Reflection #11

What: When technology fails you

So What: Technology can be a tremendous help in a person's every day life. But what happens when the technology that we are depending on fails to come through? Should there be a balance on how dependent we become on technology? Just last week in class, my laptop went on the fritz and started making noises similar to a fire alarm at volumes that I didn't even know were possible for a laptop. Not to mention that this happened the last week of classes before finals. Fortunately this semester, the only real need that I have to access documents and projects on my laptop is for my tech in ed class, which is where I was keeping my final project. Finally, I was able to get my project off my laptop as well, even though my computer is still far from okay.

Now What: It is important to have a couple different strategies in the back of one's mind for occasions like this when our technology goes haywire. First, it is important to back up everything on your hard drive to an external source. This could save a lot of work from being lost in case your computer crashes. It's also good to know how long your warranty lasts on your computer or even purchase an extended warranty for your computer for service from the pros. Also, have back up plans available, especially when preparing to teach, in case a technological device that you planned on using doesn't pull through. This way, the lesson can still be saved and won't go down as a flop. Finally, thank you Professor Sorenson for being understanding of my tech problems = )