1. Microsoft Word
2. Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer
3. Facebook
It may seem strange that, of these three, I picked Word to go first. It's because I have always loved to read. Novels of all kinds provided for me escapes and adventures, insights into people and places I'd never seen. Writing went hand in hand with that and teaching. I want to share my passion with future generations employing those two mediums. In my classroom, I will impart the knowledge I gather and the same in any books I write, too.These are the technologies that have impacted me most in my life. It may seem odd to label Word as the very first. It and Firefox are probably almost equal, but there is a reason I chose Word. In Montclair now, I am an English major with a creative writing minor. Reading and writing have always been very important to me. In books, I could see explore new worlds, experience new people, and this has shaped me into who I am today. That is why Word is important to me. It's grammar and spell check taught me very basic lessons in writing early on. Now, I use it not only to compose my academic essays, but short stories for my creative writing classes, as well. Trusting merely in Word can be problematic. It is not human, but also not perfect. Sometimes, I must exercise my better judgment to decide whether what Word tells me is actually logical and it often isn't.
I listed Firefox as my second most influential technology. The internet in general has been highly beneficial for me. I am an avid reader, as mentioned above, but I don't always have the time to visit bookstores or libraries. When I'm in need of a quick fix, I can find both professional and amateur literature online, which helps me to bolster my own abilities. Not only that, the internet provides so many other services. I have found many reputable research websites on it that have aided me in constructing papers to earn nice grades. Whenever I need to stop thinking, I can visit silly websites or even watch movies online. This can cause problems, however, as proven by recent propositions like SOPA, PIPA and ACTA. People misuse the internet so they don't have to go to stores or purchase anything. I haven't illegally downloaded myself, but I'm aware piracy is an issue, and it's not the sole issue, either. I find scholarly sources online to ameliorate my writing, but this isn't always the case for others. They abuse the internet as a means to procrastinate.
Some of the most pertinent subsets if the internet are social networking sites, like Facebook. These are beneficial because they help people stay connected. I consider them influences for keeping me in touch with friends I might have otherwise grown apart from. On the other hand, I can honestly admit that it does the opposite sometimes. With more tools to communicate without being face to face, people are likely to become less personable. I myself have forgone meeting a friend because I could just as easily message them online.
My future students may be like Olivia in that they do not always have access to the technologies I need them to use. They may, on the flip side of the coin, use certain technologies too much as a crutch. Olivia's story and her quest to better herself via technology was inspiring. Other students may not be as driven. I think I should try to balance my curriculum so those who cannot access technology or do not care to are not at a disadvantage, but also so I can highlight the benefits of technology. Olivia uses it to express herself the same way I did and this touches me.
