Technology in the classroom

Looking back at my technology bio and my post about classroom technology integration, I believe the technology that I have seen in use is appropriate for the classroom. In college, I have benefited from teachers using some of the technologies such as computers, LCD projectors, SmartBoards, document cameras, and overhead projectors. I believe those resources help students who are visual learners (and most people benefit from visual stimulus regardless of their “intelligence” [Gardner]). Do I believe these resources are necessary to learning? Do I believe that one cannot learn without these resources? No. Sometimes, I believe that we get too “caught up” in using the newest and niftiest gadgets. I believe that the focus can become the medium used instead of the content. Also, some teachers require students to use various technologies outside of class, and not all students have equal access to technologies. For example, students who live on campus have greater access to the college’s technology, because they do not have to spend time driving to and from school. And, if you choose to work from home, not everyone has access to programs (ex. FrontPage), or you do not have access to high speed internet. Personally, I live on a dial-up connection at home (high speed internet of any kind is unavailable in my area), so keeping up with the latest internet resources is difficult. I find myself downloading large files at school, saving them to a flashdrive, and cramming it all in at home. Schools need to be sensitive to students like this, and try to accommodate. Unfortunately, the answer is merely “use the computer lab.”
I am definitely not apposed to using technology in the classroom, but a teacher must know her student population and be sensitive to inequity.

Blue Group - Technology Good or Bad

I think from previous experiences I am pretty open to technology. I thin that it is a great tool to utilize in the classroom. However, there are some serious pros and cons to this idea. I mean there are too many teachers who just make technology unbearable. I know a ton of teachers I have are really afraid of technology, so they just fill their quota for the year with the most boring assignment ever. Usually it's just a trip to the media center where they show their students how to research on the internet. Something EVERY student already knows how to do. I think if you are gonna bring technology into the classroom, it has to be something new, innovative, and creative. I think it's just sad when a teacher just dumps his or her kids in the computer lab to fill a quota because they can't thin of anything better to do.
Don't get me wrong I love a good session in the computer lab, but usually that entails playing online games while pretending you're working. Kids won't take it seriously if you don't as a teacher.

Tech in Classroom II

I think that my opinions about technology in he classroom have come mostly from my own experiences as a teacher. I know that as a student, I didn't like the low tech methods that my teachers used. When I first got a classroom, i took the overhead out of my room and put it into the book storage room. From then on, I was somewhat of a blank slate, having never learned from the technologies that I would be teaching with. I tried to use the best technology that I could get my hands on. I think that I felt that appropiate technology was the highest tech available, but also able to relay information to students in a useful and interesting manner. I guess that it was society that influenced me, as I didn't experience anything beyond an overhead and VCR while in school.

Blue Group Good/Bad Technology

Thinking about good and bad technology, I found that I kept coming to the conclusion that it isn't the technology that is bad, but the use of it that makes it bad or good. Using that train of thought, it is easy to distinguish good from bad. A good technology is one that pushes the students to learn further and think more. It helps the students. A bad technology is one that inhibits the student's progression in the classroom. It does the work for them or takes the whole learning process out of the activity and goes straight for the general answer. My influences on this had to have come from my personal experiences with technology. When we did the classroom post and my technology integration post, I looked back at all the technologies I was exposed to in school. It wasn't what the technology was as much as how it helped or hindered me that helped me decide what to write about.
Any advances in technology want to be known. The news will put out a story about new factories with their faster machines. Apple is constantly showing commercials about their paper-thin laptops and phones that do everything except make lunch for you. Of course, if humankind finds a way to do something more efficiently, we're going to want to use it! We won't just say, "Great job! But we're just going to sit it here and look at it." No! It would be integrated as much as possible into our lives. This does include school. The first couple of classes we talked about cell phones and every student having a computer in school. Is it even worth trying to stop?
My teachers have had influence on my views on technology integration. Most of my teachers didn't use powerpoint or computer programs or any technology except the old-fashioned overhead projectors. It wasn't until college that that completely changed and most of my teachers relied on powerpoint.
It's hard for me to group technologies into "good" and "bad." To me, it more depends on how it is used.

Blue Group 9-29-08

I think that there are many forms of technology that can be categorized as "bad" and "good" technology depending on how they are used. For instance, calculators. Calculators are great if they are used as an assisted technology for students in the classroom. Not when a whole math class is based on whether or not you can use a calculator. Another form of technology that can be great or horrible in a classroom setting is PowerPoint. I absolutely love PowerPoint when it is used correctly, but some teachers rely on it to do the work for them. And the same goes for overhead projectors and LCD's.

I have definitely based my opinions on technology in the classroom on the way that my own teachers used the different types of technology. For example, I remember thinking computers were amazing in Elementary School and Middle School because they did all the hard work for me (spelling, grammar, punctuation..etc.), but when I got to High school and I had to do my work in school, it was different. In certain classes that I had in High school, we did computer work in the classroom and we weren't aloud to use spell check or grammar check. Switching from using spell check and grammar check shouldn't have been hard for me, but because I was so dependant on them...it was extremely hard. Now that I am older and I am thinking about children in classroom now, I worry if they are using too much technology. I understand that technology plays a huge role in today's society, but I just feel like there should be limitations on how much teachers can use technology in classrooms.

Renee's Red Group Post 9-22

There are a seemingly countless number of variables that have influenced what I think is a good or bad use of technology in the classroom. To confuse the matter even further I personally have very conflicting emotions with regards to the role technology should play in education. Generally speaking I was a hard sell when it came to the business of technology in the classroom.
Thinking back to my first awkward labor intensive jaunts with the primitive (cutting edge at the time) Apple computers in elementary school, I can say that at that time I would not have readily subscribed to the notion that computers could EVER play a positive role in education. The technology we were using at the time really reflects personal computers in their infancy. The machines and their users still stood to gain more ground before we could see the full spectrum of what this type of technology could offer. So, on a foundational level the evolution of the technology (i.e. computers, the internet) has allowed me to forge the intellectually based belief that these types of resources are a fundamentally good idea to have in the classroom.
As soon as this new wave of “user friendly” technology hit the halls of Parkville Middle School I think the entertainment factor became the mortar in the foundation of my feelings toward the appropriate use of this type of technology in education. At this point in my life I identify entertainment as a factor that is strongly influencing my definition of both positive and negative uses of technology in the classroom. However when push comes to shove I must admit that entertainment as well as communication seems to have been the magic key to unlock the door of fantastically successful education in my past. Not to say that I did not take advantage of, or respect other more traditional forms of education but more to drive home the point that this level of engagement seems to have had an extremely effective all encompassing impact. Experiencing this type of education first hand in my middle school Social Studies class allowed me to truly understand the possibilities that this incredible tool can afford us. Although I have had plenty of exposure to what I deem as inappropriate use of technology in the classroom via experiences with; some ill informed teachers, lazy apathetic/ parasitic students in my classes, and even scholarly journal articles addressing the topic, the prospect of working hard to utilize this powerful tool to educate is too great to deny. After weeding through all of the conflicting thoughts and feelings surrounding technology this is what lies at the center of my beliefs.

