How was it possible to write research papers before computers, especially laptops? What was writing like before font styles, color choices, and print size? Not to mention typing multiple drafts because of one mistake. As a college student, I don't know what I would do without my laptop (or a desktop computer). Despite my quality typing skills acquired in 7th grade, the backspace key gets a lot of hits due to my typos and my constantly changing train of thought.
 |
| Typewriter circa 1934 |
Personal typing technology used to consist of a typewriter followed by a word processor, both of which only allowed typing on paper stuck between the rollers. Now, we have word processing programs on our computers, allowing our laptops to be used for schoolwork, from literally producing the writing in Word to looking up information on the Internet.
Walking around North Dakota State University, I notice people on their laptops before, during, and after class. What could they possibly be doing for all that time? Does this constant laptop use get in the way of our personal life or does it take us away from our work? An article from February 14, 2010 called "Till Gadget Do We Part" on the Economic Times website discusses how couples' laptop use puts strain, and sometimes struggle, on their relationships.
The article states that being constantly connected to a laptop for work-related purposes can put strain on a relationship. For example, instead of watching television and relaxing with your significant other after supper, you are drawn instead to checking your email or finishing up a report for the next day, possibly causing some resentment from your partner.
According to research done by Boston College and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell researchers in 2005, students who use their laptops for schoolwork, especially writing papers, performed better on a Massachusetts standardized test. In contrast, students who spent ample time on their laptops for recreation didn't do as well in the standardized test's reading category. With the ability to multitask so easily, college students actually use their laptops for work, for fun, and for keeping in touch with family... all simultaneously.
In a March 2010 article by Eric Adler and Laura Bauer, experts agree to disagree. Some say that technology will potentially destroy relationships while others believe that relationships will flourish. I suppose it all comes down to personal control, however, for college students, opting out of laptop usage is almost impossible.
It's amazing that simple typewriters and word processors have evolved into laptops that allow us to work, play, and maintain (or mess up) personal relationships at the same time. Researchers are still in hot debate about the positives and negatives of laptops for students, but I think most of us would agree that we couldn't get along without them.
I thought you picked a good topic to blog about. I am a heavy laptop user both in class and out and some of what you said rung true to me. The sources and pictures you used were really good. The sources were current and credible while the pictures gave a good time line to follow. Both added to the blog and made it easy to follow.
ReplyDeleteThe only nit-picky thing I had a problem with concerned a technical difficulty. I'm not sure if this was a computer glitch or something you can fix, but the words that showed where the links to your sources were not highlighted. The only way I could see where the link was by pointing my mouse over the words. The links still worked fine when I tried it. Hopefully, it was something that can be an easy fix. Other than that, good job on the blog. I enjoy your choice of topics.
I really like your use of your multi-media. I think your pictures really add a lot to your overall blog posts. They are visually appealing as well as they go along great with the topic of your blog post. I also like how you use more than one multi-media image in all your posts. Although the requirements only state that we need to use one, you are always using more than one on all your posts. I think that shows your dedication to creating a great post every time with the effort you put into finding multiple images or a video. I think you are doing a great job with blogging and I am interested to see all the different images and videos you find to use for your future blog posts. Just be sure now not to slack on putting up more than one image or video now because I think you really showed your dedication thus far.
ReplyDeleteThe writing of the blog is very good but kind of think that the title does not totally fit. If you went by the title I would think it’s about the evolution from the typewriter to a laptop. The blog seems to be about 2 different subjects as you read further into blog. There are statistics about how a student does that uses a laptop. Then there is information on how it affects relationships and if it helps maintain current relationships.
ReplyDeleteI found the evolution of the technology interesting and could be the subject of another blog. Maybe about how easily each was used. You could also expand in the subject of media multiplexity. Your block quote mentioned how that couple used multiple devices to maintain their relationship. I like the images you used. It is very hard to believe that people had to write papers with typewriters and probably had to use a card catalog at a library to do the research for those papers. I had a class with an electronic typewriter so the keys were easier and you had a button to fix your mistakes at least.