Unit One Reflection

Overall I feel confident about the sources I chose to complete my Unit One portfolio. I feel as though each source used delivered its purpose and provided clear and concise information that benefited my project as a whole. It was essential for me to find sources of high quality as relying on a quality source helps to ensure accuracy, reliability, and credibility. Using sources that ultimately help to achieve my purpose is so crucial as the right sources help boost the depth of knowledge, avoidance of bias as well, and build a strong case in whatever topic it may be. I feel content with my four sources as my first source talks about a pencil shop in NYC, my second source talks about technology and its effects on mental health, my third source covers AI and technology in the classroom and my last source talks about the role of technology in childhood development. I chose these three sources in particular because I felt strongly that these topics should be known when talking about our current world of technology. My first source talks about a pencil shop that is still very old-fashioned and functional. I took this source and related it to how even though our world is very technological, some people still like to do things the old-fashioned way. My second source takes a deep dive into technology and its effects which is essential to acknowledge as many individuals living in this digital age have created and are unhealthy with it. Whether it is excessive hours playing video games or addictive behaviors when it comes to using social media it is important that studies are conducted and help is provided for those who abuse technology. As explained in my second source “Social media use has also been associated with a higher risk of developing depression and anxiety, as well as decreased self-esteem and body image issues. Spending more time on social media interactions and less time on in-person connections can lead to feelings of isolation, which can impact mental well-being.” My third source takes a more positive approach and addresses the benefits of using technology and AI in the classroom. I reason why this article spoke to me is because it debunks all false claims that technology and AI are detrimental to education and can serve as a helpful tool. I was drawn to this article because it takes a topic that many are uneducated in and demonstrates how we can use the advancements in our world, such as Artificial intelligence to all of our benefits. Lastly, my final source looks into the role of technology and its effects on childhood development. I found this part of technology and development to be so important because children are the future of our planet and they must be taught what a healthy relationship with technology looks like. The negatives of the use of technology in children are widely known but it is important to note that with a healthy relationship, children are more likely to experience educational benefits, develop global awareness, and help them to develop creativity and expression. While my sources did cover several topics within technology in our world, I do believe that at some points there were holes where I could insert my future research, which will allow me to into greater detail regarding my information. I could see myself using sources from this project as they provided clear and concise information related to my topic that I can build further on to create a longer written piece. I feel as though since I covered various topics within our technological world, I can pick and choose what topic I would like to go further in-depth. Overall, I would say I challenged myself in this unit because I tried to find sources that had a quality overlap that helped to get my ideas across while also providing quality information. While there were numerous sources available when considering technology in our world today, I felt as though my three chosen sources provided clear and concise information on different aspects of our technological world. It is important to acknowledge that while technology has its pros and cons it is crucial to consider that with a healthy amount of balance and usage, we can continue to advance our world by taking advantage of all that is at our fingertips. It is key to understand that the rapid pace of technological advancements is what allows us to discover further innovations and continue to change our landscape of our future.