Red Group

To me it seems very easy to distinguish between good and bad technology in the classroom. Good technology assists in the teaching of material and bad technology does the work for the students. Items such as overheads, LCD projectors, and computers are examples of technology that enrich the students learning experience. Computers can be good and bad because they provide the students with many quality learning experiences but they also have the ability to do much of the work for the students especially if they are plagarising.

My feelings about technology are most certainly influenced by my experience in the classroom. I have been in situations where the entire class was based on the TI-83 calculator and honestly i learned almost nothing in that class except how to use the calculator, which i don't know now. I feel like class material should not consist of how to use a piece of technologybut instead should be used to assist in the learning of the curriculum. I feel like many times to much time is spent on the technology and not enough time is spent on what the students need to know.

Red Group Post 9/22

Although I do not have very much experience with technology in the classroom, I do think that any form of technology that the teacher is proficient in, and which enhances the lesson is appropriate. I do not know how much I will use technology in my classroom because I do not know a lot about it and do not really feel comfortable using most forms of technology.
I do not think that my lack of experience with technology effects my views on its appropriateness in the classroom. I do not think that technology is necessary in the classroom, but I think that if it is used appropriately by someone who knows what they are doing it can be useful. In my experience with the schools that i have been in there is not a lot of technology available in the elementary schools, and I think that technology is much more useful and appropriate in higher grades.

Red Group Technology

I am awed be the ease in which the children of today have embraced technology. They don't think about it they just do it. Computers are becoming an important part of the every day life. I have a long way to go in order to acquire the comfort level that students demonstrate in using all aspects of the computer.
It appears to me that almost everything is available through the computer. I believe that as a teacher it is important to keep current with what will work in teaching students today and in the future.
The teachers that I had while in most of my school years did very little to make the subjects interesting. I was the type of student who tried to go unnoticed and I was a success. I was in school because that's where I was supposed to be. I just passed most of my classes.
Technology provides another form of entry in teaching the students of today. As they, the students, acquire the skills to integrate technology into their class work they should be allowed to do so. I believe in teaching any way you can, as long as the students learns. Technology allows all students to learn regardless of the rate in which it is done.
Teachers will be able to reach everyone. Children can write a story, illustrate it, film it, and narrate it. Group assignments can be done within a school, state, country and maybe the world.
Howard Gardner has influenced me in his theory of multiple intelligences. I believe in teaching each individual student and assisting them in acquiring an education.

classromm technology

With all that technology encompasses, my exposure is on par with many of the public schools today. I observed a special education class that had a computer which had access to the internet. The students were allowed to use the computer during free time. The sites available were educational.
I have used an overhead projector, copy machine, the machine that predates the copy machine to which I don't know the name, classroom television tha is preset, electric pencil sharpener, tape recorder, microwave and refrigerator.
In the classes where I have been the student the teacher has used all the afore mentioned plus the white board, laser pointer and projectors that are mounted to the classroom ceiling.

Red Group Blog 9/22

In my original post, I discussed the use of the overhead projector. Because I was only a long term sub for 2 months, I had to go by the original teacher’s lesson plans. The overhead was used mainly for the students to copy notes or used for an exam review and in some, not many, instances I used it to illustrate some areas of the subject, Biology….not my forte. I actually used the blackboard more often when explaining a lesson. Mostly, due to my intense fear of having a form of technology malfunction while teaching.

When the students were asked to copy notes, it seemed as if nothing sunk in this way. They were just writing some words down in their note books and told to look over them. The students also “learned” off work sheets. I felt as though I had used an entire forest by the time I finished the assignment. I spent at least a half hour coping worksheets to use for class and most days were went through 4 worksheets. It just seems like such a massive paper trail and I think students could be reached in other ways that use technology.

For example, I assisted another teacher who taught math. He was younger than the former teacher and was more technologically advanced. He did use the overhead in the beginning of class to go over homework, which I think is great use for it, but he also equipped students with laptops from a cart (mobile lab) for the last half hour of class. There were various mathematical exercises on a specific program that forced the students to solve problems. It was somewhat like a trial and error process, but it pointed out hints and tips to the students to solve the problem without actually giving the answer. There were different levels the students could advance to which I thought was an incredible way to gage where students were in their comprehension of the material covered.

However, if one of the computers had an issue or the student had a problem connecting, he was able to resolve it quickly. This is an area where my inexperience and anxiety regarding technology takes hold. I am completely for the use of all available technology in the classroom…..I just hope there is someone waiting in the wings to bail me out when technical difficulties do occur! I hope the knowledge I gain will help combat my apprehension over malfunctions.

Tech Bio

Technology started for me when I was able to use all five senses. As a young child I begin to use various forms of electronics. My earliest memory is when I got my first computer. I would always go on the computer and play different educational games. This was before the internet became popular. I would always challenge myself to do a variety of different math problems because I love math so much. This really enhanced my level of thinking and I was able to be ahead of the class.
My other most memorable moment of technology was when I received my first Nintendo. The Nintendo came with a running pad that had to be hooked up to the television and you were able to play against someone else in racing. This game was very fun because you and five other people could compete against each other. At that time I really didn’t think about technology and how many things were affected by the use of technology and how we rely on it so much.

Technology in Classroom

I am a high school math teacher who teaches geometry to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders, and I also teach trigonometry with algebra to 11th and 12th graders. The use of technology is very important in this subject area and to take technology beyond using the calculator which using the Ti-83 graphing calculator is a wonderful tool.
I think that classroom technology is a wonderful tool to use in all classrooms because it gives the students a different perception of how to view the material and helps them to apply problems to real world applications. In my classroom we begin to use the inter write tablet which gives myself and students a chance to write on the tablet and I get a chance to walk around the room and write on it and also give it to a student to solve any math problems and rest of the students get a chance to see that on the screen. Using the inter write tablet gives students an opportunity to express there mathematical problems with the class and it helps the classroom to be more student centered and gets everyone involve while using technology in the classroom. The students also get a chance to play the role as a teacher from there seats. This tool was very helpful especially when teaching the students about different polygons because they were able to draw the figure and see it as well. This activity was for the diversity of all learners.

