Technology Autobiography
Technology Autobiography Assignment Guidelines
Grading: 100 points
An autobiography is a narrative that tells a story of your own life, in your own words. A technology autobiography, therefore, tells the story of your life with technology. One goal of this assignment is for you to reflect on your technology use and habits. Through this, you will then write a narrative that highlights some significant interactions you have had with technology thus far and what those interactions may reveal about you.
Your audience for this writing is your peers and your classmates. Using them as your audience allows you to think about the role technology plays in your life, to share some views about technology use, and to learn about and from each others’ perspectives.
You may consider the responses to our Technology Survey in this exercise, as well as readings we have had in class or also outside of class. Additional questions are listed below to help ignite ideas and spark memories to assist you in developing your Technology Autobiography. Use all these tools to guide you in your brainstorming process. Choose questions that interest you or are relevant to you. Don’t simply answer questions, but use them as an entry into your analysis and writing.
- What early experiences with technology do you recall?
- What do you remember about your earliest use of technologies?
- What stories do your parents tell about your interactions with technology?
- What were the popular gadgets in your house while you were growing up?
- How did your experiences and knowledge about technology change over time?
- Who do you identify as being the most “technologically literate” person in your life? What makes that person’s relationship with technology so special?
- What are social consequences or potential impacts on your lifestyle that depend on your technological capabilities?
- What do you think it will mean to be technologically literate in the near future?
- How do you learn technologies?
- Among your friends, are you considered an “early adopter,” a “late adopter,” or somewhere in the middle? Why?
- What technology do you use here at college?
- What technological devices do you generally have with you?
- What’s on your technological “wish list”?
Keep in mind that engaging narratives tend to focus around a singular idea and are rich in detail. You may include images, links, etc. to supplement, but also complement, your writing.
Your technology autobiography will be submitted as a blog post. Your post should be between 400 and 700 words (excluding citations, links, graphics, etc.). When posting, include the category of ‘FYS142’ and a tag of ‘Technology Autobiography’, as well as any other relevant tags.
Due: Monday, September 17 by 11:59pm.
