Thoughts on technology

Its amazing at how far technology has come since I was in school. I have only been out of high school for 13 years but technology has changed so much. From cell phones to internet to video games, technology is no where near where it used to be. I feel like my parents telling me about how they had TV in black and white and thinking that was so "old school".
We didn't have cell phones when I was in school. I felt special when my parents got me my own phone line so I didn't have to use the phone in the kitchen with the long cord that could stretch half-way down the length of the house. And then a few months later caller ID became available. Cell phones were very expensive so only a few people had them. My friend Melissa had a pager in 1998 when we were in college and I remember thinking how cool she was, but no one my age owned a cell phone, those were mostly owned by professional adults. Now days most high school kids have cell phones, and many middle school kids also do. I have become so reliant on this technology. I can't leave my house without my cell phone.
Another technology we didn't have is texting. If we wanted to communicate we wrote notes in class and gave them to our friends or boyfriends in between classes. Now days people are texting and using all kinds of acronyms and other lingo that I cant even keep up with. This convenient technology has made people become so dependent on instant communication between another individual.
When I was in school, Internet was new and only a few people I knew actually had it on their home computers . We did not have it at home. In fact, we did not own a computer. If I needed to type a report I used an electric typewriter or went to my friend's house to use her computer. Internet at that time was something you paid for by how much you used it. And it was very slow. I remember feeling special when I got married in 1999 and my husband and I had the internet on our computer, AOL dial-up. Most students today have the privilege of having their own computers, printers and internet access at home.
If I needed information for a report the only option was to go to the library and look for the information in books. I didnt have the luxury of being able to look up anything I wanted from the convenience of my own home computer. Now, my answer to everything is "Let's google it". When my kids want to know about something that happened in history, or how something works we are fortunate to be able to go right to our computer and find the answer in a matter of seconds. Students today have an easier time researching with the Internet right at their fingertips.
Students today are so very fortunate to grow up with all the great technology available. I am excited to be able to learn about all the new technology out there and share it with my students. Technology is always changing, and I am looking forward to seeing how much technology changes in the next 13 years.