Technology in the Classroom

While I feel the author's worry about technology in the classroom, I think he avoid an important point. How does the brain work in acquiring knowledge and information. Right now it seems to me that pedagogy is based on statistical information, anecdote and case studies. I see very little information on how the brain processes infomation that it receives. So I'm not sure that it matters how the information is presented, only that it gets presented. So the drilling practices of the Japanese may only be the key to higher test scores and not to higher brain functioning. As far as his point on glitzing it up. We have a nation of overscheduled sleepy kids, I'm not sure that glitzing up a task is such a bad thing. But I whole heartedly agree that technology in the classroom makes the "old fashion" way reading text a boring way to take information.

Techie Classrooms

As I think back to my grade school days, I cannot think of a single situation where a teacher really made an impact on my learning experience with technology. Which seems pretty strange to me since my life is so completely embedded with technology. All I can remember in grade school is the occasional trip to the library, which was quickly changed in all schools to the media center. There we would play games, write a paper, do research, use the internet, anything. However, it wasn't until college that my teachers really started to use technology in the classroom.
It was pretty cool sitting in my English class at the community college I went to prior to TU. Every student had a computer! I had never seen that before, except for one class in high school that was based on computers. My professor had us use these computers every class. We would come to class and write a journal on that night's reading and then either print it out or email it to her. It was so simple!!! We had multiple choice quizzes online, we took tests on the computer, our final project was a power point, everything was done with technology! Every paper we turned in had to be submitted to an online website www.turnitin.com, where the computer would overlook the papers for any form of plagiarism and send it to our professor. Everything revolved around the computer!
Nevertheless, some of the students took advantage of this and would surf the internet all through class. The professor would try to limit that as much as possible by wandering up and down the isles, but someone got away with it every class. Even so, I feel the class was a huge success! Never before had taking notes and doing work been so easy and convenient!

Technology in classrooms

Technology has always been used in my classes, whether it was watching videos in class, or using the Internet for various reason. One particular time I remember using technology was in my forensics class senior year. We were learning about autopsy's and how to perform them. We worked in groups to actually go through the various steps and watch videos on how to properly do an autopsy. This program was used in the classroom to teach us about something that we wouldn't have been able to do otherwise. We were put into groups of 3-4 students and each group was given a computer with the program already on it.
I thought this activity was a lot of fun and was a nice change from the straight lectures I was used to. I felt the activity was relevant and gave us an opportunity to look at an autopsy as hands on as we could without actually being there.

Technology in my Education

For the past two years of my schooling at the time, I had been attending math class with the grade just above mine. As I entered sixth grade, I no longer had a class to go to because my school did not include any grades about sixth. There was another student, who like myself, had nowhere to go. This posed a problem for both of my sixth grade teachers. They chose to give us both Pre-Calculus book work to accomplish and a math game for the computer.

This math computer game did give me a chance to hone some of my math skills, but also an opportunity to fool around. Bored quickly with the game, I spent a considerable amount of time honing my skills in Minesweeper. However, I did go through the game several different times. Most of it I completed with little difficulty. There was one section in particular that I struggled with; I was unable to formulate the equation of a line. The nature of the game allowed me two chances, so I figured out a way to beat the system. I would merely guess on my first try and then use that information on my second try to finish the problem.

I certainly enjoyed playing the game and using that type of technology, especially for a subject such as math. I feel like my teacher should have had more oversight on what I was doing with my time. While the rest of the class was being lectured or worked on problems, I was too often fooling around with the game or playing Minesweeper. I do not know if I would consider it completely worthwhile, but it did help me pass the time.

Technology in 1994 classroom

Technology in the Classroom

My classroom experiences as a student do not include much of what we would consider technology today. The internet did not exist until college and even then, it was very limited and under utilized by professors. There was one class in college, however, where technology was expected to be used. My Intro Biology course my freshman year was an honors, problem based learning class or about 25 students. This was a dramatic change from most Biology 103 classes that had over 100 students in lecture. Each unit was taught as a problem that needed to be solved in order to learn the subject matter for that unit. Students were responsible for doing research on their own, and encouraged to use the internet. This was 1994 and the resources on the internet were limited. Furthermore, access to the internet was limited to labs and personal computer retrofitted with Ethernet cards (if internet had been run to that dorm yet), so work was done outside of class and there was no way to instantly access anything during lecture. Professors and TA’s were as inexperienced as the students at finding reliable information, so most research was done in textbooks and in the library. The lab portion of the class had similar problems. While experiments were still carried out sans technology, reports were to be typed (not an issue in using technology, just accessing it) and data was to be presented in computer generated form (big problem). The only spreadsheet program available was Lotus 123, a very good program for crunching numbers, but not user friendly at all. Most students spent more time trying to format their information and produce a readable chart then they did actually conducting experiments. Help was sparse and usually unreliable since most people were as inexperienced as me and my fellow students.
Had this class been taught today, most students would have their own laptop, there would be broadband wireless connectivity, and the only challenge would be to sift through the mountain of information available. Programs for analyzing data are now much easier to use and much more readily available. As a student, the approach to the class was great. The problems made the information tangible and memorable. The process of getting the information was tedious, but at the time, we didn’t know any better. The process of analyzing lab data was painful at best and technology created a waste of time, as opposed to a time saver. In retrospect, the experience would have been much better had the available technology been better utilized. Professors and TA’s should have spent time learning the technology and then teaching the students to use it. It’s just like in classrooms today. We spend the first day explaining how the classroom works, so that we don’t, as teachers, have difficulties with students later on in the year. The same problems existed in 1994, that have always existed with technology in the classroom, and that still exist today: if the teachers don’t know how to use the technology and get their students to use technology effectively, then computers and the like are nothing more then oversized paperweights.

