Technology Journey 1

This is a paper I wrote at the start of the sememster. It is all about what technology I have used in my life, and how it has affected me.

Jackie Raihl

ICE 234

Reviewer: Jessica Tobler

January 24, 2007

Technology Journey 1

My technology journey started when I was very young. When I was six years old, my father bought me the first edition of KidPix. I think I played with that art program for hours on end. I didn’t read any of the instructions, but I figured out all the buttons and different aspects by just fiddling around with it on my own. Eventually my dad bought me a few Disney games that were very simple to use. One was a storybook reader while the other created cards and posters. This was how I got most of my knowledge about computers. I learned very little about technology outside of my home. To be honest my elementary school did not use technology very much.
When I was older, most likely around twelve, I began using the Internet on a daily basis. While I was supposed to be using it only for homework, I began to surf around onto different websites. Again, instead of instruction, I learned by figuring things out for myself. In middle school, our school would use have us do short reading quizzes on the computer, but not much else. Up until the eighth grade the computer was mostly for entertainment such as using the internet to keep in touch with my friends.
High school was about the time when I used the computer for more professional purposes. I used the Internet and Microsoft Word for my school papers. My high school did not make computer knowledge a requirement, so all of my knowledge I got was from outside the classroom. I mostly gained my knowledge from playing on the internet and helping my father write business letters. I did take one computer class in high school, but it only taught me how to type. To be honest, all we had to do was type up a short paper and then the rest of the class was free time.
I have been lucky in that I have always had a computer and Internet access. If my home computer was not working, I could always use the family laptop or even my father’s computer in his office. This has helped me to be able to fiddle around on the computer whenever I want to. This is especially true about I have been on the internet ever since I was a little girl.
Computers have always had a place in my life, but mostly for entertainment purposes. I would like to become more proficient in Word and Excel because I know these programs will help me when I become a teacher in the near future. Also, the job that I have now requires me to do both, and I am getting nervous that my boss will ask me to do something that I don’t think I can do!