The old times with no computers, can you imagine?

    

Old Photos of the First Generation Of Computers. (n.d.). 

Vintage Everyday. https://vintageeveryday.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/old-photos-of-the-first-generation-of-computers/

    There are days when I stare out my car window and imagine a day without computers and technology. What if we were to use an abacus still today? We would appreciate what we have now more than ever. However, with the invention of the calculator, we are more brainy regarding mathematics and computers. The YouTube video I watched explained that "the earliest documented use of the word "computer" is from 1613, in a book by Richard Braithwaite, and it was not a machine at all; it was a job title." (Carrie Anne Philbin Early Computing: Crash Course Computer Science #1, 2020) You probably have remarkable skills to have done the job that a computer now does. Primarily because we use computers for everything; the only difference is that we have different computers for different things.

    

    Throughout the years of computer designing and upgrades, there were many trials and errors. However, these errors only encouraged inventors to construct even more advanced technology for the many things it would work for, like controlling the decibels and volumes on a pair of hearing aids or the big machines used for agricultural mass production. Seeing all the great things we can achieve when developing different types of computers that simplify our lives today is astonishing. However, the creativity and skills of technology are only beginning.

 

 

Reference

PBS Digital Studio. (2017). Early Computing: Crash Course Computer Science #1. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5nskjZ_GoI.

Wolske, M. (2020, October 7). A Person-Centered Guide to Demystifying Technology: Working together to observe, question, design, prototype, and implement/reject technology in support of people’s valued beings and doings | Windsor & Downs Press. https://iopn.library.illinois.edu/books/windsor-downs/catalog/book/7

Taking back Ownership

    “Confidence comes from being responsible, working hard, and being involved in your own life. Even when you fail, you can grow from your experiences (Stone, N.D.).”  For many years I've had confidence in my ability to work hard and succeed. But when I graduated from high school more than ten years ago, I went straight into community college. I instantly decided I wanted to enjoy life and take a break from education. I worked, traveled, and spent time with friends and families. I later married, had a beautiful baby girl, and became the only responsible parent. 

    Although I feel like I mastered the art of ownership, I started sliding down the educational pyramid and needed to take ownership of my life. I am embarrassed by my lack of academic performance and overwhelmed with self-disappointment. Nevertheless, many of us know or have experienced that being a new mom is a task one will endure; however, incorporating that with a full-time job and school is a lifetime of endurance. 

    I reconstructed my priorities and organized my schedule and timeline for school. I dedicate a few days a week just to school, and I will save a few hours for my daughter on the days I work. When committing myself to all other events, I prioritize what's more important to me and my success. Although I have minimal time to do many family activities with my daughter, I'll spend every free moment with her. I hope she will understand someday and refrain from feeling I was never present. Ultimately, “you learn from your mistakes and gain wisdom for the future.” (Stone, n.d.)

References

Stone, M. (n.d.). 6. Why Do You Lack Pride and Confidence? - Own Your Education!: A Student’s Guide to Greater Success in School (and Life) [Book]. Www.oreilly.com; Pearson.

From https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/own-your-education/9780133573466/ch06.html

Finding confidence on my road to success

 

As a first-time single mom, I knew it was never going to be easy. I am on mommy duty full time, on top of a full-time job working twelve hours a night and attending school, it’s a lot for me to handle. I traveled recently for the first time again in 10 years with my daughter. She loves airplanes, but we ran into some minor issues during her first flight. While on the plane, I tried to buckle us into one seat, unfortunately, the belt did not extend far enough to accommodate the both of us. Even the rows between the seats were too tiny to sit comfortably together. 

While my daughter continued to cry, others were staring and changing seats to get further away as if I was an annoyance that plagued the plane. These actions continued to cause my anxiety to go through the roof, it made me very upset as I felt regretful to even travel and pushed to the point where I nearly called it QUIT! This was our first time flying together and it surely won’t be our last.

    But I stuck by and held on because I was committed, I endured the shameful looks, I was motivated to make this trip for the first time, and I had pride in being a single mom. All these characteristics enhance one another in a way to build your confidence in being successful in life. However, I will continue to put it to everyday use one day at a time because I do not know what the future holds except my road to continuous success.       

Technological Values vs Technological Illiteracy

After watching "Ivette Bayo Urban video on how technology is rewriting our values" I thought about what the similarities to my story was. In the video, Ivette mentioned that a woman says, "this phone is smart, but I’m not." It resonates with me a lot because my parents have no knowledge about technology and how it works. Being the first-generation Hmong American, I constantly help them navigate their cell phones or recently they are able to navigate YouTube. They’ve come a long way, but they still struggle with the ever-changing technology.

I have been thinking about my daughter’s future and the future of technology. I am glad that she enjoys being outside often because I wanted her to grow up the way I grew up with not so much screen time. Her doctor says to limit screen time to 2 hours only, maybe sometimes less. But in schools right now, kids are using computers for testing instead of paper. They are using tablets for learning academic skills on their own. I agree that technology is rewriting our values, but is that because we let it? I don’t wish to teach my daughter how to use a tablet, I rather her read a book. But I also don’t want her to be technologically illiterate. Since technology is only becoming more advanced, the values will continue to rewrite itself.