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Computer Games
My family got our first computer in 2000. My parents got a Mac, which I remember feeling pretty cutting-edge. We played lots of computer games (Oregon Trail, Carmen Sandiego, Freddi Fish, etc.). My mom tells the story that my younger brother (3 years old at the time) pushed my older brothers and I out of the way and knew exactly how to play. He had just watched and learned.
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First Phone
My brothers and I got a flip phone to share after my brother got hit by a car on a bike ride. He was fine, but he just put the chain back on his bike and rode home since he didn't have a way to call anyone. My mom got us one phone to split between the four of us. It only had my parent's phone numbers in it, and we never texted with it. I think it had T9, and you had to pay per text message and minute. -
My First iPhone
I got my first iPhone when I went to college five hours from home. I remember that my mom bought it for me, and spent $200 on it. I thought that was a ton, but once I had it, I was hooked. I lived in Chicago, and I couldn't believe that my iPhone could tell me all of the public transportation schedules through Google Maps.
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Wifi on Campus
My freshman year was the first year that my undergraduate college had on-campus wifi. Before that, everyone used ethernet chords in their dorms. It's hard to imagine being in class without wifi. We almost always had our laptops open for notes or to search topics during the lecture. -
Internet-Proctoring
I took my first online Praxis exam that was internet-proctored. I remember being mystified that the proctor could remotely take over my mouse and change the settings on my screen. It definitely made me feel less secure watching that in real time. -
Covid & Zoom
Covid changed everything. Suddenly, Zoom became my primary method of communication. I both worked and socialized virtually. I think only time will tell exactly the effect the massive move toward tech will have on people. I certainly felt more connected in some ways, such as with my distant family, and less connected in others.
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Video Monitor
I got a video monitor for my kids' room, and I love it. I talked to people who recommended getting one that was a closed circuit and not on the internet for security reasons. Honestly, I can't imagine raising my kids without that camera.
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AI
Just a few weeks ago my friends were talking about ChatGPT, and I asked it to write me an ESL lesson plan for present perfect tense verbs. It wrote one that was eerily similar to the one I had created for my class that week. I was quite surprised and impressed. I think that is a memory that is going to stick out as AI becomes more prominent.
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