In kindergarten, I took my first technology class. We didn’t really learn much about typing or anything, but mostly played this one supposedly educational game every day that we had class. I didn’t use a computer for any other purpose until sixth grade when I was required to take a keyboarding class. Because I was probably the slowest typist in the class, I always fell behind in classwork. Eventually, I caught up and became a rather fast typist. That same year everyone was required to take a technology class as well where I learned the useful skills of writing a check, fixing a leaky faucet, and building a stick-bridge. Learning to write a check was fairly useful, but I forgot how to do it by the time I actually had to write a check. It will always be nice to know how to fix a leaky faucet in case one day I need to. I’m not sure when I will ever use the stick-bridge skill. I guess that one was just for my entertainment. Two years later, I had to take yet another keyboarding class. I definitely did not have any trouble that time because I had used a computer more so typing came much easier to me. Using a computer is a piece of cake nowadays after the many years of using it more and more frequently.
When I was reading the digital literacy example by Tiffany, she said she does not define a person by what they do with technology. I agree with her. For example, a guy might like a girl a lot but is way too shy to tell her in person. So he decided to tell her in a text. When he did this, he came across braver than he actually is and generally just came across as a whole different person. Because of situations like this, technology can change a person. He or she can appear completely different from who he or she actually is. I could not possibly judge someone just by the way they talk to me in a text. For the most part, I do not rely on technology to make my decisions. In class, it was stated that technology defines us. I do not believe that statement is correct.
I can sum up that for a person to be digitally literate, he or she should have a basic knowledge of how to use technology. Most digitally literate people will have grown up with it, but not all have. My dad is actually a network administrator and my mom works in the electrical and computer engineering department. They both know more about computers than I do. I ask them questions all of the time. My grandpa taught a technology class for many years including the one I took and my grandma does not struggle with technology either. Some people just understand it better than others. There are many more older people that did not grow up with technology like I have that are more of a digital native than I am.
