Technological Autobiography

Yunlu Zhang

Born in the late 90s and as a member of the Z generation, I truly regard myself as
someone who prefers taking the advantage of technology in daily life. My sense of
technology came from computers first. When I was in elementary school, there is an IT
course in the curriculum, which was a very joyful and cheering class that most students
would like. Before walking into the IT classroom, we have a special ritual to manifest: put on
the shoe covers, wash your hands, and then proceed quietly. The only sound inside the
whole classroom is the computer's noise, but everyone's heart is full of joy. And the IT
teacher is one of the most welcomed people we would like to see because he always has
fun ideas and new information about technology. We would sit in a fancy classroom where
there were computers and a massive screen and then wait for the teacher’s instructions. The
learning objectives we had were not as tricky as other classes(no after-class assignment,
quiz, etc.), and most of the time, our goals were related to typing, browsing, and Microsoft
apps. Such experience with technology drove me with curiosity about what the internet and
these new smart devices could bring us. Back home, I would intentionally observe how my
parents utilize computers and all that technological devices, and it was not always intriguing.
In my teenage years, I indulged myself in the online community and found a sense of
belonging, and identity. People who share similar and different traits and backgrounds come
across space, grouping up for interests and hobbies. I noticed a new way that people
interact with each other. I was fascinated by the MP3/MP4/Ipods, for entertainment of
course; and then I have my first Kindle, although I was not a patient reader, I still obtained
immersion from the reading. Yet I did not use technology as a tool I could use to promote my
learning until I came to high school. I got my first Macbook pro at high school, as at that time
I was preparing for TOEFL, which is a computer-based test, so I bring it to school in case I
need practicing. In the meanwhile, I got a retired iPhone 6s from my mother, and thanks to
that, I have created my own cyber album full of memories. All these technologies built up my
life and will continue doing so. I am grateful to that and would like to dig into the issue of
what we could do to improve the learning experience related to technology.