Classroom Technology

It's crazy to think how much technology has changed, even from the times when I was in elementary school and we got our first computers to today, where there are smart boards and so many different ways to use technology in the classroom. A really cool form of technology that I like using in my classes was in a certain math class, the teacher had us buy these clicker things (I am so not good with technology!) and how they worked was, the teacher would enter in a question and we would all answer and then our answers would appear - anonymously - up on the screen. I really liked it because it was a safe, anonymous way to test your knowledge without risking any kind of embarrassment that some people seem to feel when answering a question wrong in class and it helped the teacher gauge where we all were in relationship to the material. Even though having something extra to pay for wasn't great, I think the benefits far outweighed any money I had to put out. I feel like having that available to me really enhanced what I learned in that class and for that, I'm grateful.

Classroom Technology

I do not really remember much technology being used in my classes in elementary, middle, or high school other than overhead projectors and maybe an occasional video. It was not until I began college that I was really exposed to much computer use. I remember during my first semester at CCBC was the first time that I really saw powerpoint used. A lot of my college professors have used powerpoint with their lectures. I think that using powerpoint with a lesson is good because some students learn better if they are able to read along while they are listening to a lecture and it also makes note taking more efficient.
I think computers, the internet, and some software programs in the classroom are useful. They are helpful in assisting teachers to provide more information, pictures, and examples of topics being taught. One thing that concerns is that people rely to much on these technologies. We have all had that one class where the teacher could not get the computer to work and so the class cancelled. I think that the use of technology to enhance a lesson is great, but relying on it to teach a lesson is probably not a good idea.

Classroom Technology

Because I am a Math major I have taken a ton of math classes in my education career. So, early on, I had to become accustomed to using all kinds of different calculators. But, everything changed once I got to high school with the introduction of graphing calculators. Not only was their one type of graphing calculator at the time, normally the TI-83, but by my senior year my AP Calc class had adopted the TI-89. At first I was timid when it came to using this mini computer, but eventually I got so accustomed to using the calculator that I felt a disadvantage when I had forgotten to bring it to class. Not only could you compute all the normal functions of a normal calculator, but you could do higher level calculus functions with relative ease. I would normally do all the work required for a higher level integration problem at the time and then type a things into my calculator and check my answer. All the students in my AP Calc class began to quickly love the ease and piece of mind the TI-89 calculator brought to class.

The best thing though about using that piece of technology in the classroom was the other piece of technology that accompanied it, the TI Overhead Projector. Our teacher had the best piece of technology in the room. When we were all learning something new to compute in the calculator, and many students were struggling, our teacher would pull out the calculator projector to walk us through what to do. It was a life saver in allowing the whole class to see not only what was to appear on your screen, but also what buttons to press along the way. I will definitely incorporate the TI Calculator Overhead Projector into my lessons when I become a Math teacher because it is so beneficial to students who struggle with the many different buttons and functions of those, now very commonplace, calculators.

Classroom Technology

Since I was homeschooled from 3rd grade through 12th grade, I don't have a lot of experience with technology from home (other than growing up with my brother's old computer--Windows 95, Corel Draw 4, and a dog-feed printer). However, I was impressed with the SmartBoard I had access to during my speech class at my community college. It was one of the first SmartBoards installed at Harford Community College, and our teacher was progressive in using technology in the classroom. She encouraged us to use any technology in the room during our presentations. Though she didn't teach us how to use the SmartBoard in class, she was more than willing to teach anyone that wanted to use it. Most of the time she and other students only used the SmartBoard as an ordinary board on which to project the LCD, or they would use it as an ordinary white board. However, the teacher and a few of us used the SmartBoard for its intended purpose a few times. During on of my speeches, I did use the SmartBoard. It was convenient and easy to use, and it was great for reviewing my points at the end of my presentation since my handwritten notes were saved within each slide. I feel that this technology would be a great incorporation in any classroom. I would love to have such access in my elementary class, but at the moment, I know that is an impractical request. Perhaps one day, computers and LCD projectors will become more common place in the lower grades. But for now, I am content with chalkboards and whiteboards (which never malfunction like technology).

Classroom Technology

I think technology use in the classroom can be very beneficial to the learning process when used in the right way. In my experience, computer technology has been extremely helpful in science classes. Just this year, my physics class incorporates computers by connecting a motion sensor to the computer and graphing the movement of people and model cars as it moves towards and away from the sensor. This is incredibly helpful in that we would have had to predict what would happen and just look at a book or something to see the answer. In this case, we physically were able to move and produce graphs of our movement and the things we pushed. Every student was able to produce their own graphs and move around actively. This technology allowed us to compare graphs of different situations-varying speeds, towards or away from the sensor, etc. It also allowed us to actually see the definition of the terms acceleration and velocity. By actively creating our own velocities and accelerations, we (or at least I) better understand these terms. I know that when I take the test, I will think back to moving around and producing the graph that I did. This is much more clear in my mind than a picture in a book would be.
I thought this was a fantastic way to incorporate technology into the classroom. The technology didn't take all the hands-on learning out of the assignment, yet still helped significantly in understanding what was happening. For me, to actually do an experiment myself better shows me what I am learning about rather than listening to a teacher lecture about it, or even watch the teacher do it himself. Also, this allows students to make mistakes. A great way to learn what is right is to figure out why what you did wrong was wrong.
By incorporating this computer program into my physics class, I got to hands-on experience physics by actively performing an experiment and seeing my results through the computer.

Technology in the Classroom...

One instance that technology was used to help me learn in the classroom was when I was in Mrs. Hafner's 3rd grade class. My class was learning about fractions and percents. Mrs. Hafner brought in some transparent colored shapes and placed them on an overhead projector. As Mrs. Hafner moved the shapes around to make bigger shapes (triangles made a pie shape, squares made rectangles) we called out the different fractions and percents that were being left behind. When we called out the different answers, Mrs. Hafner would tell us if we were right and we would fill them in on our fraction worksheet.

By using the overhead projector and the transparent shapes, I believe that I learned the lesson better than I would have if I had just done the worksheet. Mrs. Hafner's lesson was well planned because she knew that having the different colored shapes would keep us occupied long enough to learn about fractions and percents.

As a teacher I think I will use this type of lesson to assess my students. It worked for me and the other students in my class, so I am sure that it will work for my class someday.

