Technology Integration Plan

       The original lesson plan that I used for this matrix is about the Little Rock Nine and the effect it had on the Civil Rights Movement. Before this project, this lesson plan did not contain any technology. After integrating technology into this lesson, I think students will have a much better learning experience. With the inclusion of technology, students will be more interactive with each other and they will be able to be more creative while still learning the information. The integration of technology also achieves the goals of the standards more efficiently because students will have access to more information on the Little Rock Nine. The NET-S standards are achieved as well with the inclusion of technology. Overall, the Little Rock Nine lesson plan will work much better with the integration of technology in every section of the lesson.
          The original Little Rock Nine lesson plan involved a lecture, a group activity creating a hand-made timeline, and a homework assessment where students would research Civil Rights legislation and policies. The lesson would begin with a lecture on the Little Rock Nine through a power point presentation. After the lecture, I was going to have the students in groups create their own timeline of events from the Little Rock Nine. I would have the students create timelines by hand where they would put the most important parts of the Little Rock Nine event on their timeline. After taking the rest of the class period to create these timelines, I would have the students present these timelines and discuss each one so the other groups can see how each groups differed. By doing this, the students could be able to reflect on their own work as well as the choices the other groups made by identifying what they thought was most important. As a homework assignment, I would have the students use their textbooks to identify the Civil Rights cases and policies that were created during the Civil Rights Movement. With that, students would have to write a brief essay about one of those cases, or policies explaining what it did and how it affected the minorities of the United States. This essay would prepare my students for the next lesson that would address all of these policies that occurred because of the Civil Rights movement.
       The technology I integrated into my lesson plan was movie clips that would require a smart board, the XTimeline program on the computer, and a blog post that uses Google Scholar for research. I decided to add in the movie clips during the lecture to make it more interesting. The clips would be from the series Eyes on the Prize which in this section focuses on the Little Rock Nine. I have seen this movie in class myself and some of the images will give the students the perspective of both the Little Rock Nine and the white people who were against school integration. This technology would fit perfectly into the Social Studies standard of 6.1.12.C.13 a because in the beginning of the lecture as well as the movie clips, other events that took place during the Civil Rights movement is addressed. For example, the sit-ins and the Freedom Riders are explained because of there affect on the entire movement. As for the NET-S standard, by showing the clips of the movie, the standard of "Research and Information Fluency" is accomplished. This standard addresses the students ability to use technology as a tool to get information from. I think it is important to incorporate visuals for the students through technology so they can learn how technology can be helpful toward their learning experience.
       The next technology I integrated into the lesson plan was the XTimeline program. This program allows anyone to use it and students would be able to create their own timeline that can include images or videos. In the original lesson I had the students create their own hand made timeline as a group. I thought it would be so much better for students to create a timeline through the computer because they would be able to use images and videos. With the inclusion of XTimeline, students can portray the importance of this event through images and videos they would find online. After completing the timelines, each group would present their XTimeline through the smart board to the class. For a social studies standard, this activity would address 6.1.12.D.13.a because this standard describes the students being able to identify the most important parts of the Civil Rights Movement and why the Government had to take action. Since the Governor of Arkansas, the President, and the National Guard were all involved with the Little Rock case, this event shows why the government had to be involved. As for the NET-S standard this activity addresses many of them. This activity fulfills 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 of the NET-S standard. The most important one I think it addresses is number 2 which is "Communication and Collaboration" because of the group aspect of the activity.
         The last integrated technology I used was a blog post with the use of Google Scholar. As a homework assignment, instead of writing an essay, I would have students blog about the Civil Rights cases. Through Google Scholar, I would have students research these different cases so they can get information for their blog. I would then have them describe in there blog what the case or legislation was about and why it was so important to the Civil Rights movement. With this technology, students will be able to see each others blogs and learn about the different cases and policies when reading them. The Social Studies standard that this meets is 6.1.12.A.13.b. because it addresses the legislation, policies and Supreme Court decisions that the students would be blogging about. For the NET-S standard, the blogging and use of scholar addresses the "creativity and innovation" and "critical thinking standards." I think as a homework assignment students will also have more time to really research the case they are dealing with to give an in depth explanation of what it is and how it affected the movement.
       With this kind of technology use, students will be able to get a really good idea about what the Little Rock Nine was and its overall affect on the Civil Rights Movement. I think with the help of visuals from the technology students can get a better perspective of everyone involved and understand how important of an event this was. Visually, the technology included in this lesson really enhances the students learning experience.


