Blog #4 - Draft #1 Literacy & Technology

Literacy is such a broad term in today's society. Someone is considered literate when they are able to read, write, and comprehend material. Technology has given a entirely new meaning to the phrase literate. It no longer has to do with reading books and hand writing papers, computers have introduced us to new languages and applications that we have come to rely on. Personally, I grew up with both paper and computers and my life still revolves around a mixture of both. I enjoy reading books and writing. However, the technological advances in today's times have introduced me to new ways of life. We live in an age where you no longer need to dial telephone numbers to connect to friends and family, cellular phones no longer have buttons that need to be pressed, and typewriters belong in the Smithsonian - not on your desktop.

It all started when I was very little. I loved to read and my parents showered me with many books. My favorites were the fairy tales made famous by Disney like the Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. Just before bed each night, I used to sit with either my Mother or Father and choose a story that they would read to me. Reading was such a humble part of my life as a child. It enabled me to have a strong relationship with my parents and made reading a very joyous part of my life. Now, as I have gotten older, reading is both a requirement and a pleasure. As an Education/English major here at Kean University, I am required to take a variety of English courses. Reading and being technologically savvy is very much a standard in each course. You still have to be able to read, write, and comprehend the material but computers make life much easier. You no longer need to sit with a pen and paper or worry about spelling... computers take care of all of that for you. A simple click of the mouse can check to make sure you have no spelling errors or grammatical errors, you can receive a word count in the matter of seconds, and you can set up your document without breaking out a ruler.

Computers also come in handy for a variety of reasons. The Internet makes it possible for us all to access important information and research that each subject deems necessary. There is no longer a hassle of making time out of your busy schedule to run to the library. You can access Internet information anytime you want. Computers also provide us with networking capabilities such as email and instant messaging. If you have friends or family members across the globe, an email can reach them within minutes instead of waiting days, or even weeks, for your mailed message to reach them. Also, you no longer need to dial a phone and pay obscene amounts of long distance charges. Instant messaging is free for the most part and very useful. There are also features like web cams that can provide you with the physical portrait of a person. I know this feature is extremely useful and valued for the families and friends of soldiers.

Like computers, cellular phones also have various capabilities now. They are no longer just for making telephone calls. You can access the Internet, email, text messaging and more all with either the click of a button or the tap of your finger. From a personal point of view, I do not know what I would do without my iPhone. I know that sounds awful but it really is like my life line. It feels as if my entire world is connected to that small piece of equipment. I can email my teachers from it, keep it touch with friends, find directions in in case I am ever lost, access the Internet just about anywhere... the list goes on! I also refuse to drive without my phone. Personally, I panic if it's not in the car with me. I travel a great distance to school - I live 45 minutes away - an God forbid if something ever happened, like a breakdown, flat tire, etc., I feel like I am protected, in a sense, if my phone is with me (especially since I am unfamiliar with everything in this area - other than Kean itself). I remember when I was younger and cell phones did not exist. My mother used to have to find a payphone if something ever happened. Nowadays, payphones are few and far between. You basically need a cell phone with you.

All in all, I believe we are all affected by technology because our society is so dependent on it now. It almost seems as if computers, the Internet, and cellular phones have been around forever. We all have grown accustomed to and have learned to adapt to these new advances. Personally, technology has been a gift - a very cherished gift! Time is precious and very rare, I believe that technology helps us save time. Like I said, you no longer need to queue time out of a busy schedule to take a trip to the library, you no longer need to run to the post office, and during the holidays, standing in line at the store is an option. Without technology, especially as a student and future educator, I have no idea what I would do with out it.