1. How has technology impacted your writing/composition?
In the case of the technologies used in this course, I've made a few adjustments to my writing/composition. The limited character count on Twitter (and the need to find a computer, log in, stuff my thoughts into a small space, and then post, hoping the stupidly slow site does its job without issues for once) has taken my writing participation in that medium down to the bare minimum. I was already semi-familiar with Twitter etiquette from Dr. Teston's module, but I didn't particularly enjoy tweeting in the first place, so that was of little consequence. (Who seriously cares about the day to day routine and observations of my life? There's a reason I read fiction. I don't want to read about real life!) Blogging involves similar issues; I don't have anything I particularly want to say to the public at large through a post, and it takes time and extra energy to make and post a blog. I guess I'm one of those old fashioned folk who would rather talk in person, as long as there's something worth talking about, versus texting, phone calls, tweeting, or blogging. With the blog and site, only vaguely knowing my audience and doubting their level of interest does not inspire a desire to write for them. Eh, who knows? Maybe I'll mess around with some video and audio files next, just to do a little experimenting and have some fun with this site, if nothing else. :)
2. How has technology connected or made you more mindful of your writing & place?
Though it seems forever ago, I know my composition and writing process was different before I started typing everything. I wrote most assignments all the way through with little to no outlining, listing, or other pre-writing. (I think younger me didn't want to waste time drawing everything out on one piece of paper just to redo it and then some on another.) I was fully focused on writing as the finished product, and revision only came into play when required for grading. Since getting my first laptop for college and moving almost all my composition tasks to word processing software, I do a lot more pre-writing (listing, getting my thoughts in order) and revising. A quick "Save as" lets me make any experimental changes I want in structure or wording without losing the original, should I want it. In that way, I think technology has made me more mindful of my writing as a process, which is a good thing.
As for place, I'm not entirely sure what Mangini's asking for here. I suppose I could say that seeing the global scale of the Internet and all it brings us from across the world at an instant makes me realize how I'm just a small piece of a large world; but I'm honestly not sure how Mangini wants us responding to "place" here. (I'm also severely tempted to take the easy road (until I've had more caffeine) and just say I have no opinion.) However, to show I made a good faith effort, I don't really feel like technology has connected my writing and (Twitterive) place. While being stuck can happen in the midst of working with technology, I would not go so far as to blame the computer's limited effects on my writing for my bad procrastination habits on homework. (That's a self-discipline issue and one that can be fixed. If I can stay on top of things at work, I can make myself do the same for school.)
3. How has technology impacted your identity construction?
If, by "identity," Mangini is referring to the constructions we present to others (as opposed to my actual, personal sense of identity), then yes, technology has impacted my identity construction, but no more than any other situation or environment in life. Each classroom, each restaurant, each conversation with a specific individual requires an altered identity construct. While I tend to maintain some of the same qualities throughout identity constructs, I will admit to limiting the information provided to different audiences whereby they assess my "identity." For instance, in class, I probably come across as a bit of a loudmouth, maybe even a tad of a know-it-all on my caffeine-less, sleep-deprived days. However, on Twitter, my tweets rarely deal with anything important and provide a very limited view of my life and personality; I would almost call the identity presented here superficial, merely scratching the surface, giving the audience a tiny glance of the topmost layer. On this website, though it is available to the public (and there may be a link to it in my Twitter profile) I know that few people outside my class will ever bother looking. Moreover, as blog posts permit no interruptions and I can reasonably assume that few, if any, of my classmates will look at them without specific instructions from the prof, I can be even more of a rambling loudmouth here. No time constraints or word limits. :) The website, like the other two class-related environments, will never delve beyond the top layer of personal information (name, major, job, favorite food); then again, I've never been much for baring my soul to strangers without at least receiving some prior indication of interest in hearing about it.
In the case of the technologies used in this course, I've made a few adjustments to my writing/composition. The limited character count on Twitter (and the need to find a computer, log in, stuff my thoughts into a small space, and then post, hoping the stupidly slow site does its job without issues for once) has taken my writing participation in that medium down to the bare minimum. I was already semi-familiar with Twitter etiquette from Dr. Teston's module, but I didn't particularly enjoy tweeting in the first place, so that was of little consequence. (Who seriously cares about the day to day routine and observations of my life? There's a reason I read fiction. I don't want to read about real life!) Blogging involves similar issues; I don't have anything I particularly want to say to the public at large through a post, and it takes time and extra energy to make and post a blog. I guess I'm one of those old fashioned folk who would rather talk in person, as long as there's something worth talking about, versus texting, phone calls, tweeting, or blogging. With the blog and site, only vaguely knowing my audience and doubting their level of interest does not inspire a desire to write for them. Eh, who knows? Maybe I'll mess around with some video and audio files next, just to do a little experimenting and have some fun with this site, if nothing else. :)
2. How has technology connected or made you more mindful of your writing & place?
Though it seems forever ago, I know my composition and writing process was different before I started typing everything. I wrote most assignments all the way through with little to no outlining, listing, or other pre-writing. (I think younger me didn't want to waste time drawing everything out on one piece of paper just to redo it and then some on another.) I was fully focused on writing as the finished product, and revision only came into play when required for grading. Since getting my first laptop for college and moving almost all my composition tasks to word processing software, I do a lot more pre-writing (listing, getting my thoughts in order) and revising. A quick "Save as" lets me make any experimental changes I want in structure or wording without losing the original, should I want it. In that way, I think technology has made me more mindful of my writing as a process, which is a good thing.
As for place, I'm not entirely sure what Mangini's asking for here. I suppose I could say that seeing the global scale of the Internet and all it brings us from across the world at an instant makes me realize how I'm just a small piece of a large world; but I'm honestly not sure how Mangini wants us responding to "place" here. (I'm also severely tempted to take the easy road (until I've had more caffeine) and just say I have no opinion.) However, to show I made a good faith effort, I don't really feel like technology has connected my writing and (Twitterive) place. While being stuck can happen in the midst of working with technology, I would not go so far as to blame the computer's limited effects on my writing for my bad procrastination habits on homework. (That's a self-discipline issue and one that can be fixed. If I can stay on top of things at work, I can make myself do the same for school.)
3. How has technology impacted your identity construction?
If, by "identity," Mangini is referring to the constructions we present to others (as opposed to my actual, personal sense of identity), then yes, technology has impacted my identity construction, but no more than any other situation or environment in life. Each classroom, each restaurant, each conversation with a specific individual requires an altered identity construct. While I tend to maintain some of the same qualities throughout identity constructs, I will admit to limiting the information provided to different audiences whereby they assess my "identity." For instance, in class, I probably come across as a bit of a loudmouth, maybe even a tad of a know-it-all on my caffeine-less, sleep-deprived days. However, on Twitter, my tweets rarely deal with anything important and provide a very limited view of my life and personality; I would almost call the identity presented here superficial, merely scratching the surface, giving the audience a tiny glance of the topmost layer. On this website, though it is available to the public (and there may be a link to it in my Twitter profile) I know that few people outside my class will ever bother looking. Moreover, as blog posts permit no interruptions and I can reasonably assume that few, if any, of my classmates will look at them without specific instructions from the prof, I can be even more of a rambling loudmouth here. No time constraints or word limits. :) The website, like the other two class-related environments, will never delve beyond the top layer of personal information (name, major, job, favorite food); then again, I've never been much for baring my soul to strangers without at least receiving some prior indication of interest in hearing about it.
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