ETE 100: Prompt 6

Discuss how you have witnessed the evolution of technology integration in society and in the classroom during your lifetime – from the when you were a student in elementary school to present.

When I was in school, technology was never used. Teacher had large PCs, but they were not used for attendance, grades, or school work. We did have one computer class. We would use a CD ROM to play math games and learn how to type. For a lot of students, this just seemed like a break from regular class time. At my house, we had one large home computer. No one really got on it. As kids, my siblings and I had to ask permission to get on dial-up internet because otherwise it would interfere with the home phone. If my parents had cell phones, they hardly used them because they only had a certain number of minutes. 

Towards middle school, class was still based on work in school. Teachers still did not use computers to take attendance, and although some teachers had newer computers, they were not used very often. It was a big deal when our teachers told us something had to be typed. I remember I would always need to ask my parents for help with typing, because otherwise it would take to long. The main program we would use would be Microsoft Word to write papers or type out things for big posters. Even typed papers were rare assignments. Unrelated to school work, I was constantly getting on my computer at home to get on the internet and play games. I got a Facebook in 7th grade, when it was not nearly as popular. More and more of my friends were getting cellphones, a simple flip phone that could only call people and maybe send 50 text messages and month. I, however, did not have a cell phone in high school. 

During my years in high school, computers and technology use became increasingly more significant in high school. I took a computer class, a financial aid class using computers, and nearly all of my papers were typed. This was the time period where the school systems were all converting to electronic use to take attendance online and so on. I remember they used a program called SIS (student information system) which never seemed to be working. Students could access their grades online. No classroom assigned homework online though. A couple of smart boards were used, which was very different from the projectors used in middle school and elementary school. Nearly everyone had a cell phone, but those were always band in classrooms and even in the hallways during class. My cousin went to a private high school, where every student was issued a lap top. I always thought that this was a good idea and as technology advances, then perhaps more technology like iPads, Kindles, and lap tops will be used in school.  

Technology is very different than it was when I first began school. It's crazy to think I will be able to tell my kids I was born before the internet. Though technology was rarely used in my childhood it will be something to work on when I am the one teaching and trying to incorporate more and more technology into the classroom.