The 2019 BrightStar Systems Future Technologies Scholarship Winner
BrightStar Systems is excited to announce Johnathon Kyle Midgette as the winner of the first annual BrightStar Systems Future Technologies Scholarship. To submit their application for The BrightStar Systems Future Technologies Scholarship, undergraduate students had to complete an essay about how technology has changed their life. We are now accepting applications for our 2020 scholarship.
Congratulations, Johnathon!
Read Johnathon’s Winning Essay
Technology is ubiquitous. It can be found everywhere and affects all aspects of daily life. It is a truly significant part of our society and allows the human civilization to grow larger and more efficient. Technology provides many essential tools to create amazing structures, communicate over long distances, automate processes for producing foods and goods, and run businesses more skillfully. Modern technology has forged our society into a fast-paced, efficient, and ever evolving system. Despite the complex advances achieved, through the use of technology each day, further expansion remains in this field.
Technology is an ever present and useful tool in my day to day activities. Each morning I wake up, the first thing I do is check the weather on my phone. I use the Bluetooth system in my car to play whatever music I wish as I drive to school. In my classes, we often make use of the desktop computers or laptops to complete assignments and conduct research. The teachers also use smartboards which are immensely convenient. The smartboard allows the teacher to convey information in a clear, understandable way. After class, I go home and either watch Netflix or draw on my computer. Later, I finish any assignments that are due. I enjoy playing video games when my schedule allows. I utilize technology for all of the above tasks. If I did not have access to a computer, I would have to stay after class to complete my work. Completing work at school would be inconvenient as I am able to focus better at home. It would also be exhausting to stay for so long every day. Social media is also a major aspect of technology. I check social media sites every day to stay updated on events, friends, and family members. My friends and I use a particular application called Discord, which allows us to send messages and call each other. This application is rather useful for playing video games together as it is very accessible and easy to navigate.
Out of all of the technological devices that I encounter and utilize on a daily basis, I am most fond of my desktop computer. The CPU is extremely compact and light weight which made the installation very simple. It is a powerful computer and I use it every day for a variety of tasks. The three main tasks I use it for are school, gaming, and drawing. Nearly all of my assignments for school are completed and submitted online. Having access to a nice computer allows me to be more productive. When I am not working, I use my desktop to play video games. I can play many different games on my computer. Since it is rather easy to upgrade, I will be able to play new video games for years to come. I also use my desktop to draw. I used to draw only traditionally, however, I have recently acquired a pen tablet. The pen tablet allows anything I draw on the tablet to appear on the monitor. The advantage of digital art is that many software programs allow the artist to work in layers. This means the color, lighting, shadows, and linework can all be kept on separate layers. If something does not look right, the layer it is on can be scrapped and the artist can start over without ruining the whole drawing. This has given me a new perspective on art and endless possibilities with my drawings.
Technology also plays a crucial role in my education. As I previously noted, most of my assignments are online. This includes discussion boards, essays, and even tests and quizzes. I can even take notes on a laptop or tablet allowing me to save everything in one easily accessible file instead of using multiple sheets of paper. While at school, Wi-Fi allows me to use my free time wisely by completing homework on my laptop between classes. It is much faster to find information on the internet as opposed to searching through books. Typing papers on a computer instead of writing is extremely beneficial. The computer allows me to edit sentences and even whole paragraphs without affecting the flow of the paper. Communication technology is also an extremely useful tool. There are many different ways to contact my instructors such as email and discussions on the Blackboard website. This also enables them to respond quickly regarding assignments and questions.
Technology has already strongly impacted education in many ways. I can tell that it will continue to mold the future of education. Schools have always had one curriculum for each grade level. Technology allows teachers to accommodate custom schooling strategies tailored for the individual. Students will learn at their own pace making for a more intuitive learning experience. Education software that displays the students’ progress in detail allows teachers to clearly see what they need to focus on. This creates a more effective learning environment. One leap in innovation is the AI-based tutoring system. This system can monitor the student’s progress and provide personalized assessments designed for the individual. Technology in the classroom is extremely beneficial, but only when used correctly. Students have an increasingly important responsibility to learn the material in a productive manner. In an age where nearly anything can be searched on the internet, it is crucial for teachers to guide and monitor the students accordingly.
Technology is all around us influencing and changing our daily lives. It is constantly changing and expanding. It affects basically everything we do in some way. Social media, alone, is a large part of our daily lives. The importance of technology has become obvious as most of us have a favorite piece of technology that we enjoy using on a regular basis. Technology has vastly enhanced my personal education. There are many tools at my disposal which make learning both intuitive and rewarding. There is no doubt that we will continue to witness the advancement of technology for many more decades.