Core 1 Second Draft

Tyler Kingsley
Professor Moody
ENC 1102-0105
Feb. 11, 2010

Exploring Digital Literacy


As time goes on, technology advances for the better, but are we becoming too dependent on it? Yes. As a society, we depend too much on technology to simplify our lives, when it can actually complicate life if not used properly. For example, credit cards are a nice technological luxury to have. However, those who depend on credit cards will find themselves in unrecoverable debt. There is a way to enjoy technology and not be too dependent on it at the same time. I try to incorporate technology into my life as a tool, not a life raft. Unfortunately, it has an impact on what I can do every day and, at times, forces me to depend on it more than I would like.


Technology is used as a tool in my life on a day-to-day basis. Before I leave my apartment to go anywhere, I always make sure I have my cell phone with me. Using the technology that my cell phone offers, I can become more reliable. I can send and receive emails, navigate myself using the GPS system, and make emergency phone calls if needed. The most important technological tool I use is my laptop computer. I use it everyday for homework, class work, and socializing. According to Selber, functional literacy is “…a tool metaphor that stresses effective computer use…” where computers are tools and students are users of technology (25). Through the use of working with computers, I have grown a certain level of expertise of functional literacy. I am able to use Microsoft Office, myUCF portal, email, instant messaging, Skype, and much more. These tools are essential for keeping up with college level work and still being able to keep in touch with friends. Microsoft Office, myUCF and emails are used to help me complete the rigorous work and assignments I am given to do everyday. On the other hand, instant messaging and Skype lets me focus on relaxing with friends on the Internet. I would say that computers have impacted my life for the better by allowing me to easily complete my schoolwork, and then distancing myself as far away from it as possible.


Although I use technology as a tool, there are a few times I depend on it. I use the spelling and grammar check on Microsoft Word as a crutch for my writing assignments. I make spelling and grammar mistakes throughout my essays and depend on Microsoft Word to correct them. Whenever I am assigned to hand write an essay or homework, I begin to panic. Not only is my handwriting unreadable, but also past teachers have taken off points for typos leaving me with a grade lower than I deserve. Also, when I am given online homework for my Chemistry and Psychology, sometimes I use the Internet to help me with it. Any time I don’t know how to work a problem, I use a search engine. This, however, is my greatest technological flaw. According to Jay David Bolter, students see the computer as a definite authority and believe everything we read. The truth is that it is not and that print is more stable and reliable (3). Countless times I have chosen to search for an answer using the Internet, rather than look for it in a textbook. Every time I see an answer that I find reasonable, I believe it and never check to see if the source is reliable.


Even though technology is advanced now, it still has room to improve. I have noticed that more and more classes for school are being offered online. Advancing through elementary, middle and high school, I never thought that I could take a class for school online and receive credit for it. I decided to take an economics class online my senior year of high school. I was surprised to see how a class could be taught without ever seeing your teacher. The only time I made contact with my teacher was on the phone for my monthly oral exam. Now that I am in college, I am finding out that most students have taken online classes. The advancement in technology allows professors to even use Skype to video chat with their students to mock a classroom setting. One area that technology for online classes could improves in is incorporating the learning techniques used in actual classrooms. Many teachers and professors assign work to be completed with partners or group. An online class cannot offer this. The benefit of working with other students is being able to brainstorm ideas to come to a solution and have an unclear lesson reworded from a student’s perspective.


The most important technology used in everyone’s lives will be used in their future careers. I plan on becoming a Forensics Trace Evidence Analyst, which uses multiple forms of technology everyday. The main technological tool I will be using is a Scanning Electron Microscope. It will locate and identify almost every type of chemical and gunshot residue on any object. I will have to learn how to use this microscope much like Danielle DeVoss learned how to use the computer. DeVoss looked over her brother’s shoulder to learn how to use the computer (184). I will look over an experienced Analyst’s shoulder to learn how the microscope works. Further advancement in technology can only be beneficial for Forensic Science. Many murder cases become cold due to outdated technology and old techniques. Murderers will be set free and the case will go unsolved until new technology is created.


Whether you are a technological genius or technologically challenged, it can benefit your life. From cell phones and computers to microscopes, technology should be used as a tool we can master, not something to depend on. When the day comes that we can no longer function without the use of technology, then it changes from a tool to a life raft. We would struggle to perform routine tasks without its aid at our fingertips. To prevent this from happening, practice Selber’s theory of functional literacy to keep all technological uses as a tool. Once technology has been mastered as a tool, its uses will become beneficial and create a positive spin on life.


Works Cited


Bolter, Jay David. Introduction from Writing Space. 1-13. Print.


DeVoss, Danielle. "The Future of Literacy." Literate Lives in
the Information Age. 183-210. Web. 1 Feb 2010.


Selber, Stuart A. Multiliteracies for a Digital Age. 1-29. Print.

