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CST 361S - Final Week

When I first started this class, truthfully I did not know what to expect or how I was going to use my skills in some meaningful way. I was already well aware of how great of a tool technology is in our lives, and I felt as if my experiences providing tech support both personally (I'm the family's IT person) and professionally were helpful, but I found it difficult to think about how it would help out my local community.

Working with Computers 2 SD Kids changed my perspectives on how I view technology, and it has inspired me to be more mindful about recycling technology responsibly and how important it is that everyone has access to technology and knows how to use it. Growing up in a family full of technologically inclined people and learning how to use computers from an early age, I had somewhat forgotten that technology is both a luxury and a privilege - not everyone knows how useful computers are, and most unfortunately not all students grow up learning to use computers or even have convenient access to them for their studies. Seeing that these problems exist and affect people in my local communities has inspired me to further contribute my skills and time to increase access to technology for all, and to lessen the gap created by the Digital Divide.

The discussions we had each week on difficult subjects really opened my mind on how culture and society both benefit and detract from using technology, especially in how it affects privilege and power. As much as I believe in the power of technology and its capability to change societies, I also think that we should be cautious in relying too much on it. There are already a multitude of problems arising from overuse of technology, and finding solutions to these problems is an entire field in itself.

Overall, this class was an eventful, yet meaningful experience. It was my first time doing a significant amount of volunteer work, and based on my good experience I have inspired to keep volunteering towards causes I am passionate about.


Over and out,

Cody 

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