School Technology Experience

As in my personal life, I tried to avoid technology as much as I could in school. If there were stations in my classroom, I would choose a game or puzzle when everyone else was fighting over the computer. I did enjoy Oregon Trail, but I dont remember it being supplemental to what we were learning(just as a game for free time). If I had a choice I would do a poster over a power point presentataion. I actually had to do power point presentations last semester when I really became farmiliar with it. Even still, I have some trouble with the more complicated features like how to make a website a link. Overall I do really like power point now, if it's done right.
My other issue with tecnology is that I find it unreliable. I can't tell you how many times I have gone to do my homework, that required use of the internet, or an online data base, and my computer was ridiculously slow or I got kicked off the internet right in the middle. Actually right this mintue I don't know what key I accidentally pressed on my lap top but I almost had a heart attack because a new page opened and I thought I lost what I had written. Anyway, I've just had over all bad luck with my printer, ipod, remote controls, cell phone, ect, sometimes at the worst times.
In math we used the $80 TI83 that I still don't know how to use. I learned the things that I absolutely needed it for but I never used the clever short cuts. One piece of technology I would love to have in my future classroom is the document camera. I think that is so cool! It is just like an overhead but you can use any paper, not just the transparencies that you smear inkvall over(and your hand!) I think TV's are great for the class too. I would much rather watch a dicovery channel video on a topic than listen to my tecaher lecture. Overall, I appreciate the simple, user friendle tecnlolgy that I find most useful but I feel the more high-tech you go, the more expensive, comlicated, and unneccesary.

Renee's views and experience's with classroom tech

I whole heartedly believe that children should be exposed to as much technology in the classroom as possible. While the use of technology in a classroom setting provides educators with new and interesting challenges including but not limited to censorship and product availability, technology will play a very important role in the future. As educators we have a duty to insure our students will be well prepared to encounter and best utilize the increasing amounts of technology that they will inevitably encounter in their lives. Technologies will not only play an important role in the future of the children we educate but it is also one of the most engaging, information filled resources that teachers have at their disposal.

As an eight grader at Parkville Middle School I was able to experience first hand the benefits of a social studies class field trip to the computer lab. Prior to this trip my class had been investigating the Oregon- California migration. Our teacher tried to emphasize the historical importance of this migration while explaining the details of the grueling trip. While I have always been an inquisitive, active learner who enjoyed the presentations given by (the majority of) my teachers I can not say that this was true of all of the students in my 8th grade social studies class. As is the case with most large groups, some students were engaged by my teacher’s lesson more then others. Not to worry my technologically savvy teacher had a trick up her sleeve.

After learning about the Donner Party, as the unit was being drawn to a close, my teacher had us pack up our belongings to go to an undisclosed location. While traveling in line, amongst the whispering and giggles of my classmates, I slowly came to the realization we were traveling to the computer lab. After settling into our seats in the lab the teacher proceeded to explain our mission. It is 1848 and our family has hit hard times so we have decided to move west to build a new life we have to pack what we have and trade the rest of our belongings to embark on our long journey across (the computerized version of) the Oregon Trail. We all booted up the school’s Macintosh computers and with our teachers guidance navigated our way though the start up and the options needed to access the game to start choosing the members of our traveling party, selecting and purchasing the necessary supplies, then embarking on our travels. Along the way we encountered supply issues, famine, cholera, and the dangers of traveling across our path through wilderness.

The memory of this event is so vivid in my mind to this day because of the shear joy radiating from my usually turbulent 8th grade classmates. Every single student was engaged in this educational activity. We were exploring the Oregon- California migration from a whole new angle. We were the pioneers. This activity allowed us to explore this monumental time in US history while simultaneously, peaking our interest, and engaging every student. By the next class all of the students were almost begging our teacher to give us more details about the adventures on the Oregon Trail and beyond. We all shared the knowledge gained while embarking on our exciting experience with fellow students, parents, siblings, and for that matter anyone who was patient enough to listen.

My 8th grade social studies teacher did an amazing job integrating this technology into the classroom. Although it may have been a challenge for her to uproot her class to move to the lab, or perhaps obtain and operate the hardware and software required, I think it was an extremely worthwhile endeavor! My fellow students and I were not only provided a first hand look at a snip it of what it may have been/felt like to embark on this treacherous journey but we were also engaged, intrigued, and motivated to learn more. While simultaneously interacting and familiarizing ourselves with technologies that has and will continue to play an increasingly important role in our lives.

Classroom Technology Use

The most recent experience I have had with technology in the classroom was as a long-term substitute a few years ago. Having substituted in Cecil County, a system call Grades to Go is used. Often referred to as "GO." I absolutely love this program as it allows teachers/administrators to keep track of students grades and, most importantly, provides access for parents to view their students progress. Now I must agree with other posts concerned by the fact that every household does not own a computer. This is the downside, but nevertheless a step in the right direction for parents to be able to communicate more effectively with their child's teachers.

During my brief time in the classroom, I am dissapointed to say the only teaching technology used was an overhead projector. I wish I was more saavy when it came to using technology in order to incorporate different forms of media into the lessons. I believe in using a variety of different approaches in order to effectively engage all students. In my opinion, and you know what those are like....the same old tired overhead projector routines are mundane and serve as an instant sleeping pill for many students. Technology intergration in the classroom may be the "wake up call" everyone needs.

My Tech Bio

Born in 1980, my experience with technology tends to lean on the verge of ignorance. By ignorance, I am referring to that of the era of digital technology and such. I grew up with video games, although wasn’t permanently glued to them as many of my classmates were. I did have a cd/walkman player. So, my family was not a family of the “times.” We could be classified as “laggards” as far as adopting technology is concerned. In fact, my mother still owns her antiquated consol television. However, it has become more of an end table since she graduated to the “flat screen” generation. I am not even there yet.
I do finally have internet, high speed too, connection at my house which only took three years. And if it was not for my decision to continue my education, my husband and I probably would not have made the call to connect.
I am proud to say that I have recently graduated to the world of text messaging and do actually have a “my space” in which I can upload pictures successfully. I want to teach more than anything and must be able to “hang” in this condensed world infiltrated with technology. Therefore, before I am thirty, which is only a year and a half away, I vow to become more computer literate for myself, my future students, and for my baby boy.

My Tech. Learning Experience

When thinking about technology that has been used to facilitate my learning one instrument stands out above the rest, the TI83 calculator. I got my first TI83 when i was in 8th grade for a pre-algebra class. I remember thinking what a waste of money it was because we never really used it that much in my pre-algebra class. However, after the next 4 years of highschool i began to realize that it was definately worthwhile purchasing the calculator because just about everything we did in class involved it.

