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Technology in my Lifetime
Over the course of my nearly 36 years, technology has developed and altered the way I live and learn. -
Word Processors at School
When my family moved to West Virginia, I started at a new elementary school. Our TAG program was gifted with word processors that we used to write our own storybooks. We were able to type our drafts, then submit them for printing, resulting in our own books! This was the first time I had used technology to type! "Old-school digital word processor" by CLF is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. -
Home Computer
When I was in the sixth grade, my dad purchased our first home computer! This computer allowed both my sister and I to complete school assignments at home as well as play digital games off CDs. We even subscribed to AOL with a dial up modem, opening us up to the Internet for the first time. "Packard-Bell Windows 95 computer, printer, dial-up modem, floppy discs, scanner" by Matthew Paul Argall is licensed under CC BY 2.0. -
First Cell Phone
As a high school junior, I was gifted a Nokia TracPhone. Although I had limited minutes, I was thrilled both with the freedom it provided and the ability to switch out the faceplates and keyboard colors. This piece of technology allowed me to stay after school for rehearsals and call home afterward. "Nokia Phone" by TobiasMik · WhatWeDo is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. -
USB Drive
Prior to purchasing a USB drive, I was using a floppy disk drive to write papers and complete assignments at Marshall University. The drive was cumbersome, and often files would get corrupted in my rush to travel between home and school. The introduction of a USB drive made completing, saving, and turning in assignments much easier! "Usb Drive Pen" by peppelena is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. -
Cloud-based Services
The introduction of cloud-based services changed how I worked with computers. I began utilizing Dropbox to save my lesson plans, allowing me to access the plans from home and school without carrying any auxiliary materials around. Now, I could alter plans easily and know the work saved without worrying about multiple copies or unsaved work! "Dropbox" by IN 30 MINUTES Guides is licensed under CC BY 2.0. -
Epson Projector and Smartboard
In late 2012, the school I worked at was blessed with a new building, complete with updated technology. Every classroom was equipped with an Epson Smartboard and Projector complete with connected laptop. This would allow us to utilize interactive learning in our lessons for the first time! "Projector" by Giacomo Giugiaro is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. -
BYOD Initiative
In 2015, our school district realized that we needed more technology in the classroom than the school board was able to provide. We developed a Bring Your Own Device Initiative that laid out the expectations for students to be able to use their own devices in the classroom, reducing the need to the school to provide full sets of laptops to teachers. "Bring Your Own Device" by Personeelsnet is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. -
Online Graduate School
In January 2020, I was accepted as a fully online graduate student at Marshall University to begin pursuing a certificate as a school library media specialist, and later a master's degree in education. Technology, paired with high speed internet and a home laptop, allowed me to pursue this opportunity as I was continuing to work as a full-time teacher. "The Marshall University Fountain" by starmanseries is licensed under CC BY 2.0.