Link to my Technology Integration Matrix

Google Books for the History Classroom

      I think that a textbook is necessary for students to have in a Social Studies class. The textbook can give the students the big picture of historical events, important terms and definitions, and simple language that may be easier for some students to understand. If an entire middle school or high school class was taught through primary sources, the language and content may become confusing. Having a textbook as a reference is important for students that are in those kind of grade levels. This does not mean the teacher should make the textbook the only kind of reading that the students do. In a history class, it is important to get students to think critically about the content and by only reading the textbook this becomes impossible. This is why I think Google Books would be a useful tool in the Social Studies classroom because of the easy access to a variety of books for students.Students can simply type into the search box any topic that they are interested in or may be researching and many different types of books come up. For example I typed in "The Great Depression" and tons of books became available. Everything from books of essays to books of interviews with people from the Great Depression came up. This would give a student a ton of information on different perspectives of this event. Thousands of books and documents have been scanned on to Google Books for the public to view and students could access them very easily and get important information.
      I think the most important aspect of having a technology like Google Books is the variety of books that are offered and can help my students learn the information through different sorts of texts. Even though the textbook is important, reading a biography or first hand account of a war can open up a students mind to the perspectives of that time period. I also think that for research this gives students so many more opportunities to find interesting and useful information. If I were to assign a research paper or project, I would suggest for my students to use Google Books to find different kinds of sources that may not have been available in the library or on a website. Google Books is a very useful technological tool that can be easily integrated into the social studies classroom since research is such a main part of studying history.

XTimeline

     I  recently came across a website called "Xtimeline" that I think can be a really useful technological tool for Social Studies students. This website allows users to create multimedia timelines that can include text, images, and videos. With all of these aspects, students can create there own historical timeline rather than just reading them in the textbook. Not only will this allow students to be more interactive with the information but they can also become more creative when presenting there timeline. In the Social Studies class creativity is never a main priority for teachers, and that can sometimes affect how the students learn the information. Boring, factual information can be transformed into interesting and interactive information with "XTimeline" and the things it offers.
     Students will have the opportunity to learn the information the way they feel most comfortable. If a student learns better visually then they will have a chance to use images to remember people, places, and dates.  The website that presents "XTimeline" is free and easy but does require an account. I think to make it safest for students, I would have the account under my information but allow my students to use this one account. I think for the classroom it would be best to have groups create timelines together. For example, if I were to be doing a lesson on the Civil Rights Movement, I would split the class into groups and have each group focus on one specific event that took place. These events could be the March on Washington, the Freedom Riders, the Sit-Ins, and the Little Rock Nine. Each group would take these events and create a timeline explaining what happened leading up to this event, what happened at the event, and what occurred after the event to affect the entire movement. I think that by breaking up the entire movement into separate timelines, students can get a better sense of what actually happened in each event that made the entire movement successful. I also think these "XTimelines" can be useful as study guides at the end of the unit. Because the students are creating these timelines, it may make more sense to the students how each event is broken down. Hopefully these kinds of tools become more popular in the social studies class since it is not only incorporating technology but also creativity in the social studies class as well.

