Credited Women
There are many things I have learned about computers since the start of the semester. However, a major key point I have learned is that computers are not capable of creation or independent thinking, but rather respond to a set of instructions for computation. From the Book “Broad Band,” I’ve learned about Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, the ENIAC Six and many other women who fought for the use of computers in everyday life. From these women, I found that computers are merely machines that read a set of code that it is given and they heavily rely on humans to create the code for the machines to understand.
Connections Between Computers and Humanities
The connection between computers and humanities is extremely valuable and is responsible for our consumption of various media. Computers allow communities to find and connect with each other, and they allow for human connection and further creation. Social media platforms, blog posts, and many other platforms allow everyone to have a voice and an opportunity to have their voices heard throughout the community. Further, various important works of literature were transcribed and brought to the internet. In class, we are discussing Henry David Thoreau and his works that were transcribed from paper to a digital platform. This digital platform has made his works widely accessible and ensures that his works will continue to be studied and understood for time to come.
Conquering the Terminal Window
Before the start of this semester, I had used the terminal window on my Mac only a handful of times. I knew that the window was a means of controlling the computer with direct communication, but I was unsure about its higher use. But, with the knowledge I have gained from class, I have a greater understanding of the window and how it works. I learned that the window is used for direct communication with the computer and it often overrides the general interface that is offered to the user. Instead of clicking through apps or finding documents in the finder, there are various codes that can be written to pull these items directly from the computer. In class, we set up Visual Studio Code and we access this through the terminal window. Additionally, each of our journal files from class is written in markdown using Visual Studio Code, and this is accessed through the terminal window. Typing “cd scripts” from the home folder will take you to the scripts folder that was created in class. Then, typing “./journal.sh” will bring the new journal file for class. Due to the things I have learned in class, I have a greater and wider understanding of the terminal window and I feel confident in controlling my computer.
Technology in the Classroom
My new understanding of computers and technology is a great resource to have for education. I am an English Education major, and each of these learned tools will be extremely beneficial for my classroom. Students can read works that have been published to a public domain, students can share their thoughts and ideas on an online forum, and I can share my knowledge of computers with students. Computers are powerful machines and they should be more widely understood to promote growth and a sense of comfort with the individuals who use them.