Although i used the calculator a lot and definately got my moneys worth i don't believe it was an instrument that helped me in the classroom. Sure it helped me get through statistics and calculus but thats only because my teachers focused the majority of the class around the TI83. 3/4 of the questions on our exams were calculator based and the others were done without a calculator. My teachers did teach the proper way to solve these math problems but we did so very little work on paper that i honestly have no idea how to do the problems today.

I think this piece of technology hindered my learning more then it helped. It honestly just did the work for me, all i had to know was what to plug in where.

My Tech Bio

I was always more of an indoor kid when I was growing up. Needless to say, I watched a lot of television leading up til about 6th grade. But, prob my first real expierence with technology was when I was about 7 or 8 when my family had purchased a new Apple computer. I look back now at how big and clunky that thing was, but I remember at the time that it was the coolest. My brother and I would just draw and create pictures all that thing all day long. And, you cannot forget the game Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego.

Once middle school hit though computers were there for all kids and we were expected to know how to use them besides playing games. I also went to a high school that had been open for only a year prior to me going there; so, there were many new computers and programs purchased that we could use. By 6th grade I had definetly faded out from always watching T.V. and even sitting in front of the computer. But, it didn't really matter because as I got older, technology was evolving and I didn't need to stay inside to have technology with me.

Now, I guess I would be the typical college student accustomed to technology. I never leave home without my phone, and own my own laptop to not only do school work, but to also just check out http://espn.com or http://insidelacrosse.com when I feel like it. Microsoft Word is always the big app that I use, and I like to think I know how to use PowerPoint. I'm just glad I'm not like the old me who always stayed inside with technology growing up anymore because I see some of those people walking around campus and it is no good.

Once Upon A Time...

Ok, the story of technology and me is no fairy tale. When we were kids, around high school, I guess, Mom & Dad bought my sister and I a computer, basically a word processor. It was nothing special, except for two things - spell check, and the fact that the printer's font looked just like a typewriter. Because of these two features, and the fact that computers were not a common household item yet, my teachers thought I was a fabulous typist! That's about as good as it got with technology & me.

Calico vision stepped into the scene, however we rarely played it, we were always told to turn the volume down, and it's not very satisfying to rack up points on Frogger without those fabulous sound effects! Besides, if you weren't outside playing you were succeptable to getting recruited for chores!

My greatest frustration are the little changes Microsoft keeps making. 4.0, 5.0... I'm not impressed, and I don't want to figure out where that feature went - I want to get my work done! It's not my idea of a great hobby, keeping up with technology. I learn what I have to because I have to. Sitting in front of the computer is not my idea of a good time. Oh sure, there's shopping on the internet, but I'd rather get out of the house and enjoy a nice boutique.

So, I guess I'm telling my age with my "bah-humbug" attitude towards technology! Well, there are a couple of instances where I've fallen in love with technology, for example, I have fallen in love with digital cable tv, I love recording my favorite programs and watching them on my time! I'm also madly in love with my cell phone, which has my e-mail on it, but more than that she has telenav, and as a new comer to Maryland I no longer get lost thanks to Stella (that's what I named her, you know, it means "star" in Greek or Latin, or whatever - navigation, all that). So Stella & I love to go on long drives together. So, thanks to Stella, I can go driving off into the sunset, where I live happily ever after enjoying my digital cable tv.

The End.

technobiography

When I was younger, and throughout high school, I did not have very much experience with a lot of techinology. I think that we got a home computer maybe when i was in my junior or senior year. As I began to use my home computer I learned how to do basic internet searches and word processing. It was not until I was attending CCBC that I really even had any experience at all with power point, office or any other computer software other than the basic internet and works.
I took a couple of computer classes at CCBC and learned a little more about some of these programs. I still do not really know a whole lot about technology, other than very frequent use of my cell phone, and the internet. I feel that being a little older than some of my classmates, I may be at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to technology because growing up I did not really have very much exposure to computers, and other equipment. I am a little nervous about taking this class because I feel that I may know less than most of my classmates, but I am hoping this class will help me with that.

Technology and Me!

Technology has been a big part of my life since I was a young child and it keeps getting more and more meaningful to me all the time.

The very first time that I had ever seen a computer I was about 7 years old and in the 2nd grade. My brother was in the military working with computers and decided to buy a computer for my parents. When the computer was finally set up and ready for use, I remember being amazed by the different things that you could do. My favorite thing to do was to play games.

As I got older, we began to use computers in school (in about 5th grade). My class in 5th grade had a set time for computer lab and I was always excited about going and playing the learning games that were available during that time. I found that I liked to play and learn through the computers. I highschool I began to learn a lot more about computers and I got very interested in them. I took a few computer classes and now I am pretty good with the different programs on the computer.

I was in the 7th grade when I received my own cell phone. I absolutely loved my cell phone because i felt as if it gave me freedom from my parents. At that time I did not have texting on my phone yet, but now texting is a must have for me. I have been through many cell phones since 7th grade and each one gets more and more complex.

Now, I am in college and cell phone and computer use is a big part of my daily life. I also have an ipod, sirius satelite radio, wii, playsation 3 and a nintendo ds that are also used quite frequently.

My Tech Bio

The first time I used technology or was ever even exposed to it was in elementary school. In first grade, my school became a technology school and with that, dozens of computers were put in every classroom and I was immediately in love. I loved playing all the games where you'd learn spelling or math or reading and I picked up on it very quickly, so much so that my teacher would send me to other rooms to help teachers who hadn't quite grasped the concept yet. On Friday's, we had a thing called Friday Reward where we could pick what we wanted to do - go out on the playground, play a sport, go to the libary, etc. and I always picked going to the computer lab to play Oregon Trail or Dr. Quandrary (What ever happened to that game? But you know you all remember Oregon Trail!)

I didn't get a computer in my house until 5th grade and when I did, it was like a whole new world had been opened up to me. Before then, I only had access through school or at friend's houses (where I have to admit, I stayed more on their computer than actually hanging out with them sometimes!) We didn't have the internet even though we had a computer for a while but when we finally did, I used to love going into chat rooms and talking to people and one person I met, we even still talk today! She's a 21 year old from Long Island who goes to Stonybrook University and we're going on ten years of knowing one another! Pretty crazy. But I just love that the internet is a way to connect with people from all over and allows you to make a whole host of new friends.