E-Sheets for the Social Studies Classroom

     I came across a website that directed me to a strategy to integrate technology in the classroom called "E-Sheets." This strategy is based around the research students would do in the classroom and how to make sure they stay on task. This strategy will help students use technology in a useful way with social studies rather than getting distracted by all the other things on the internet. This website broke down the "E-Sheet" process, what the sheet would look like, and the best ways to use it in the classroom. The E-Sheet is broke into two different parts that consist of "one to three websites" chosen by the teacher and a series of questions that the teacher creates "to guide the student through the information on the selected websites." Even if the material were to be historical, geographical, or political, the students can still work on their literacy skills and reading comprehension by getting specific information from the websites. The website continues to explain that an "E-Sheet" can be distributed in three different ways that are the most successful. It explains that it can be given to the student as a printed worksheet, a website, or a Microsoft word document. On this website the sheet is called an "E-Sheet" which stands for an electronic worksheet but it may also be referred to as an interactive worksheet or web worksheet.
      The website also addresses why it is useful to use a sheet like this in reference to integrating technology in the classroom. There are about 5 different reasons why it is important but I think the most important reason is the last one. The website explains that, "the e-sheet teachers information literacy skills such as how to critically read websites for useful and appropriate content." I feel that it is important that students can learn how to use technology to their advantage while also increasing their literacy and reading comprehension skills. If a student has to answer specific questions that the "E-Sheet" would provide then students are consistently thinking about the content, learning how to manage websites, and developing their literacy skills. I think this is particularly important in the social studies class because the content can become blurred if other things are being used while learning the information. Since there is so much factual information involved in the social studies class, students can get preoccupied while working with the technology. With an "E-Sheet" students can have a better opportunity to stay on task and learn the content and how to use technology. I think "E-sheets" can be a really successful teaching strategy for not only Social Studies teachers but all content area teachers as well.

http://www.bama.ua.edu/~rmayben/tim/esheetws.htm

YouTube and History

      In the history classroom, it can be hard for students to visualize anything historical, making it complicated for them to understand the information being presented to them. YouTube can be a great way for students to visualize history so they can understand that time period better. Not only is YouTube easy to access, but they have so many options to choose from. Before writing this blog, I went on to YouTube and simply typed in "virtual tour" and tons of options came up. Things like "virtual tour" of Rome, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and the Mayflower became available in the search box. When I saw these kinds of options I thought it would be a perfect way for students to visualize important historical topics without even leaving the classroom. Technology like YouTube has made it so much more convenient for both students and teachers to get information in all different forms so it becomes easier to learn and teach the information.
    To get a better idea about these virtual tours that YouTube provides, I clicked on the Ellis Island and Rome tours. Even though both were very different from each other because different users created them, they both seemed to be so useful for students in a history class. Instead of the boring pictures in textbooks that barely give the students the idea of that time period, these videos would take the students through each part of Rome or Ellis Island. The Rome video had narration along with it to explain to students what they were flying over when seeing Rome from above. The Ellis Island video gave a tour of the area as well as an explanation of the process of going through Ellis Island. When I was in elementary school, I was lucky enough to go on a field trip to Ellis Island and experience what it was like for immigrants. For students that can not go on field trips or are not in a close proximity to Ellis Island to be able to go, this can be an excellent way for students to still get that same experience. Technology has transformed the way students learn and I think one of the biggest transformations has been in the history classes. Technology like YouTube allows students to jump into that time period and understand that perspective so much better than just reading through a textbook and listening to a lecture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAgA6G75XsI (Virtual Tour of Rome)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rredHTyKaQ (Virtual Tour of Ellis Island)

Accessing Databases for Primary Sources

When I was in my high school social studies classes I was never exposed to primary sources and the importance of these types of sources. When I came to college and began studying history, I was exposed to so many different databases that provide primary sources that would be helpful to write papers and develop a thesis for these papers. For example, Montclair State provides databases like the New York Times and New York Times historical so students can have access to historical and recent newspaper articles. This allows me as a history major to find articles throughout history from the New York-New Jersey areas. It was unfortunate that I was not able to use databases like these in high school because it can make a historical topic so much more interesting. By being able to see the actual article or document, students can get a better idea of the time period through the language and possible pictures that may be available. I think it would be very important to expose my students to these kind of databases so they can have access to primary sources.
As a future Social Studies teacher I feel that it is necessary for students to learn how to use databases like the ones I have used throughout my education. Thinking back to the remixed canvas' that we recently just did, I think it would be really useful to collaborate with a technology/computer teacher to develop a unit that allows students to work with databases but in reference to finding historical primary sources. When thinking about a unit that would be useful, I would assign my students activities throughout the unit asking them to work with the databases to find specific information that could only be found through a primary source. At the end of the unit as a summative assessment, I would have my students write a paper that could be based on any historical topic they found interesting, but they would be required to use a certain amount of primary sources that they got through using the databases. This would allow the students to show both their understanding of the historical topic and how successfully they can use the databases and primary sources.

