https://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/336097/Digital-Literacy/
The year 2000 was an emerging time for the technological world. As I was growing into myself, I had the opportunity to grow with the media surrounding me. At the beginning of my life I was unknown to the wonders that technology would bring me, but I was surprised at the large sense of independence I found.
At the beginning of my life my intake of technology was minimal. The most important stepping-stone into the technological world was my learning to read in junior kindergarten. My increasing confidence in my ability to read books was the basis for an interest in furthering my education as well as fostering a creative mindset from an early age.
As time progressed, modern day technology was incorporated with educational activities in school. I was exposed to Macintosh computers with educational math games. Similar to the confidence I gained by my increasing ability to read, my skills with math and with this Macintosh desktop enabled me to engage with media giving me a greater confidence and thirst for knowledge.
My next major stepping stone in my soon-to-be media filled life was my first cell phone. My world had opened up due to this extra mode of communication. Suddenly, from talking to my friends first hand, I was able to talk to them without actually being with them. What followed was the world of MSN, and iChat where the functions of my cell phone were matched and my methods of communication doubled. My cell phone usage has changed over the years but its core use of communicating with those I am not with still remains. This revolutionized the way I communicated from a very early age and is a constant form of communication I use on a daily basis.
Lastly, and perhaps the most notable of my media advancements, was my confidence with additional computer programs on my laptop. In 2012 and 2013 I was taught how to use Photoshop and Final Cut Pro to edit my pictures and movies. I was able to reach a previously inaccessible part of technology which enabled my to have more control over my media. I had wanted to learn something so when I had accomplished this I felt comfortable with advanced technology, thus making me feel more in tune with my technological world around me. I used all of my new media knowledge to make a small web series that spoofed the popular reality show The Hills. I created these short videos over a few years and I was extremely proud of the final product. I was able to write, produce, and edit these episodes. This project was a true culmination of my confidence and skills in new media.
Overall, my journey to discovering new media has helped me gain confidence. Not only in the world of media but creatively, academically, and socially. The creation of this timeline was the method of helping me realize this. I had thought the media I used was because I had enjoyed it, but it was much more. I had started to use a cell phone, laptop, Facebook, social media etc. because it was the ‘norm’ around me but each method of communication and technology had helped me develop in a different way. The world of developing media still excites me today, as I am eager to see what each new piece of technology will teach me.
