“It's not a faith in technology. It's faith in people.” - Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Throughout most of history, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has played a significant role in the world. May it be for work, entertainment, communication, or even education, technology has become a part of our daily lives. Even before the pandemic, ICT was a huge benefit in our lives but because of what happened, people have grasped the necessity of ICT even more.
Significant changes have occurred as we continue to rely on ICT in today's situation. Since most countries' economies have hit bottom because of the pandemic, the use of ICT has exploded, making it more helpful and dependable than ever. Businesses have grown back because of ICT, the students are studying with the help of ICT, communication and socialization are done online. With these changes, I'd like to share some of my observations from back then and now.
THE SINGING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
Children, teenagers, or even some college students wake up every morning feeling drowsy even though they have enough sleep, feeling the coldness of the water, preparing, and going to school early to line up in the court. Some are early in the line, while some are at the back because they were tardy to get up. I remember being in the middle line and sometimes at the end but never at the front line. I recall memorizing the national anthem from listening to it every time it's played during the flag ceremony, rather than reading the lyrics on the paper. Getting up every morning was so hard, and the feeling of not wanting to attend the flag ceremony but I can say that it was all part of the memorable moment of me being a student back when everything was normal. Singing the national anthem alongside other students, teachers, and school personnel was a memorable experience! However, flag ceremonies are now broadcast on Facebook live or Google Meet, which makes me feel bad for the kids who missed out on most of the experience. Students can now attend the ceremonies while still in bed; the saddest thing is that I am unable to sing the national anthem with other students and teachers.
CONCEPT NOTES
Notebooks, ball pens, a set of color pens, highlighters, and other stationery materials are my precious things when coming to school. I was even called the "national book store" at our classroom because my bag was full of school supplies, and every time a discussion was held, I always took notes of the things written on the board. My classmates always borrow my notebook because most of our teachers require us to pass notes of our lectures.
Since most classes now are held online, most teachers no longer require us to take notes. Furthermore, most of the lectures are presented via an online visual aid such as PowerPoint, which is sent via Google Classroom. Instead of spending the effort to write things down on paper, screenshots can sometimes be used. These changes made me miss shopping for stationery supplies and using them to take down notes and decorate them.
VISUAL AIDS
When our group was given the task of reporting in front of our class, we would always buy a ton of Carolina paper if we were preparing ahead of time, but I recall that there were times when we simply used manila paper since we were too busy to write our visual aids from scratch. It would ordinarily take us too long to prepare our visual aid, and the pen we use is always out of ink, requiring the purchase of two of the same pen. But at this time, the visual aids have templates. It will only take less than an hour, and I can already create a visual aid with ten slides. Furthermore, two or three persons would usually make the visual aid for it to finish quickly back then. Now, a leader can assign one person to create a presentation. The good thing is that it will be much more interesting online because of the transitions, animations, and even videos.
CLASS RECORD
It was the most nerve-wracking moment of my school life back then. Our grades were sometimes announced in class, or the teacher would call us and show us our grades on the class record paper. Despite changes in the educational system, grades are still computed using computers. The only major difference is that most quizzes and activities can be quickly recorded using Google Forms and other online quizzing platforms. Teachers can easily record our scores without manually checking them because it is already automatic. This is still the most nerve-wracking moment of my school life, the most I say because our grades are shown at the very end of the quarter unlike back theen it was always shwon before the giving of cards.
ASSIGNMENT AND RESEARCH
Books and lecture notes are my only source of information back then. I'm always bringing books even though they are not that likely to be used for that day. I just feel like I have to read and advance read for me to be able to answer the quizzes and activities in school. Even at home, I rely solely on books and lecture notes in answering my homeworks. Reading, memorizing, analyzing and sometimes going to the school's library to find the answers to the unknown question. It is what I and my classmates used to do back when the class was normal. In which I and most of the students can't do in the present time because of the pandemic. Ever since the outbreak, students can't even touch a book from school because there are no books given to us, and the libraries are closed that's why we are mostly relying on the internet right now. Google, the main source of help of every student right now because every answer and sources are there. When answering an activity and students including me don't know the answer to the question, we will either open the lecture notes given to us or rely solely on the google. We can search everything there, we have an easy access to most of the information we need. In just a type-type-click-click, we can get tons of sources and information to different sources, may it be a small or most known source.
Information and Communication Technology or ICT was there helping the lives of the people even before this pandemic began. People just didn't realize its importance because back then, people can still live without relying too much on the technology. However, we can't deny the big changes the pandemic gave to us such as how technology became not just a part of our daily lives but became a reason for us to survive. I make no sense but I have a point. People are not realizing that simply communicating with other people on the internet, going on a business online, asking help or entertaining through social media are already a part of the ICT. Due to these changes, to these developments, people's lives are easier, fun amidst the pandemic and a big help in surviving this cruel world. But always remember to take control and know the limitations of these technologies. Change is the only constant in these world and we should take caution of that, it's not the techonology, it's how and who uses the technology.
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