Technology:
Simply stated, technology is a tool. It is a
tool that increases efficiency and effectiveness in our work and a tool that
minimizes barriers in our communication. In today’s world technology is a tool
used for a variety of purposes ranging from research to data collection. The
ways in which technology is utilized within the human services profession are
not different from the ways they are used in society. While technologies uses
are vast, I have found three areas in which I have most taken advantage of
technology. Such areas include: communication, publishing and information
gathering. These are areas that can be applied to coursework as well as
internship experiences. The International Standards for Technology Education
outline six standards that indicate an appropriate level of understanding about
and awareness of technology for a student. Below I demonstrated how I have
utilized technology as a tool in a way that indicates my understanding about
appropriate, excellent technology usage.
Communication might be the most common purpose for which technology is used. Communication and collaboration are the second ISTWE technology standard. Appropriate technology communication and collaboration are expressed through publishing, communicating information to various audiences, and producing original work to mention a few. Email, Facebook, Blackboard, Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint are just a few types of technology that I have taken advantage of as a tool for communicating more efficiently and effectively during my time in the Human Services Program. Some of these communication techniques are informal while others such as the use of Microsoft Word and Powerpoint are typically more formalized. Such as in my Whatcom Literacy Council PowerPointor my organizational analysis of the Whatcom Literacy Council as typed up in Microsoft Word, these programs are used to convey understanding about course subjects and my level of understanding. Notice that each assignment indicated above covered a similar topic, The Whatcom Literacy Council, and yet each type of technology was useful for conveying information differently depending upon the communication need. PowerPoint’s are useful if the need is to visually aid a verbal presentation, while Microsoft Word is useful if the need is to share detailed information with a particular individual or audience. The sixth ISTE technology standard is that students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations. Being able to choose technology based on the need is an indication of this standard.
The first ISTE standard is for creation and innovation indicated by the creation of new ideas, products or processes through technology usage, creating works as a method of expression, using models to explore and express ideas and using technology to forecast trends to, again, mention a few. During the time I spent at each of my internships, the Whatcom County Pregnancy Clinic, the Bellingham Boys and Girls Club and Love INC I was able to demonstrate my awareness about how to use technology creatively and innovatively through the creation of a presentation of an Online Marketing Plan for the WCPC, Parent Support Letter ( Figure 1.2), Program Fliers (Figure 1.1), a new ClubStuff Newsletter format for BBGC and the creation of a Resource Handbook for Love INC. To create the Parent Support Letter, ClubStuff Newsletter and Program Fliers I utilized Microsoft Publisher to create a visually pleasing and appealing product that I thought best met the needs of the Club for increased financial support and community awareness. The text portion of the Parent Support Letter brought in $600.00 of parent support. The Love INC Resource Handbook, more than just being a collection of information about resources within Whatcom County, became a piece of Love INC’s infrastructure in regards to how they located information about referrals. I was able to utilize technology to both gather and present the information in a way that increased effectiveness and efficiency for Love INC.
Technology, over the last decade, has become one of the most useful tools for gathering information whether that information be surrounding data, peer reviewed journal articles or best practices. The third and fourth ISTE standards are highly relevant to the task of information gathering. The third ISTE standard is in regards to research and information fluency as indicated by an individual’s ability to plan research strategies and methods, collect the appropriate information, analyze the information to make an informed decision and then process data and report on it. The fourth standard is about technology usage in critical thinking, problem solving and decision making as indicated by appropriately defining problems, planning to develop a solution to the problem, collecting and analyzing information to address the problem and using sources to investigate alternative solutions. I was able to apply these skills in such assignments as my Needs Assessment and Literature Review on the Effects of Income on Child Development. In conducting my Needs Assessment I utilized technology to research data and best practices related to human trafficking and then propose possible program solutions. The premise of my Literature Review was around utilizing technology to investigate what research and data existed about the issue of income and its effects on child development. From the research that I found I proposed ideas for further research and investigation. In order to make sure that the information and literature information I included in my Literature Review was valid I utilized various online databases to research peer reviewed articles.
ISTE has two standards that deal with application of technology in regards to ethics and using appropriate technology concepts, systems and operations for the task. A knowledge and understanding about digital citizenship and technology operations and concepts are ISTE’s final technology standards. Digital citizenship is indicated by the safe, legal and responsible use of information and technology. I see digital citizenship practiced amongst human services students and professionals in American Psychological Association (APA) citation and reference usage. Using APA standards and citing research and information sources in assignments and work is a best practice for being in legal compliance with appropriate technology usage. APA formatting ensures that credit is assigned to the proper source and also that within the social sciences field information and presentation are standardized. Technology operations and concepts show that an individual knows specifically how to utilize technology in the most efficient and effective way possible. Being able to choose appropriate technology for specific tasks indicates that an individual understands operations and concepts for appropriate usage.
