Internet Literacy - Essay Example

?Internet Literacy Literacy is an essential matter to every individual, whatever kind this may be because it helps people learn more about other people and eventually, one’s self. Today, one of the most important literacy one has to acquire is internet literacy because of the demands of its use whether in school or at work. This may be a challenging task especially to those who are not so open-minded about technology and changes however it becomes a liberating experience also to those who come to a learning experience that fulfill one’s dreams. A friend has always been afraid to try the internet nevertheless needed to learn how to use it due to the demands from his work. Being in his forties, his fear was usually fed with the words like ‘you cannot teach an old dog new tricks’ and was challenged considering he is not a dog, he learned and discovered the internet. The process was not easy for both the learner and teacher but it was a fulfilling job they both went through. The student struggled on remembering things about the computer and how to work on it while the teacher made every effort to make instructions simple and clear. Frustrations may have occurred as the learning went but they were turned to joy for every discovery the learner made. Reading vast information from the internet changed my friend’s perception not only on technology but almost about a lot of things. He says he had come to a deeper understanding of many things as he used the internet as a means for educating himself, reading not only the words but the lives of other people. Writing may not be the job he is paid to do yet he considers he uses a lot from his internet literacy to enhance his information literacy to write the remaining chapters of his life. In considering the elements that this individual and other individuals have learned from their experience with internet literacy, it’s clear there are a great many elements. One of the major elements is the influence that understanding social media has on individual’s lives. While it is not difficult to join a social network, such as Facebook, there is a slight process in learning how to implement it for the greatest gains. As I became more involved with Facebook I recognized that it offered me the opportunity to remain in contact with old friends and people that I otherwise would have lost touch with. This has the effect of enriching my life and giving me a greater perspective on the world. In other contexts, social media has allowed me to join communities of people with similar or specific interests. For instance, individuals interested in literature, cooking, or sports are able to join communities where they are able to discuss their interests. Such aspects of internet literacy are not merely significant in that they allow individuals new forms of communication, but indeed, they also change the very nature of social relations. In understanding social media, rather than having to venture for hours to visit conventions or lectures, one now has direct access to experts in many fields through Twitter. In learning how to implement these elements of internet literacy one can truly make profound life changes. Another highly important element relating to internet literacy are the benefits it holds for education. I recognize that learning how to use the internet is a form of education itself. Still, within this journey one also recognizes that the internet holds the key to a world of skills and opportunities. One of the first instances I remember is spending time in Wikipedia researching history and a variety of topics, the breadth of information and insight I gained from this experience was truly paradigm shattering. As I became more experienced with internet literacy I recognized that in addition to Wikipedia one could read full-texts of books and find more substantial internet sources. In addition to improving my knowledge, it gave me a greater appreciation for the nature of academic research. As I further expanded my understanding of internet literacy, I discovered that I could use it to aid myself in a variety of pursuits. When I had trouble with homework I was able to go and find detailed explanations on the internet. Similarly, the internet provided tremendous opportunities for individuals seeking to expand their language abilities or learn a foreign language. For instance, I soon learned that I would enter chat rooms and practice my French and Spanish language skills. Ultimately, the internet provides an endless array of opportunities for self-edification. As I learned and expanded my internet literacy skills, I finally came to recognize the tremendous opportunity the internet has for entertainment. Many years of my life were spent viewing the internet as an element of life that simply contained bulks of information and a convenient means of sending messages. Over time I came to recognize that the internet holds powerful implications for entertainment and fun in one’s life. I soon discovered that I could use the internet to participate in games with communities of people. I could spend endless amounts of time searching on sites such as eBay for items I collected, or new clothes. As I discovered the importance of hardware technology and improved my computer, I was able to access videos and television programs. This was a truly enriching experience as I could download documentaries and classic films. This made me increase not just my understanding of internet literacy, but also cultural literacy. In these regards, improving internet literacy allowed me to gain a greater appreciation for art and artistic production through the increased access to a variety of types of media. Ultimately, this greatly expanded my appreciation of life and culture. In conclusion, this narrative essay has examined the nature of internet literacy in my life. The essay considered the challenges a friend faced in attempting to become involved in the internet and finally developing increased understandings of internet literacy. The essay then examined my personal development in regards to internet literacy. Through the process of developing internet literacy I gained a number of enriching life experiences. Specifically, I have gained greater understandings and access to social media, education, and entertainment. It’s clear that internet literacy is an intrinsic element of life and my experience in increasing my skills and internet literacy has provided endless degrees of self-edification. Read More