This is the end...

My overall experience with this class was positive. I took this course based on what was available for a major elective. It was not a course I signed up for due to an interest in technology or computers. However, through the readings, blogs, and discussion board activities I learned a lot about myself, technology, as well as the culture we are living in. I never realized how dependent our society has become on technology. As I am somewhat skeptical of technology, computers, and the internet it was refreshing to see other people in this class share similar feelings. I found it interesting that a majority of the other students in this class had a "not so positive" outlook on technology and where it is taking us. I thought that I was in the small minority of people making up the resistance.

When I started this course eight weeks ago it was discouraging to see that I would have to read two different text books for an online class. After reading Wood and Smith in the first week and Postman in the second week I came to appreciate both books. Reading both texts was helpful in seeing both sides of the technology spectrum: one that Wood and Smith tend to favor and embrace and the opposite which Postman seems to resist. I soon learned that both texts were crucial to understanding the concepts covered in this class. It would be inappropriate for us, as students, to make claims and arguments about technology without seeing both sides of the issue. At points it became frustrating switching back and forth between the two. This led to a feeling of being bombarded with information from each side. As soon as a I started to grasp what Wood and Smith were claiming, I would follow up with Postman who contradicted everything the former had argued. Despite the somewhat present confusion, reading both of the texts was an enjoyable experience and helped me to make more informed decisions.

All of the weekly blog assignments were enjoyable for the most part. In the first week we all had to abstain from the internet for twenty-four hours. This exercise taught me the more than any other assignment. It was an excellent first activity as it showed me the dependency our culture has on the internet and technology. What I thought would be a relatively easy task turned out to be one of the more difficult things I have recently had to do. I also took a lot away from the interview assignment. Conducting three interviews with people from different generations was informative and let me see different perspectives. I was surprised to see how much my mom embraced and used the internet while my girlfriend could easily live without it. This taught me that not all young people embrace the internet and technology just the same way there are older people who are technically inclined and adept.

I had the most difficulty with the week six assignment. This assignment demanded that we join an internet group or community. The last thing I wanted to do for this class was sign up for something that I would never use after the week's assignment was completed. This is not a huge problem but becomes frustrating when you continue to get email from this website or organization long after you terminate your account. This is the one activity from this class that I would look to change, substitute, or modify in some fashion.

Now this class is finished and I am glad to have shared and received insight with fellow classmates. The assignments done in the class ultimately showed me how much, and to what extent technology runs our lives. This says a lot about our culture. As this has been the path we have chosen to follow it must be acknowledged that technology is here to stay and will continue to complicate our lives.