Now, I have to say I use the internet ALL THE TIME. I'm constantly on my laptop, emailing or instant messaging, watching crazy videos on youtube or listening to music. I'm really into the election this year so I'm always busy reading political blogs and I don't think I could live without the internet now that I've had it for so long. It's just normal for me to come home from school or work and get online to see how everybody else's day went. And it's not only the internet too, it was getting my cell phone for the first time in high school and being able to text and call people from anywhere (well, anywhere I have service anyway!) I also love TV and I have to say my top three favorite "technologies" are the cell phone, the internet and TIVO. DO YOU GUYS HAVE TIVO? If you don't, oh man, it's incredible. I can be gone all day and when I come back, there's about 8 things waiting for me to watch! And I can fast forward through commercials and it's just, oh, I don't know how I lived without it! That sounds really pathetic now that I'm reading it, but you know what. I don't care! TiVo and I are very, very happy together!

Basically, technology is such a huge part of my life and I can't picture what I'd be doing without it. I just know that I'd probably be very, very bored.

TechBio

My relationship with technology occurred at the ripe age of six, where I would sit beside my brother, mesmorized as he played his Atari and Nintendo. When my brother relinquished his hold on the controller, I was able to leap headfirst into the world's of Zelda or Mario and I made certain to cry out those words Carlin made famous because I had heard my brother do the same (much to my parent's dismay). From this point, it went downhill as I got sucked into the gaming culture and spent ridiculous amounts of money on new consoles and games.

When I was around eleven, a friend of mine told me about the wonders of the internet, so I talked my parents into getting AOL, where I was amazed at the amount of information at my fingertips. I've since upgraded to a cable modem, and still spend a few hours daily reading up on new articles I stumble across. Now that gaming and the internet have come together, I like to spend time keeping in touch with friends of mine that have moved far away from my current residence.

Technobiology

All my life I've used some form of technology. As a child I would watch TV with my family and friends. I remember running home from school to watch my favorite shows with my friend. In addition to this I was taught how to use the telephone. At this point in my life I was content with this limited uses of technology.
As I started getting older my parents got me a Walkman, and eventually my own computer. These both made me feel more independent and older. I also eventually got my own cell phone during my junior year of high school. Most recently I've updated my Walkman to an ipod and have a better cell phone. I feel like technology in all sorts have become essential in my life, and would find it extremely difficult to live without it.

My Tech Bio

I have never been very intesested in technology. I find it very confusing and though it can be very advanced and efficient, I normally chose to avoid it. I am unfarmiliar with many aspects of technology that are common among poeple of my age group. For example, I don't have much experience with programs like itunes, facebook, myspace, ebay, and even the towson website/blackboard. I don't play video or computer games or use things like complicated cell phones or pda's. I would much rather write out assignments than type them or create a display board rather than a power point presentation. I don't even like to watch a lot of tv.
Despite my lack of experience, I understand that technology is essential in making connections and keeping up with the world around me. Hopefully I am able to gain a lot from this course that will help me personally and throughout my career. Integrating technology could make my teaching more fun and approachable to elementary students. I am going to need a lot of help!

Tech Experience

I am a little older than the majority of the technology available to consumers today. The first computer I was exposed to was the big computers(IBM) that had to be kept in a climate controlled room. The information the computer used was obtained from cards generated by the data processors.
My exposure to computers, for a long time, was limited to the reports that were generated by them.
Cash registers, telephones, television, computers and limited exposure to current technology are as a result of work, school and family are what I have currently experienced.
I did not have the need to keep up with the changes that were taking place in the world of technology.
I look forward to getting up to date with current technology.

Hola,


My name is Laura. Technology is unavoidable and unfortunately a force that I have to reckon with. This late in my life, while I'm trying to make physical familial connections (getogethers with my grandchild, children, sisters, etc) I find that the techno-education is distancing me from the activities I would prefer doing.

Obviously, generational differences exist: I prefer biking, shooting the breeze, eating and walking outside; my children prefer WII, gamecube and whatever Simpson game has come along inside. In my neighborhood there are no longer mothers yelling at children (who are running in their clean houses) to get outside and play!

The bright spot with the technology is that I met my partner via the internet. When computers were just becoming popular, and before everyone and his brother was on, I happened on someone who happened to be on at the same time.

Technobiography

Well my first experience with technology began in school. In my elementary school, the students had access to a computer lab. So once a week, we would trudge down there and play various games to help with spelling or math. That was definitely my favorite class and where my love for computers began. When I began highschool, I immediately wanted to take a typing class. I knew that computers were a huge part of school and I didn't want to end up typing a 6 page essay with only two fingers. I have to say I wasn't very good at the whole typing thing. The orange keyboard cover and the typing tests once a week just wasn't working for me. I had started using instant messenger around this time and found that this would be a perfect outlet for me to start practicing my typing skills and I did eventually get better.

I would have to say that I really only used the computer to check email or talk online. My brothers own video games but I have never really played them. I do have an ipod but I love music. I would have to say that it comes third on my list of most used technologies under of course my cell phone and labtop. I really only use the computer for school work. So, I would have to say that my experiences with technology are pretty limited but I am up for the challenge of learning new things this semester. And I hope to broaden my horizons.

I would consider myself a decently versed person in technology but by no means would i consider myself well versed. I have an ipod, laptop, xbox 360 and many other various pieces of technology, but i would consider the majority of them to be rather usual. This means that most people today have many or all of these items, which really just makes me normal.

I love what many of these pieces of technology do for me, but to be honest i'm really not fond of learning new types of technology. i personally find it extremely difficult and a bit tasking to learn new types of technology. Although the companies who produce these bits of technology do so in a manner that makes them easy to use, i still have a great deal of difficulty figuring out all the odds and ends. Most of the time, i am successful in operating the device to a certain degree but i rarely am able to truly understand the piece of equipment. A great example of this is my xbox 360. I have the xbox for approximately 6 months and i still am unable to do many things, on a regular basis my roomates show me new things with the xbox that i did not know.

Techno Biography

I guess my love for everything electronic began while I was still crawling around on my stomach; playing with all of those fancy baby toys that light up and make noise. Quickly I became adept at pulling strings to make animal noises and punching buttons to repeat a sequence of lights. As I graduated to the walking stages of my toddler years, I soon learned how to work the VCR! An accomplishment indeed! Barney and Rainbow Bright whenever I wanted! Slowly but surely technology began to grow to be an important part of my life.

Fast forward past the lightbrights and storytelling teddy bears to the age of computers!!! I was in elementary school when my family got their first computer! Oh the thrill of playing those green and yellow pixeled games, shooting down parachutes with a cannon! The excitement!!! Well from then on my family was up to date with the growth of the techno age!