Collaboration Canvas

I really enjoyed remixing the unit on clay animation with a social studies unit. Usually, social studies is not seen as a creative subject area because of the factual information, lectures, and writing. I thought it would be a good idea to take a unit plan that would not normally fit into a social studies classroom. As soon as I saw the clay animation last week when commenting through classmates canvas', I knew that I would be able to take this unit and collaborate it with a social studies unit. I thought it would be interesting to have students create an important part of the Civil War through a clay animated video. I thought of this collaboration as more of a summative assessment where students would have to use the skills they learned in art class and the information they used in the history class. Some examples that students could use would be any battle involved in the war, one of Lincoln's speeches, the lifestyle in the North vs. the South, etc. With this collaboration, students will be able to use creativity to show their understanding of the Civil War.
I did not remove anything from the original unit. I added the Civil War aspect to the unit to collaborate the social studies class. I thought that it was important to keep the basis of the original unit so students would know how to create clay animation. I really hope one day I can do a unit like this so my students can understand that creative classes can be collaborated with more traditional classes.
http://www.play.annenberginnovationlab.org/play2.0/challenge.php?idChallenge=2693&mode=view#network6

Google Maps in the Social Studies Classroom

         In my READ411 class, we began discussing technology and its influence over the classroom. As an example of how technology can help students in the classroom without distracting them was Google maps. As a small assignment, we were required to place a marker on a map created by our professor to show that we could use the technology and how it can be helpful for students. I saw this helpful for myself as a student but also as a social studies teacher. Whether it be for the geography portion of class or for the history part, Google maps can be an interesting way for students to become interactive with the material. It was very easy as a student to go into Google maps and place a marker on the map with a description and a link to a picture of the place I was marking. Since I would like to be a middle school or high school teacher, I think that using Google maps will be an easier and better way for students to understand maps and destinations.
         I saw Google maps particularly important for the geography portions of a social studies class. For example, Google maps allows the person to move throughout the map themselves, at their own pace, as well as manipulating it to any position that they would like. By having complete control over the map, the student can get a sense of the destinations surroundings. Also, the map is clearly colored and easy to read, as well as the option of zooming in and out to get a better idea about what each section says. Rather than having a boring worksheet that just shows one perspective and may be hard to read, Google maps gives the students more opportunities to understand the map and all the places on it.  I think that is important for the geography part of a social studies class for a student to have full control over the maps they are working with so they can manipulate and interact with it anyway they need to.
          As for the history portion of a social studies class, maps are just as important as the geography part. When discussing wars and locations of big events or specific battles, Google maps can be very important to show the students where these took place. Google maps will allow me as a teacher to move throughout the map and it will give students perspective on distance between battles and and attacks involved in the war. Maps have always been an important aspect of a social studies class but technology has helped maps become a more interactive concept for students.

Unit Plan Canvas

     It was not easy creating my canvas for the unit of the Changing Ideologies of Race, Culture, and Demographics. I thought it was important to create a unit dedicated to these kinds of topics because they can be overlooked when an overwhelming amount of historical information is incorporated into the lessons. This unit will allow students to define race, culture, and demographics, know the differences between each, and how they have been changing society throughout history. The video on my canvas, "Lakewood is Changing," is from the lesson plan that I used in Interactivity #3 and is what helped me create this unit. As a summative assessment for the end of this lesson plan, I would have my students create a video about their community and how the demographics and attitudes towards different races and cultures are changing. By doing a video like this, students can take what they learn from the unit and use it to address their own community so it becomes more relatable.    
     In my canvas I included images that would show the different aspects of race and culture and that would be powerful for someone to view. A couple of images showed the differences in race, the other showed many people representing different cultures around the world, and the final two showed different ways to graph demographics. Along with the images, extra sources were included that discussed the definitions of the key terms of the unit and examples of discrimination. I feel this will be a successful unit for a social studies class since it can teach students about important historical characters and events, while also teaching them the true meanings behind race, culture, and demographics and how they influence society.  
http://www.play.annenberginnovationlab.org/play2.0/challenge.php?idChallenge=2216&mode=view

