Diana Medina Zamora

Reflection Paper Assignment

EDT 180 Section C
April 22, 2019

I registered for this course because it was a requirement for my major at the time. I

assumed it would not be very beneficial to me and we would only cover topics I had already

prior to being enrolled in this class. I had some experience with Microsoft programs, Google

apps, and Weebly sites; however, this course encouraged proper integration of these programs to

better benefit the user. I do not believe that I have ever been “afraid” of using computers and

certain software, but I do think that I have often been frustrated at my lack of computer

knowledge. What I have learned in this course has expanded my knowledge of computer

hardware and software and other technology related subjects.

One topic I was very grateful to have covered was navigating the World Wide Web. I had

a very basic understanding of this concept beforehand, but I feel more comfortable now knowing

how to determine the validity and security of the websites I visit. I had no idea how simple it was

to break down domain and understand where they are really coming from and if the website can

be trusted. Prior to obtaining this knowledge, I only felt secure in my sources if I used Google

Scholar or Academic Search Premier. While these options are best for finding accurate, scholarly

sources, I feel that if it were my only option, I could use the open Internet to find credible

sources. It is not something I had previously given much thought to, but now that I have learned

what I have in the course, I plan on dispersing this information my technologically challenged

family members who place too much trust on the Internet without questioning security and

privacy concerns.

I am even more excited to put my newfound Microsoft skills to the test. I felt that I would

not learn a lot during the PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Publisher modules because I had already

used these programs an extensive amount throughout my academic career; however, I have

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Diana Medina Zamora
Reflection Paper Assignment
EDT 180 Section C
April 22, 2019

learned many new functions that are lucrative to any user. In particular, I believe that the

knowledge I have gained of Microsoft Excel will be of great use to me. I had learned some basic

functions in my science class last semester, but my understanding has been tremendously

expanded by this course. I have used what I have learned to track my homework, exercise, and

sleeping habits. I find this to be very helpful because I consider myself a meticulous person who

pays attention to everyday details; Having knowledge of this program makes it much easier to

keep track of all these aspects of my life which would normally take a lot of time and effort to

hand-record.

I believe all of the information I have learned in this course is of great value, but one

activity I really enjoyed throughout the course of the semester was speaking about the social and

ethical issues surrounding technology. It is incredible to see how much the world has changed in

such a short time with the advent of technology. The technological revolution has raised many

questions about privacy, security, individual freedom, etc. I believe it is an important issue

because the Internet has meddled its way into just about every aspect of our lives. I believe this

can be a bad thing, but all the advances it has allowed us as a society cannot be overlooked. I

think within the coming years, greater questions and concerns will be raised and the Internet will

continue to be placed under strict scrutiny. This issue is something I am sure I will continue to

ponder well after the completion of this course because of the immense amount of cyber-

involvement in today’s society.