Electronic Literacy Narrative

            Throughout the world most people will come across an electronic device sometime in their life, whether it is a phone, computer, etc. Living in Canada when I was little in a small house containing eight people, we did not have much space or money to buy any of the fancy technologic devices, besides the land line that connected to the wall and a television set with basic cable. Not even my parents would have, or I would see, a cellular phone until years later. From the time I was about eight years old up until today there has always been a computer with internet connection. Back when we did not have internet all the computer was ever used for was when my parents or older siblings had to type and print something, or whenever I used paint when I was bored inside the house. At a young age I thought just typing and printing on the computer was one of the most incredible things I had ever seen. Over the years the computer has become even more astonishing with its new features.

            I remember an experience I had using an electronic device for reading and writing. It was back in elementary school in the fourth grade. The teacher had assigned the students a project. The project was to write a written, or typed, report and create a poster board with images and captions about one of the fifty states in America and present it in front of the class. We had to include things like population, major cities, tourist sites, recreational activities, etc. I had the state of Hawaii which I did not know anything about at that time. I did not know any of the activities since I had never been there, besides swimming or surfing like what I had seen on television. Back then I did not really enjoy reading a lot. I thought going to the library and checking out multiple books with pages full of words that would take me hours to read was a bit time consuming. I did not like the idea of sitting at a table with many books laid out in front of me, reading for what seemed to be forever until I would fall asleep. I wanted to get my report done as quickly as I can so that afterwards I could do something I thought was more exciting, like watch my favorite shows on television or run around and play outside. In order to get the information I needed the fastest I decided to use the internet. Before then I did not have much experience with using a computer, other than using paint, or playing educational games at school like Reader Rabbit and Oregon Trail. I remember having to ask my older siblings how to use it, like connecting to the internet and what websites I could use for my research. I felt they were a little frustrated with me and my constant questions on how they did a certain thing, but I was just surprised by how fast and easy it was to find the information I was looking for. Once I got the hang of using the internet I started using it more. I actually thought doing research and learning new things about Hawaii was fun since I gained additional knowledge about the internet and how I was able to use it all on my own.

            Like any other electronic device, the internet has its upsides and its downsides. Informational websites may help develop your literacy skills. When I had to look up something on Google or any other search engine, it directed me to a number of websites and pages of information I had to read through thoroughly in order to find what I needed. If I did not know a certain word I read I could look up the definition. A computer can help improve your use of spelling, vocabulary, grammar, etc. If you have a question about something you could just type it onto a search engine and most of the time the answer will all of a sudden appear right in front of you. It provides you with information if all you have handy at the moment is internet access and not the appropriate books. In today’s time many electronic devices come in a variety of shapes and sizes and most can connect to the internet anywhere you go. You can gain a lot of information wherever you are in a matter of minutes. However, it might not always have the straightforward answer you are hoping to find, which will cause you to spend a number amount of time searching anywhere you can think of on the internet, or you might not find it online at all. As the years go by I find myself using the internet more and more. I use it whenever I have to do research or if I just want to know the answer to a certain question I have had in mind for awhile. From reading to video watching to photo viewing, the internet has widened my interests by how fast it is to acquire information. Otherwise I might lose interest in something quick if it takes a long time to learn about.

            The internet has made a number of improvements throughout the years. New websites have been created and old websites have been made better. People all over the world use the internet for many reasons. Search engines such as Google or Bing may be used for learning or a directory source. Blogger or WordPress are used to express yourself through text form, pictures, videos, etc. Youtube is used to view and share your own videos. Instagram is used to express yourself through pictures. Facebook and Twitter are used to stay connected with other people. A world where computers and internet access did not exist would be hard to imagine. Public libraries would probably benefit from it, but no one would want to carry a ton of informational books around with them. Staying connected with other people who live miles away would take longer because of waiting for a letter to be sent, or more expensive because of long-distance phone calls. If you need to buy something you cannot find in your area, Ebay or Craigslist are good sites to use. Without them the sellers or people owning online shops would not be making any money. The internet has a great number of uses and can be convenient to people of all ages.