During my time in the Human Services Program I have had the opportunity and privilege to learn about technology and how to use it most effectively and efficiently. I think that technology will be an especially useful tool for me in my endeavors to work with global humanitarian issues. With technology as a tool global need can be connected with global resources through increased communication and access to online resources and tools.
Communication might be the most common purpose for which technology is used. Communication and collaboration are the second ISTWE technology standard. Appropriate technology communication and collaboration are expressed through publishing, communicating information to various audiences, and producing original work to mention a few. Email, Facebook, Blackboard, Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint are just a few types of technology that I have taken advantage of as a tool for communicating more efficiently and effectively during my time in the Human Services Program. Some of these communication techniques are informal while others such as the use of Microsoft Word and Powerpoint are typically more formalized. Such as in my Whatcom Literacy Council PowerPointor my organizational analysis of the Whatcom Literacy Council as typed up in Microsoft Word, these programs are used to convey understanding about course subjects and my level of understanding. Notice that each assignment indicated above covered a similar topic, The Whatcom Literacy Council, and yet each type of technology was useful for conveying information differently depending upon the communication need. PowerPoint’s are useful if the need is to visually aid a verbal presentation, while Microsoft Word is useful if the need is to share detailed information with a particular individual or audience. The sixth ISTE technology standard is that students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations. Being able to choose technology based on the need is an indication of this standard.
The first ISTE standard is for creation and innovation indicated by the creation of new ideas, products or processes through technology usage, creating works as a method of expression, using models to explore and express ideas and using technology to forecast trends to, again, mention a few. During the time I spent at each of my internships, the Whatcom County Pregnancy Clinic, the Bellingham Boys and Girls Club and Love INC I was able to demonstrate my awareness about how to use technology creatively and innovatively through the creation of a presentation of an Online Marketing Plan for the WCPC, Parent Support Letter ( Figure 1.2), Program Fliers (Figure 1.1), a new ClubStuff Newsletter format for BBGC and the creation of a Resource Handbook for Love INC. To create the Parent Support Letter, ClubStuff Newsletter and Program Fliers I utilized Microsoft Publisher to create a visually pleasing and appealing product that I thought best met the needs of the Club for increased financial support and community awareness. The text portion of the Parent Support Letter brought in $600.00 of parent support. The Love INC Resource Handbook, more than just being a collection of information about resources within Whatcom County, became a piece of Love INC’s infrastructure in regards to how they located information about referrals. I was able to utilize technology to both gather and present the information in a way that increased effectiveness and efficiency for Love INC.
Technology, over the last decade, has become one of the most useful tools for gathering information whether that information be surrounding data, peer reviewed journal articles or best practices. The third and fourth ISTE standards are highly relevant to the task of information gathering. The third ISTE standard is in regards to research and information fluency as indicated by an individual’s ability to plan research strategies and methods, collect the appropriate information, analyze the information to make an informed decision and then process data and report on it. The fourth standard is about technology usage in critical thinking, problem solving and decision making as indicated by appropriately defining problems, planning to develop a solution to the problem, collecting and analyzing information to address the problem and using sources to investigate alternative solutions. I was able to apply these skills in such assignments as my Needs Assessment and Literature Review on the Effects of Income on Child Development. In conducting my Needs Assessment I utilized technology to research data and best practices related to human trafficking and then propose possible program solutions. The premise of my Literature Review was around utilizing technology to investigate what research and data existed about the issue of income and its effects on child development. From the research that I found I proposed ideas for further research and investigation. In order to make sure that the information and literature information I included in my Literature Review was valid I utilized various online databases to research peer reviewed articles.
ISTE has two standards that deal with application of technology in regards to ethics and using appropriate technology concepts, systems and operations for the task. A knowledge and understanding about digital citizenship and technology operations and concepts are ISTE’s final technology standards. Digital citizenship is indicated by the safe, legal and responsible use of information and technology. I see digital citizenship practiced amongst human services students and professionals in American Psychological Association (APA) citation and reference usage. Using APA standards and citing research and information sources in assignments and work is a best practice for being in legal compliance with appropriate technology usage. APA formatting ensures that credit is assigned to the proper source and also that within the social sciences field information and presentation are standardized. Technology operations and concepts show that an individual knows specifically how to utilize technology in the most efficient and effective way possible. Being able to choose appropriate technology for specific tasks indicates that an individual understands operations and concepts for appropriate usage.
During my time in the Human Services Program I have had the opportunity and privilege to learn about technology and how to use it most effectively and efficiently. I think that technology will be an especially useful tool for me in my endeavors to work with global humanitarian issues. With technology as a tool global need can be connected with global resources through increased communication and access to online resources and tools.
Figure 1.2: Program Flier
Figure 1.2: Program Flier
Figure 1.2: Program Flier
Figure 1.1: Program Flier
