Core I

Alex Buser
ENC 1102.0105
2/11/10
Technology and Me

Every second of every day is counted on a clock. In the past, these seconds were counted on pocket watches and wrist watches. Today these seconds are counted on cell phones and computer screens. This example is only the tip of the digital iceberg. Before there were DVDs, there were VHS’; Before CD players, there were 8-track tape players; and long before there were LCD televisions, there were fuzzy black and white televisions with bunny ears on top to get a signal. Today’s society has been exposed to so many new technologies for so long that if these things were taken away, most people would not know what to do with themselves. This may not happen to the older generations, but definitely the new generations that were born with a computer by their side. I have been exposed and influenced by technology for the majority of my lifetime and my life would have been much different had it not been exposed to the advanced technologies of today. That being said, I can only do so much with technology until I each my limit. I can honestly say that I am neither a geek, nor am I a technophobe; but the man in the middle.

Being born into a digital era, but having the parents that I do has helped me to become the man I am today. I can remember getting our first computer. My dad let me play pinball while my sister sat by my side. We had such a great time, but my dad would only let us play for a short while before sending us outside to play with our neighbors. The same thing happened when we got a Nintendo 64. My sister and I would play for a little bit, and then my dad would send us outside to play. He allowed me to be exposed to the new media, but he also showed me how to not be dependent on it. This attitude that my dad has towards technology has influenced my views significantly.

My dad is definitely the geek in the family, but my mom still knows her way around a computer. Even though he was born in a generation that did not have very much technology, he is still very digitally literate. His view on technology has helped me to not be reliant on technology. By forcing me to go outside and be active, he planted into my mind that technology was a luxury. I never spent hours playing video games like most kids. The only game systems that I ever owned were a Game Boy, a Nintendo 64, and a Nintendo GameCube. By only having these few game systems, I was naturally a terrible gamer. This type of technology is not something that I was ever good at, and even now some of my friends tease me because of how bad of a gamer I am. But this never stopped me from learning to use other new media.

Technology in my life changed when I learned that you can do more than just play pinball on the computer. I began to use many of the different programs on the computer while taking computer classes in elementary school. Soon enough, I was able to use many of the Microsoft Office programs: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. After learning how to use these programs, we were exposed to the Internet and all of its wonders. I can remember using Google and Yahoo to search for clip art for a project we were doing. From then on, my digital literacy was changed. Shortly thereafter, I was using AIM to chat with my friends and even talk to some girls. There was no calling of anyone because we could just chat with each other on the computer. This use of the technology changed the way that I communicated with other people.

Nowadays, I have my own laptop and I am much more digitally literate. I can still use the Microsoft Office programs, but now I use them in engineering labs and for writing papers and doing projects. I use iTunes to download and organize my music. I even play games on my computer. The Internet has also changed drastically. I use the Internet to email teachers and my parents, but I also use Facebook to keep in touch with my friends and family. Instead of watching my television shows when they air, I stream them the very next day, commercial-free. This new online media has allowed my digital literacy to grow considerably. But even though I am much more electronically sound than I was in the past, I still feel that I do not know as much about technology and media as many of my peers. This may seem like a handicap to some, but the fact of the matter is that I am not completely dependent on technology. I do admit that I use my computer just as much as the next guy, but I do not let it run my life.

The only time that I will have to rely on technology will be in my future career. I will have to learn to use programs such as MATLAB, Mathcad, Excel, AutoCAD, and SolidWorks. Without the use of these programs and a sense of some computer literacy, my career as an engineer will not go very far. Digital literacy is “the set of attitudes, understanding and skills to handle and communicate information and knowledge effectively, in a variety of media and formats” (Bawden), and it is essential in this day in age. I also believe that there are many different types of digital literacy. For example, my generation is familiar with the ins and outs of computers and iPods, but older generations may know how to use a record player or an 8-track tape player. This difference in knowledge is because of these different generation’s experiences with technology. Digital media has brought me and the rest of my generation to places we could have never even dreamed about.

In the end, it all boils down to how much people rely on computers and other new types of media. Selber had it right when he said that “all too often computer technologies are touted as the solution to all of our problems” (4). People cannot lean on computers and other technologies like a crutch, or else they will never be able to solve a problem on their own. This probably explains why I am not allowed to use an advanced graphing calculator on my math exams. The math department and its professors want students to be able to do calculations without the help of some fancy calculator. My experiences with technology have been good and bad, but my relationship with the technology has always been a helpful one. I only use the computer and technology to advance my knowledge, communicate with others, and have a little fun every now and then. There is no reason that anyone should live through the media. Technology does not control my life, but it does make it a heck of a lot easier.

Works Cited
Bawden, David. "Digital Literacy." SciTopics: Research Summaries by Experts. 29 Dec 2008. Web. 18 Jan 2010.
Selber, Stuart A. Multiliteracies for a Digital Age. 1st ed. Carbondale, Il: Southern Illinois University Press, 2004. 1-29. Print.

Audience Awareness

Developing audience awareness is essential to becoming a successful writer. According to Elbow, “audience awareness is fundamental because writers need to convince their readers to keep reading” (Wollman-Bonilla). Audience awareness is paramount to any good paper because without it, no one would be interested in what you have to say. Wollman-Bonilla applies her views on audience awareness to the development of literacy in children. Only through the understanding of audience awareness will a child grow into a critical reader and writer.

Alex Buser & Hugo Azevedo

Part II

In my very own future, being able to use the technology that will be presented to me will make or break me. I hope that one day I can call myself a great engineer, but to accomplish that I must be an expert at using software such as MATLAB, Mathcad, Excel, AutoCAD, and SolidWorks. I will be expected to know how to use these programs by all of my future employers. According to my engineering professor, I will learn how to use all of these programs and many more by taking various labs and practicing them on my own computer. AutoCAD is used for 2-D drawings, SolidWorks is used for 3-D representations, and Excel is used for organizing data in spreadsheets. Each program is essential to the engineering profession. Only then will I be digitally literate and able to succeed as an engineer.