Journal Entries
Technology Journal Prompt #1
Resume Preflection
To be an ideal candidate for my future job, I have to be willing to adapt. The working environment has changed considerably because of technological advances, to the point that even some old technologies are obsolete (e.g. cassette tapes). To keep up with these technological developments, I need to pay attention to any upcoming technologies that might have an impact in the future. A current example is Virtual Reality. VR already exists, but currently it is not very expansive due to costs and a non-unified front. However, I predict that it will become something big in the future, because Virtual Reality has so many potential uses even outside of gaming.
Although VR will take gaming to the next level by immersing the player into the game world, I can see it being used (remotely too!) for mass training employees, therapy, giving house tours for real estate, and more. Because the area has a lot of potential and pertains to my future job, I need to prepare myself for a major appearance in the market by learning about how to develop games (I want to be a game developer) that are designed specifically for VR.
A potential challenge I see in my way of adapting to the working environment is that my predictions could be wrong, meaning that I would lose time investing in something that was not worthwhile. Unfortunately, I cannot see the future so I have to make a thought-out assessment on what could be valuable instead, but as a human, I am not free of error. However, I think this is a risk worth taking given the technological developments in the past. When I was small, my younger brother and I talked about how cool it would be if computers had touch screens. And voila--today I own a touchscreen laptop. I also thought about how amazing a video game would be if it could incorporate movement into it, then in 2006, Nintendo gave us the Wii. My point is, it is not too difficult to tell what will become popular. I am a consumer as well, so every once in a while I think, "what if this had that" or "it would be so convenient if they added this in the future."
Another challenge with all the new technologies is that if I don't keep up with them, I could lose my value real fast. Using outdated methods will decrease my chances of finding a job, because they are less efficient than newer methods. Therefore, I really need to stay on top of technological developments. For example, my mother kept a flip phone for the longest time, now in an age where they are a rarity. She switched to an iPhone recently. However, since she was so late to accepting the prominent technology, she is very slow to use it and cannot utilize its full potential. If she had converted to a touch screen phone earlier, she would have been able to familiarize herself with its functions at the same time everyone else was getting used to it also. Because she was so reluctant to change, everyone else had already sped past and overlapped her, and instead of being impressed that she owns a touchscreen phone (which would be a normal reaction in the time of flip phones), her clumsy use of the iPhone is now an oddity that few can sympathize with. The moral is that even if the changes occur as quickly as a snap, as said before, I need to be willing to adapt so that I don't become dull. A blunt edge cannot accomplish the task that it is intended for; the only way to keep the edge sharp is to keep updating the skills in my repertoire.
Technology Journal Prompt #2
Role of Technology
Technology is essential to my life. I use it daily, just like almost everyone else. Even if a small part is taken away, I have to make uncomfortable arrangements. A few days ago, a storm caused a blackout in my neighborhood. My brother and I went without power from 9:00p.m. to about 2:00p.m. the next day. We lost power for less than a day, but that short time (although it was the longest I've ever went without power) emphasized my reliance on technology like a sore thumb. In the morning, I couldn't cook breakfast because the stove, microwave, oven, and rice cooker were rendered useless so I had to eat elsewhere. I was also scrambling around to find outlets for my electrical devices. Although I am reliant on technology, I don't think that's bad.
Technology has made me a more efficient person. Instead of writing my papers on, well, paper, I can type them up on the computer. The latter way is much more efficient because 1) I type a lot faster than I write, 2) I can easily make edits to the document, 3) the computer has built-in spelling and grammar checkers, which are primitive but we can also use online resources, that point out mistakes on the spot. Technology has also made me a more curious person. I can learn about a lot on the internet, and though teaching myself something from the internet might not be the most reliable method, it is a great way to start. Studying another language would have been difficult before the advent of the internet because it requires you to physically search for books, hire tutors, or take classes at some reputable school. Now, with a couple of keystrokes I can find very basic lessons online (I've been trying to learn Korean this way!) and easily search for all the resources I need.