Prezi over Powerpoint in the Social Studies Classroom

     The power point presentation has been very important to social studies teachers over the more recent years since it has been the best way to present historical information. This factual information must be organized and clear so students can understand it and write it down successfully. I do agree that power points are important for social studies teachers to use because students are used to seeing this kind of format and it has been the only thing recently that has been sufficient enough to present the information. I just recently have learned about Prezi, which is a new type of presentation format that seems to be more engaging than the power point presentation. Even though power point presentations have accomplished the task of presenting the information, it has lacked the aspects that engage students so they remember the information they are being presented. Social studies classes need to be more engaging and creative and I think Prezi can help accomplish these goals.
    When I was looking at the Prezi website to start my own account and to learn more about the software, a quote by Rob Campbell, who is the founder of power point, is displayed. This quote states, “Prezi has a marvelous approach to the visualization of information–the freshest I’ve seen since the 1980s.” I thought it was interesting and compelling for Prezi to use a quote from the power point founder to show how effective this software can be. Prezi allows the user to use 3D in the presentation, to use the presentation anywhere online, use 3D templates, store the presentation on or offline, insert videos from the web, and most importantly, sync the presentation with the iPhone or iPad. I thought it was most important that this presentation can sync with things like the iPhone or iPad because it can be easily accessed. Technical difficulties can occur at any time so by having Prezi available on something like a cell phone and being able to rely on it almost all the time is a beneficial aspect to have.
      Overall, I like both power point and Prezi but I feel that Prezi may be the new way for teachers to present their information. For social studies especially, we are trying to find new ways to get our students to love the subject and engage in classroom activity.  I think that Prezi is the next step in presentations for both teachers and students in not only the social studies classroom, but all other subjects as well.

Technology and Pedagogy

Spreadsheet:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Av5-K1lPKZSWdDhiaklyS3lRR3Rzc2lFdlVYc3VIN1E&usp=sharing

       The lesson plan called Documenting Communities through Interviews and Film is very unique since it requires students to use skills to socialize with the people in their community. This is not a typical lesson plan where students sit down in front of a bunch of notes and listen to a lecture, which is why I liked this plan so much. I thought it was a really great way for students to learn about their community and how it has been changing, whether that change be good or bad. With the skills they learn in the social studies class, like research, discussion, surveying, and reflection, the students will have a great opportunity to create a video that shows the use of all of those skills. Also, students will learn how the demographics and attitudes of the people in their own community have changed throughout history and why these changes may have occurred.
       The only gap that may occur with this lesson plan is that students might not focus on the social studies ideas of the lesson plan like civil and social justice issues in the community and focus primarily on just creating a good video. Even though they will really be involved with technology, the actual content may be less focused on due to the freedom of creativity. Other then that gap, I feel that if this lesson plan is accomplished correctly, the strategies, standards, and technology will all flow very well. The teachers using this plan will be able to see how the students are using their interview and discussion skills, while also being able to create useful questions that address the content. Also, by being able to record themselves, they can look back and reflect on what they did and other students can comment on their approaches which will hopefully develop into a discussion on the information. The standards that students should meet by the end of 12th grade involve many things about reflecting and understanding human rights, culture, and people and how historical events shaped these things. I feel that if students address their community issues or changes, students can make a connection to their own community and see how history has affected something so relatable to them.