Core 1 Rough Draft

Tyler Kingsley
Professor Moody
ENC 1102-0105
Feb. 9, 2010

Exploring Digital Literacy

As time goes on, technology advances for the better, but are we becoming too dependent on it? I try to incorporate technology into my life as a tool, not a life raft. It has an impact on what I can do every day and tries to make me more dependant on it. Overall, I would say I have a relatively high level of technological expertise.

Technology has impacted my life on a day-to-day basis. Before I leave my apartment to go anywhere, I always make sure I have my cell phone with me. Using the technology that my cell phone gives me allows me to be more dependable. I can send and receive emails, navigate myself using the GPS system, and make emergency phone calls if needed. The most important technological device I use is my laptop computer. I use it everyday for homework, class work, and socializing. According to Selber, functional literacy is “…a tool metaphor that stresses effective computer use…” where computers are tools and students are users of technology (25). Through the use of working with computers, I have grown a certain level of expertise of functional literacy. I am able to use Microsoft Office, myUCF portal, email, instant messaging, Skype, and much more. These tools are essential for keeping up with college level work and still being able to keep in touch with friends. Microsoft Office, myUCF and emails are used to help me complete the rigorous work and assignments I am given to do everyday. On the other hand, instant messaging and Skype lets me focus on relaxing with friends on the Internet. I would say that computers have impacted my life for the better by allowing me to easily complete my schoolwork, and then distancing myself as far away from it as possible.

Although I use technology as a tool, there are a few times I depend on it. I use the spelling and grammar check on Microsoft Word as a crutch for my writing assignments. I make spelling and grammar mistakes throughout my essays and depend on Microsoft Word the correct them. Whenever I am assigned to hand write and essay or homework, I begin to panic. Not only is my handwriting unreadable, but also past teachers have taken off points for typos leaving me with a grade that’s lower than I deserve. Also, when I am given online homework for my Chemistry and Psychology, sometimes I use the Internet to help me with it. Any time I don’t know how to work a problem, I use a search engine. This, however, is my greatest technological flaw. According to Jay David Bolter, students see the computer as a definite authority and believe everything we read. The truth is that it is not and that print is more stable and reliable (3). Countless times I have chosen to search for an answer using the Internet, rather than look for it in a textbook. Every time I see an answer that I find reasonable, I believe it and never check to see if it is reliable.

Even though technology is advanced now, it still has room to improve. I have noticed that more and more classes for school are being offered online. Advancing through elementary, middle and high school, I never thought that I could take a class for school online and receive credit for it. I decided to take an economics class online my senior. I was surprised to see how well a class could be taught without ever seeing your teacher. The only time I made contact with my teacher was on the phone for my monthly oral exam. Now that I am in college, I am finding out that most students take online classes at least once. Some professors even use Skype to video chat with their students to mock a classroom setting. At this rate of increasing online classes taken, students will stop going to a college campus and stay home to go to class. This would benefit the students who do not have access to online classes by reducing the student to teacher ratio, thus giving them more individual time with the professor.

The most important technology that I will ever use will be used in my future career. I plan on becoming a Forensics Trace Evidence Analyst, which uses multiple forms of technology everyday. The main piece of technology I will be using is a Scanning Electron Microscope. It will locate and identify almost every type of chemical and gunshot residue on any object. Further advancement in technology can only be beneficial for Forensic Science. Many murder cases become cold due to outdated technology and old techniques. Murderers will be set free and the case will go unsolved until new technology is created.

Whether you are a technology genius or technology challenged, technology can benefit your life. From cell phones and computers to microscopes, technology should be used as a tool we can maser, not something to depend on. Also, technology is continuing to advance and become more beneficial to those who use it. Without these advances, school classrooms will continue to be over crowded and murder cases will turn cold and unsolved. Being an expert at technology has helped me become who I am today and enriched my life.

Audience Awareness

The claim of this author is that teachers should begin teaching their students to write with their audience in mind. She says how "...nine-year-olds seemed to be trapped, having neither a real nor a representational image of the audience..." On the other hand, sixth-grade and high school writers know how to distinguish different audiences, but not how to fully satisfy their needs. One reason as to why teachers should teach audience awareness, is to show that the person grading the paper should not be the only intended audience. Students write using "nice sounding words" and plenty of facts and information because they are too focused on what their teacher wants to realize what audience they should be writing to.

Core I Part II Participate

I am positive that for the rest of my life I will be using technology. I plan on entering the College of Sciences as a Forensics Analysis major specializing in trace evidence. The only way to do my future job is through the use of technology. Some examples of these technologies are computer systems, storage devices, and electronic documents. These technologies help find legal evidence on computers, CD-ROM’s, emails, and JPEG’s that can be used in court to incriminate a suspect. Another example of technology is the Scanning Electron Microscope. This microscope will be an important part of my career because it can locate and identify chemical and gunshot residues on objects.

To obtain this goal, I will have to enter the College of Sciences and become an intern at a local crime lab. Through this, I will learn the technology of the high-tech equipment at school, and then apply my knowledge on the actual equipment at the lab. I will also have to graduate from UCF with a Master's degree to become a full time Trace Evidence Analyst.