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In elementary school we had "computer class" twice a week to learn basic text programs in Windows. I remember creating my first Santa Letter with a picture from the Word image bank. Printers were slow and had punched holes on the sides.
In middle school, teachers used projectors, I printed documents on clear plastic to present.
Floppy disks were popular (and a nightmare when ruined) and my parents invested in Encarta for research projects.
We also had typing lessons with typewriters in school. -
When I started high school, my technology use sped up rapidly. I got my first personal computer (hp laptop), which we used in class for everything. We used it to take notes, follow lessons, and access assignments with programs like PowerPoint, Excel, and Word. We also had unlimited internet access and began using social programs like ICQ and Google search. I used Hotmail for my email. Cell phones also appeared, mostly black and white flip phones like Motorola, and BlackBerry afterwards.
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Entering university, technology was essential to daily life. I continued using my laptop, and we used a site like Camino to enroll in courses, access materials, submit assignments, and communicate with classmates and teachers. Search engines grew popular, and Facebook quickly became part of our social lives. iPods were widely used for music, and though phones had simple cameras, we began taking pictures with them. The university also started making publications and books available online.
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I remember the day I went to Verizon to get my first iPhone (iPhone 4) after having a Blackberry for a long time. I had to become familiar with the apps, app store, Whatsapp but was thrilled to have a decent camera on my phone, and I officially retired my ipod. .