Blogging in the social studies classroom

       I found a really interesting website that discusses different types of ways to use technology in a social studies classroom. The first part of the article really grabbed my attention because it dealt with blogging, like we are doing in this class. The teacher allowed the students to use "coveritlive," which is a blogging tool. This blogging tool is used in correlation with the textbook to liven up the lesson and get the students more involved. A teacher explained in the article that students are allowed to blog through this "coveritlive" program while the lesson plan is occurring, so they can discuss what the teacher is presenting. Like most people, when I read the beginning of this article I was thinking that the students would be talking about other unrelated topics through the blog and would not pay attention. Fortunately, that would not be a problem since the blogging is monitored by another teacher.
       The "coveritlive" program does not allow students to discuss anything but the lesson plan and what is being said in the social studies class at that moment. Students have to submit these comments they leave on the blog to another teacher monitoring the program and that teacher has to approve the comments. This allows the students to stay on task and talk about appropriate things in reference to social studies or specifically the lesson. The entire class is not involved daily, a few students would rotate with the laptops. The article explains that "coveritlive" acts as almost a chat room for the students since the comments are posted right away. Since it is like a chat room, students can engage in the material quickly and more often since the everything is posted instantly. I really love this idea of blogging and the interaction students will have with each other in the classroom.
        I would love to use something like this in the classroom for my students. Rather than students just sitting there being lectured to, students will have opportunities to interact with each other and with the social studies material. I think that it is important for students to not only use new forms of technology to enhance their educational experience, but also to use it during a lesson so they can express there ideas, questions, and opinions while it is happening. I also like the idea that only a few students use the "coveritlive" program at a time and it rotates. I feel that this will inspire students to want to use it and develop a curiosity about what the technology is all about and what other students are saying in the blog. Also, if these comments could be saved, a whole timeline of comments can show the students by the end of the year what they were learning and how they were learning the information. These ideas and questions can even be used as a study guide for students when a test or quiz is coming. Some other technologies were mentioned in the article as well but I feel that this blogging tool would be the most useful for interaction of students.

http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-social-studies-lessons

The Smart Board

         Technology has really helped expand opportunities for students regarding the content area of social studies. The use of smart boards has enhanced the classroom experience. Picture, videos, and power points are important for a social studies class because visuals enhance the learning experience. The power point may contain notes for the students, and the pictures and videos help the student see the perspective of that time period. A smart board allows the teacher to show all of these things together. Since the smart board is linked directly to the computer, there are so many more opportunities for the teacher to show visuals. By having access to the internet a teacher can show their students the process of accessing websites or getting to primary sources that may be important in history. Also, showing historical pictures will help students visualize history rather than just take notes and read textbooks. The smart board inspires discussion and class activity, which is promising for a social studies classroom because many students see it as a boring subject without much creativity involved. Interaction between classmates, teacher, and the use of the smart board will take the traditional note-taking, text reading social studies class to an interactive class.
          Another aspect of a social studies class besides history is geography. With the smart board, looking at maps and investigating areas will become a better experience and help the teacher greatly. The internet allows the teacher to have access to tons and tons of maps. With the features of the smart board, the teacher can interact and manipulate the maps to show students different aspects of the areas. Bringing up the website Google maps on the smart board is an example of how easily many maps can be accessed and shown to the students. Like the history content, students can find this boring by just looking at maps in the textbook or reading about areas. With the smart board, students can get a better visual of maps and landscapes and interact with the maps. The smart board has become a very useful tool for social studies teachers and is helping them make history interesting and relevant to students. The smart board is turning the social studies classroom into an interactive classroom instead of just a note taking and reading class.

History of Technology in Social Studies

The overhead projector: changing the view for students in social studies.

http://photovalet.com/76656

Technology Autobiography

     The three most influential communication technologies I decided on were the cell phone, the computer, and email. All of these technologies have affected my life both positively and negatively. They have made me into a procrastinator on some occasions in terms of school work but they have helped me accomplish tasks more conveniently. I could not imagine my life without these technologies since they have become such a major part of how I accomplish things. The enhancements in communication technology recently has changed our society so much that people, including myself, have a hard time communicating with each other without some sort of technology to help them.

