Media [Obsession] Log

Over a two day period this week, I monitored my use of technology. Since I am currently enrolled in 13 credits worth of classes, it makes sense that 7.5 hours over a two-day period was spent on my Mac, or using the internet in general for Moodle, research, and what have you. Many of my assignments include online postings or readings. The amount of time spent on my computer would even have been increased if I considered adding in hours spent typing out essays (at least by 2-3 hours).

I was not surprised at my amount of phone usage, specifically Facebook, as I use this as one of my major sources of news, as well as for keeping up with the goings on in my community, including events, and connecting with family and friends. Not included in this graph were the outliers of Snapchat, and the specifics of my "iPhone General" usage which included using the camera, texting, Google Maps an Lyft. On other days besides this, I additionally use WyzAnt, Linguasorb and Google Translate, US Bank app, and Venmo, most often. Obviously, technology is a big part of my life, and something that I rely heavily (not a bad thing) on for daily tasks. The most surprising thing for me about the Pew Research Study on teen technology use was how class or household income affects student usage of Facebook vs. Instagram for social purposes. I wonder how true this is for Millennials, as well, or what the meaning of this is in how it reflects on what is meaningful to the next generation.

I think this type of exercise is a good thing, in particular for those who don't realize how much they utilize technology or media in their daily lives. The younger generation is in some places labeled the "iGeneration," which may make it hard for them to even see themselves as existing apart from technology. The hope for using it with my students would be that the more we recognize our use, the more we recognize ourselves using it. I may ask them to, in the following days, consciously spend time apart from their phones, etc., and monitor how it affects them. As a teacher, I want my students to become people who are aware of themselves and technology as separate entities, but always to see themselves as above it, seeing it as a tool to use, not be used by.