is valid. Web sites that i have come to rely on and will vouch for is spark notes and YouTube. Spark notes is a web site that not only gives you an over view of the book but also reviews and professional opinions, charter profiles and plot brake downs. Spark Notes also has a no fear Shakespeare which is a brack down of all his plays and put them in plan english. The web site also gives Context, Plot Overview, Character List, Analysis of Major Characters, Themes, Motifs & Symbols . This web site is an invaluable recourse to everyone who needs a little help understanding there reading. As for YouTube monkey see monkey do . I have used this web site for a more visual aspeced. If i want to build a doll house all i have to do is type in for such a thing and i get a visual . if i want to see how a kitty cat walks i can see just that, YouTube offers a visual to any thing a person want to see , music video, movies, Marth Stewart, art and any thing els that you have to see to belive. YouTube is a visual person play ground. Given that almost all people claim to be visual learners YouTube is a wonderful means to learn.
Literacy
I think it’s all about how people wish to communication with one another in a more plain form. whiteout having to go though someone staring up at you and criticizing all that your saying. A person can agree or disagree yet no harm / criticism is done to the writer of the words. The written word had long been seen as a form of expression. Poetry, works of writing , fiction, are just things people come up with and put down on paper to be looked at later either by the same person or an audience . Everything that has been put into action was as one point thought up, put down on paper, and then made into reality. Righting is the only way a person came get their ideas out of them to be examined by others.
Well i think that i may be more than lacking in the skill that might be need for this class. I’m not good with this blogging or email. I do have smi-faith in my righting however i know it takes a lot of work on my part. My technical skills ae lacking but i took a typing class and i know how to use a sheach eingen. i would like to be mor comfortablewith technology.
internet
The internet is a tool that all students use rely upon. In fact I would be will to bet that it is impossible to go though high school or college without it. There are so many student trying to further their education and class are as crowed as ever. Teacher are over whelmed by the influx of students and how to get in contact with them. With programs such as Black board teacher are able to give information to all their student with a simple touch of a key pad. Students also can not always make out what is expected of them and programs( Black board) let the student get the exact out-line of what their teacher are expecting of them. Class, notes, teachers working with so many student it is no longer possible for one on one time the internet gives the student the knowledge of there professors a home. The internet is a tool to gather information in this ever crowding world.
Hello world!
I must confess that i’m not good at using tecnologhy. There are so many buttons and flashing lights hows is a person gping to know what dose what? I like almost every teen in America have a cell phone and iPod, and I throw one hell of a hissy fit if I cann’t find them. I depended on them for not only my entertainment but also for my security. I’ve work hard for a long time and at the end of the day walking home in the dark didn’t feel safe to me. My cell phone acts like a beacon to safety. I can call for help or call a cab to take me home. As for my iPod it helps me sleep at night. I have one of the shuffles so theres no screen and it only holds about 120 songs I never saw a reason I need more than that. Living in the country it was hard to sleep because during the summer the farmers only work at night which made it hard to get some much needed shut-eye. my iPod would shut out the noises of the machines and what not. I can’t even image what i would do with out either of them.