The list of techno toys began to invade my household. I had everything from the old school fat Gameboy to Nintendo 64! I knew the ins and outs of every Mario game! Of course what must a preteen girl have as well, a CD player/boom box! I was cool! =P

The next computer to enter the household was the Gateway!!! My eyes were finally opened to the Internet!!! (only available on AOL of course!) I remember dialing in and looking for pictures of cartoons I liked, and waiting about 15 minutes for the whole thing to load. This was also the time when I became aware of chat rooms (when they were still innocent) and instant messaging. I would never leave the computer again!!!

As I became older and older The more and more technology became a part of me. Now I have a cellphone and a personal desktop where I surf the Internet and play WOW! (Yeah that's right I am a dork! ) I am adept at every console gaming system out there! EverydayI check my email, facebook, myspace and youtube. Yep, there isn't a single part of my life that doesn't include technology! Thank God for the Silicone Age!!

My Technobiography

My experience with technology started from the moment I was born. Seeing as my brother before me had a little complication and had to be C-sectioned, I followed suit. At a very young age, I can't remember ever relying on any specific technology to get me through the days except for entertainment purposes (Sesame Street) or transportation (the bus to school).

The older I got, the more technology became available at home. I was always stuck with a hand-me-down computer that was huge and took up the whole desk, but I still patiently waited for every screen to load so I could communicate with friends and type up homework. Cell phones also became popular. I finally got one and could contact my parents in emergency situations. And by that, I obviously mean talk to my friends as much as I wanted. The biggest part of this technological availability, however, was teaching me the value of a dollar. I had to pay to use this new phone.

Also growing up, my brother and I gained a friendship through Nintendo and Dreamcast game systems. Sure, it taught hand-eye-coordination. We all know that we wanted to shoot the bad guys and beat all the levels before everyone else so we could tell them at school.

Then, I was ready to go to college. I had my own car. I had a brand new computer, even better than my brother's! I had a new phone that could go online. I had a thumb drive. I had an ipod. I had plenty of ways to hold up in a room and talk to people without actually talking to them.
Still, I couldn't forget about the technologies that existed even before I was born, like a bike.

It's strange to be in a class right now where everybody has a computer to do an assignment on. We would be writing all of this a few years ago. Ow.

Technobiograhpy

Technology hasn't been a significant part of my life until I was in late high school and college. When I was little, the "greatest" technology I had was the TV in our living room. The first computer I had was my brother's old computer (running with Windows 95 and MS Dos). This computer didn't have internet access, but I learned the basics of navigation and word processing. I learned many short-cuts with the keyboard when my mouse died (that was fun). Shortly before I started college, my parents bought a computer. Finally, I had internet access at home. I quickly adapted to email, surfing, and then researching for college. Since that time, I have acquired my own desktop and laptop. Predominately, I use my laptop for everything (since my desktop is now a dinosaur). Aside from college and internet access, I use my laptop weekly to create PowerPoint slide shows for music at my church. A few times a year, I create digital still shot slide shows using WMV or Photoshop for church presentations.
Aside from my laptop, I don't rely upon many other technologies such as cell phones or PDAs. I love my MP3 player and use it to record music while I play the piano. My electronic keyboard and CD player are two other technologies that I use frequently. I love recording music and playing multiple layers of music at once with my keyboard and CD player.

Renee Janssen Techno Biography

My first memory with regards to interacting with technology was when I was a small child. As a munchkin I remember being afraid of the dark and asking my mother to please leave the light on during the scary night hours. As a child of the 80's my interaction with technology has been extensive, exciting, and ever changing. I was introduced to the computer, the wonder that seems to sit at the corner stone of what we now define as technology, in the second grade. The foremost technology at that time included floppy disks and that loveable green turtle. Since then it seems as though my experience with technology has accelerated at the speed of light to keep up with the latest and greatest. From the first family word processor to write my 6th grade middle school papers. To playing Oregon Trail in 8th Social Studies. Then Yahoo, Ask Geeves and finally Google. My latest and greatest interaction with technology has brought me to a new plane of existence in the digital world. By connecting my computer to a PDA device for work I began completing the majority of my communication, research, and work on these life changing devices.

My technology Biography

Born in 1976, I am a child of both vinyl and cassette. I remember when VHS came out, used a Beta-max, and even can recognize a laser disc. My first computer was a Texas Instruments, comparable to a Commadore 64. I got blisters from playing Track & Field on Atari, and know that up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, a, b, a, b, select, start gets unlimited lives on Contra on the N.E.S. TV's used to have antennas and a seperate knob to tune in UHF, like Captain Chesapeake on channel 45. I remember when "Video Killed the Radio Star" and what MTV was like before "The Real World." I used a "real" floppy disc on an Apple IIc and have peeled the little ringlet strip off of miles of computer paper. The internet was an infant in college, email was still in DOS. Mac's died, then came back and I've even used a real IBM 256. Now, the students I teach have more technology in their cell phones then I had in my first desktop - "OMG!! :)" Just today, I taught three different lessons, each with their own PowerPoint, projected by an LCD projector, students used laptops to link to temperature and mass sensors, through a lab interface, to record data, then plot it in Excel, and save it to their individual accounts on the shared drive. I sent probably 2 dozen emails, checked my fantasy stats, ordered textbooks, and got directions to this class, without leaving my desk. Technology has gone from a neat toy to and integral part of my everday life and I wouldn't be able to teach as effectively without it.

Phil's Techno Biography

It was at the young age of six-years-old that I discovered the pleasure of computer games. It was only four years later that I began to listen to compact discs religiosly. Soon after that hi-tech discovery, I went low-tech and explored my father's cassette tape collection. In the middle of high school I went even lower-tech; my exploration expanded into my parents vinyl records. At this same time, I was listening to more and more cds. Concurrently, I was playing more and more computer games like Warcraft and Starcraft. My school friends and I would even play online.

My attitudes and experiences shifted as I went to college. For the first time I had a cellphone in hand and car keys in my pocket. My interest in computer games took a dramatic drop though I still played occasionally out of sheer boredom. Facebook also took over much of my free time where I could socially connect with my peers back home and from Towson. At the same time, I was experimenting with audio software to edit some of my favorite songs. In the middle of my third full semester of college I cracked and purchased an iPod. This device allowed my commute between my dormitory and class to be that much more fun. I use it now as I ride my bike (an amazing piece of technology) to make going uphill that much less strenuous.