Reflect upon how these technologies have shaped your own life for better and for worse:
     The first communication technology I chose was the cell phone. In the video, one girl claims that her cell phone has become her third hand because she is always using it. This is how I am as well. My cell phone is always around me, especially since I have an Iphone, which is capable of helping me navigate somewhere, has access to the internet, music, and I can communicate with friends and family. These aspects of the Iphone have positively affected my life since everything has become more convenient. I am always able to stay in touch with family and friends through phone calls and texting. Even though my cell phone is very important to me it has affected me negatively in some ways. Some times I am on my cell phone too much, making me procrastinate with school work. Constantly texting has also affected me negatively since talking to people in person or on the phone has been limited and communicating has become more difficult due to texting. The positive aspects of the cell phone definitely outweigh the negatives since it is such a major part of my life and how I communicate.

     The second most influential communication technology I chose was the computer. The computer is capable of so many things that help me with daily tasks, especially school work. I have access to so much information for school that I would not have without the computer and the internet. Not only does it allow you to find so much information, but it is easy and convenient to get this information. Also, the computer and its access to the internet has made social media a very important aspect of people's lives today, including myself. I have a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and without the computer I would not have as much access to them as I do. The computer has affected me negatively because I get distracted very easily by the social media that my computer gives me access to, which has made me into a procrastinator, affecting my school work.

      The last influential communication technology I chose was email. Email has made communicating with professors and people I associate with at school so much easier. When I need help with an assignment, have questions about things, or need to address something, I can email my professors easily and usually get a response back quickly and efficiently. Without email, it would be very difficult to get in touch with certain people if I do not have access to their telephone number. Another benefit I get from email is the emails i receive. These emails notify me of bills I have to pay or important announcements that I need to see. Email has affected me negatively in terms of communicating with people in person. Like texting, email has become a way for people to communicate but without conversing in person, altering people's abilities to communicate face to face. I find myself having this sort of problems in some occasions since I am so used to emailing or texting to communicate.

• How, if at all, have any of the three technologies impacted the ways in which you learn new information?

     The computer has definitely impacted the way I learn new information. The amount of information the computer is capable of processing has enhanced my learning experiences because I am able to find almost any kind of information possible. Rather than going to a dictionary to learn the definition of a word or going to an encyclopedia to find out certain information, I can easily type in key words into a search engine and tons of options are provided. Also, when I have to type up information for a paper, spell check on Microsoft word has made it very easy to make a spelling or grammar mistake and not even know you have done it. This helps me because the editing process does not take much effort anymore since spell check usually catches mistakes right away. This does affect the way I am learning negatively because now I am not aware of when I am making these mistakes so I do not learn how to fix it. I have noticed that when I am writing a paper, I really rely on spell check to fix spelling and grammar mistakes. I will still use the computer as a way to learn new information despite some of the negative aspects it comes with.

• What are the similarities and differences between your uses of those 3 most influential technologies as compared to the uses of technologies among the young people in this video?

       The similarities between my uses of technology and the people in the video revolve mostly around the cell phone and computer. One girl in the video explains that her cell phone has become like a third hand. I can definitely relate to this since I am always using my cell phone and if I am not it is still near me at all times. I do think of the cell phone as a necessity like the young people in the video because this is how I stay in contact with everyone I need to, but also how I use social media, and email. A lot of what the computer does, my Iphone can now do, so I always rely on it for access to information and communicating. Another similarity with the young people of the video is how they kept explaining the convenience of technology like the computer and cell phone. I think this is why I rely on these things so much because it so convenient to find information or to communicate with someone quickly through texting or email. Another similarity is when some of the young people describe technology as a form of entertainment whether it be gaming or music. I can not relate on the gaming level, but I can relate to the music. The only way I have access to the music I prefer is on the internet since the radio does not play what I enjoy. The gaming, music production and music making are the differences I found between my experiences with technology and theirs. I do not use gaming systems or play games on the computer. I also have never produced music or made music by using technology. Between my experiences with technology and the experiences of the young people in the video, it is very apparent that technology has become the number one resource we use to communicate.