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Creative Writing with Computers
My first use of computers at school was to complete creative writing assignments. At first I used a computer program specifically designed for elementary students to write short stories. Later I wrote stories using a word processor. I loved the ability to edit what I had already written! -
First Home Computer
My mother hired a man to build a computer for us. He brought it to our house to set it up. I had never seen a mouse before and he briefly convinced me that you had to feed the computer mouse. Image from mediaarcheologylab,com. -
The Internet
I used the internet for the first time in my technology class at school. I felt overwhelmed by the endless possibility of it. -
ICQ and Napster
My time using a computer during high school was mostly spent instant messaging with friends on ICQ or downloading music on Napster. My friends and I never dreamed that what we were doing on Napster would be considered illegal. While I understand the implications now, at the time it seemed similar to burning a CD. Image from wikipedia.org, -
First Cell Phone
I began using a cell phone when I started college. The call quality was not good and roaming charges were outrageous! I loved the idea that I could use the phone from anywhere. Soon I started commuting to Morehead State University and realized just how untrue that assumption was. Image from techtree.com -
Internet Research
Internet research for classroom assignments looked very different than it does today. In the early 2000's I used mainly books, periodicals, and sometimes microfiche as references. It was commonplace for teachers to allow only one internet resource. Since beginning my graduate studies I do almost all of my research online. -
Pinterest
I was unable to join Pinterest for awhile because I didn't have a Facebook or Twitter account. I was very excited when I was finally able to sign up using my email. There are so many great teaching ideas that I sometimes wonder how I got along without it. Image from iconfinder.com -
Facebook
To the happiness of friends and family I reluctantly joined Facebook. I needed to keep up with the happening on my sons soccer team. To my surprise I enjoy it as a communication tool. Image from iconfinder.com -
Smart Phone
I bought my first smart phone less than a month ago. My beloved, nearly unbreakable, LG break finally broke. I was reluctant to get a smart phone for several reasons, but I do enjoy many aspects of it. I love the camera, the ease of use, and it's nice to have GPS or a weather report in a pinch. It also is useful to me in the classroom for documentation using photos and a documentation app. Image from samsung.com