Technology indisputably brings benefits. In my opinion, the benefits severely outweigh the cons. Through continuous development over centuries, technology has brought civilization out from the Dark Ages to the legitimate institutions of the modern era. If we didn't have technology, we would still be stuck in a time where the Devil was the most plausible reason for causing deadly diseases. An example that pertains to me is the GPS. I have an awful sense of direction so the GPS is my saving grace. GPS has made my life a whole lot easier when I'm driving. Technology created for consumers is made for smoothing out their lives. Of course, there will be people who abuse new technologies in ways that they are not intended for use. The biggest scares I have with technology are streams of unwanted pop-ups while browsing the Internet, but that is normal. That might be a reason why I don't have anything against rapid technological advancements. We shouldn't stop growing technology because of the potential consequences it brings. If technological development stopped, then we might not be able to solve current issues dependent on new technology (e.g. cancer, cold cases). New technologies bring problems but it is better to keep the cycle of solving and bringing problems in motion because by solving problems, we are continually advancing our knowledge.
Technology Journal Prompt #3
Imagine
Technical communication might seem robotic and procedural because it is used in professional settings. However, a lot of thought goes into making sure the communication is as clear as possible. In technical communication, the message (ideally) to the audience should be efficient with no room for misunderstanding. Since the focus is on the audience, imagination does have a role. The audience receiving the message shouldn't have to think far to understand the message. Another concern is that people in the audience do not all interpret the message the same way. If messages are phrased wrong, they could have unintended meanings. The goal in technical communication is to eliminate all misunderstandings possible. The sender of the message must consider what other meanings their words (or whatever medium is used) could have. They need to be imaginative about the ways their message could be twisted into something completely different, and take measures to prevent that.
In professions where consequences are heavy, it is extremely important that the message is clear. If the message is taken the wrong way, it could have irreversible damage on ethos. Although imagination is not necessary, I think it is important for good technical writing. Being open-ended about how receivers can interpret the message is a part of reader-based prose. Reader-based prose isn't rigid because there are different kinds of audiences. That's why there isn't a one-size-fits-all procedure that works for every situation. The best way is to put yourself in the possible audiences' shoes and counteract every situation that could arise. It is a flawed method because the sender does not equal the receiver, but with proper imagination, the result will be a nice starting point for revising.
Technology Journal Prompt #4
Technical Communication and Science Fiction
Although I don't really indulge in texts, movies, or the like, I enjoy the science fiction genre. Common themes that I see in titles (books, games, etc.) that I'm familiar with though are that technology brings unforeseeable consequences, and that humans bite off more than they can chew. The cultural value that is being conveyed is that people are hungry for power, so much that they might not care about the ramifications that follow.
Take, for instance, Divergent by Veronica Roth. The quest for power here is to eliminate the unproductive members of society, thus creating a better society. The government wanted to eradicate unwanted characteristics, like greed, cowardice, and dishonesty. The consequence was that the experiments backfired and started a war. In Frankenstein (Mary Shelley), Victor Frankenstein attempted to control life and ultimately paid the price in the lives of his family and friends. Or in The Terminator, where Skynet, a computer designed to improve USA military capabilities, ends up trying to obliterate humankind.
There are a bunch more titles I can name that have the recurring theme, even though I don't really immerse myself in a variety of entertainment. I think this theme reflects militarism and the desire to keep improving. However, the consequences that these titles showcase reveal that we are afraid of going too far. The fear acts as a limiter telling us not to realize schemes too grand for our control. Which also reflects another value: the need to be in control, and thus we are back to power again.
Technology Journal Prompt #5
More on Your Future as a Technical Communicator and Citizen in a Technological World
If I was a worker, I'd feel very uncomfortable working at that company. Choosing to install all those software sends the message that the company is very strict about keeping its employees in line, and that the company doesn't trust its employees to work on their own. I think that is an extremely negative environment for working; I would be too worried making sure I didn't accidentally click something, and going to work would feel ten times worse, therefore lowering my productivity. A necessary amount of measures installed is fine, but all the above-mentioned at once is too overbearing.
Some of those measures can also put me in trouble when I have done nothing wrong. By counting the amount of non-company emails received, the company is also keeping track of spam/advertising emails. They could also be from customers asking questions or trolls up to no good. Keeping track of non-work-related emails I receive would be unfair because it is outside of my control. Tracking keystrokes is also a problem. If I was writing a report using the company's computer, everything I've typed (and erased) can be seen. That means even writing that's not finalized can be seen. This is a problem because obviously if the report has not gone through editing, there would be mistakes and phrases which can be misinterpreted. Those could be used against me, and I also find that unfair because (almost) nothing is perfect the first time being written.
The other measures are reasonable. Since I'm at work, my priority is (of course) to work, so I wouldn't be checking social media or elsewhere. The same logic applies to monitoring my phone. I find the amount of time actually spent in front of the computer an almost useless number. I could be letting the computer idle and still be in front of it, so I'm not bothered by this measure.