Web log 5

Weblog 5

I have used the internet extensively; I’ve used the internet to apply for college, to social network, for research, and many other things, however, after reading Besser’s article I realized how little I’ve contributed to the internet. I’ve never used to the internet to create sources for others, or to keep people updated on recent events; instead, I’ve only used it to absorb information from others. I’ve never even attempted to be a producer of internet content. Besser’s article describes the limited nature of the internet and how many people do not know how to contribute to the internet and how even fewer have access to it despite much of modern society functioning off of the internet. Warschauer’s article also explores the accessibility of the internet, he explores the how well ICT’s (Internet and computer technology) are used help people gain knowledge and access information. In various ways, my ICT skills have altered. Throughout my life I have increased my physical access to the internet, going from just having access through my desktop, to having access through my laptop, phone and even various electronic gaming consoles. I noticed that most of the internet is in English and the parts that aren’t are still accessible due to many translation features that have been introduced on websites like Google, however, these translation features are limited exclusively to English so non-English speaking people will still have a lot of trouble accessing content on the internet. As for human resources; my literacy and education has improved greatly over the years. When I began using the internet when I was a about 10 I had very limited literary skills and was still early in my school ‘career,’ now, 8 years later, I have improved my literary skills immensely and I graduated near the top of my class. Through all these years though, I have seen a great increase in institutions that utilize the internet; for instance I signed up for both selective service and college on the internet. I’ve even noticed an influx of community events that are maintained through the internet, like how many of the clubs at John Carroll email their members to keep in to touch with them and remind them of events. Warschauer’s article also compares ICT skills to literary skills, however, while literacy is available to just about anyone, the internet is only available to a limited amount of people, and even less know how to use it. When I compare my literary skills to my ICT skills, I find that there are a few things that I am capable of utilizing much of the content on the internet; however I am inexperienced when it comes to creating content, such as websites for organizing events. My frequent use of the internet is how I learned how to effectively utilize the internet's resources.
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