Reaching Up to Close the Gap

Underprivileged individuals, Students, and employees that can't afford to have high-access to the Internet at home and can't afford to buy Laptops, cellphones, and iPad are the ones affected by the digital divide. This lack of Internet access creates further barriers to economic opportunities and mobility. M. Wolske, pg.85, said The digital divide further represents the social framing of a range of sociotechnical artifacts as exclusively technical matters, something the digital inclusion and other movements are trying to reframe. 

Before starting this program, I told my husband I needed an uninterrupted high-speed Internet connection while attending my online classes. He didn't waste time and wanted to avoid getting interrupted while watching his news and football game. So far, everything has run smoothly and with no problem since the beginning of this quarter. 

I finished my bachelor's degree with Limited access to the Internet and electronic devices. The lack of these Technologies didn't make me want to quit, but it motivated me, I didn't have a computer, and I needed to go to an Internet Café next to my Dormitory and pay for every hour I consumed to finish my projects. To get free access to the Internet, I needed to use my free time to go to our computer lab and familiarize myself with this electronic device (computer). 

Knowing how to use these digital technologies would help in giving me a significant advantage in my life. Being in school again and taking IT classes will enhance my tech industry knowledge. Indeed, some of us don't realize how lucky we are to access the Internet and have these different devices to make our life easy (Arjun Lingala ). I agree with Young-moo Kim that we love to believe that new things will solve the problem of a device and app service. And we should remember the real goal is equity. We all get access to everything and must embrace and use them appropriately.

Wolske, M. (2020, January 1). 3A: The digitization of divides. Academia.edu. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.academia.edu/84332378/3A_The_Digitization_of_Divides 

 TEDxTalks. (2019, June 24). Getting woke to the digital divide | Youngmoo Kim | tedxphiladelphia. YouTube. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d5R5ZjRzsc 

How the Internet Has Changed Everyday Life

The importance of the Internet has grown over the past year. I remember when I was a kid—born in a developing nation where the Internet wasn't that popular. It changed over time only Schools, banks, hospitals, businesses, and people that could afford this advanced technology connected to the Internet. Our types of equipment were common and needed no internet connection. We were all living in an ordinary world.

When I came to the US, everything was so advanced. All the technologies developed and changed over time to make them better and accessible to everybody. Many appliances and devices can connect to the Internet ( Jordan Duffy  ). Most everything you see is connected. I don't need to go to school and fight the traffic because I can do it from home. Everything is so convenient and impressive. But we should put only some of our dependence on the Internet and technologies. 

This technology built by us sometimes may require us to change our method of using them. I agree with Martin Wolske that the Internet has been designed, developed, and implemented within various political, economic, social, and cultural structures. A lot of benefits of having the Internet are that we have easy access to everything, making our life easy and convenient. I agree with Rose Barker that Personal devices and appliances are now designed to hold the information you are willing to give them without question. We can also limit our usage, protect our privacy, and, most significantly, have a connection with our loved ones. We don't want to miss a lot of beautiful moments around us because of the Internet.

"The Internet gave us access to everything, but it also gave everything access to us" James Veitch. 

Wolske, M. (2020). 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. 

TEDxTalks. (2016, May 21). The internet of things | Jordan Duffy | TEDxSouthBank. YouTube. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzy84Vb_Gxk 

Barker, R. (n.d.). Internet of things: Are smart devices helping or harming? Rose Barker: Internet of Things: Are Smart Devices Helping or Harming? | TED Talk. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.ted.com/talks/rose_barker_internet_of_things_are_smart_devices_helping_or_harming 

The more you practice, the stronger these connections become

When I first came to the United States, I knew it would be very challenging. Almost everything was new to me—a new family, culture, and environment. I had relatives who had migrated here years ago. They occupied some of my time and allowed me to eat a lot of my homeland's food while my husband was working. I missed my family in the Philippines, and the technologies like phones and computers helped to ease my homesickness. I can see and talk to them daily, even thousands of miles away.

 I was amazed at how advanced the technologies were. Kids, adults, and older people are good at using these different communication platforms. I agree with John Spencer that they designed these Universal ways so everybody can use them; they called this the Universal Design of Learning. Hospitals, movie theaters, restaurants, and schools have similar equipment, tools, and technologies that are designed for accessibility for everybody. Martin Wolske remark that Advancing our well-being through digital and non-digital technologies to realize our functioning requires active co-explorations within communities of inquiry. I have been learning different aspects of life, even different cultures.

 I quickly get along with people from different cultures. I agree with Theresa Doupe's analogy that diversity improves cognitive skills and critical thinking. My curiosity is a big part of me, which helps in motivating me to take the hard way challenges. It increases my capability of learning something new, including going back to school and learning more. Teachers are very accommodating if we need help. They make sure that everybody understands and everybody participates in the class. The most important thing is to share their knowledge with their students. And I am always ready to learn new that will increase my self-esteem and self-efficacy.

Wolske, M. (2020). 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. 

TEDxTalks. (2018, May 7). Diversity, inclusion and universal design | Teddi Doupe | TEDxUAlberta. YouTube. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI-rsKbIvfc 

Spencer, J. (2021, August 24). What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? YouTube. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL2xPwDrGqQ 

The Power to Succeed is In Your Own Hands

We are all busy with our lives. Sometimes we forget that all we are doing is controllable. We can balance our time if we are willing to do so. Yip, Alphie. (2020) It's not easy, but we will get used to it. Planning is an excellent way to organize our life in school and everyday tasks. As they said, follow the flow. "When we work hard at something, we like to be rewarded—with grades, praise, money, or something else we value. Part of our job as a student is to study course material for exams or future applications." (Stone 2014 pg.100). 

I did a different strategy that will make me effective. I had already set my plan before returning to school. I need to reduce my hours at work and not do overtime. While at work, if my job is relatively relaxed, I do my assignment and read lectures during my breaks. And when I get home, I still have time to watch a movie with my family. I still have time to exercise, clean the house and do some errands. What I can't do that I usually do is take a family vacation and edit videos for my Reels. (Meta pay me to do this short video). 

Often my coworkers said it's hard to balance a job and school. I told myself I had a full-time job and school and a 3-year-old kid. And it depends on how you handle and balance your time. I need to think positively because not everybody is the same. Determination is essential because it enables us to persist in facing difficulties. Believe in yourself, and we are in control of our life. Even in the most challenging moments, we still get to decide what to do. Believe in our ability to reach our goals.

Citations

Stone, M. (2014). Own your education!: A student's guide to greater success in school (and life). Pearson Education. 

YIP, A. L. P. H. I. E. (n.d.). Yip, Alphie. (2020). Finding Balance at Medical School [video blog].