After reviewing some of my peers blogs and thinking about the Linking Assignments, I thought I would start with a task right from the beginning. I have chosen my first linking post submission to connect with Task #1 What’s in your bag? I am linking to Greg Patton’s task. Overall, I have found similarities and differences between our Task 1 entries.

My link: https://blogs.ubc.ca/meipsyshack/2021/01/31/whats-in-my-bag/

Greg’s link: https://blogs.ubc.ca/etec540gregpatton/2021/01/24/task-one-whats-in-your-bag/

I gravitated towards Greg’s What’s in your bag? Task, as this was one that I found to be the most similar to mine. We both chose to use a bag that we use all the time but is not our typical “take to work” bag. 

Let’s first take a closer look at both the similarities and differences between our bags. First of all, both bags are functional for outdoor adventures and for who is using the bag. Greg’s enduro bag or fanny pack is functional directly to him, whereas my bag is primarily for me but due to its size, functions to support the whole family. Both bags contain a device for looking up trails and the ability to document the trails we are using. He mentions the Trailforks app, which I also have on my mobile device. However, I find I use the Strava app more as it depicts more hiking trails in my area. Both bags are meant to take on different adventures in the mountains. He uses his bag for biking and I take my bag for hiking, snowshoeing, fishing and skiing. In regards to the tools that we each use, the tools in his bag are more geared towards biking with his multi-tool, C02 cartridge and tire pump. The tools in my bag are more geared towards backcountry safety and travel such as the first aid kit, hiking poles and even the hand warmers. Another connection between both Greg and I is that other than our enjoyment for being outdoors is that we are both administrators. Although each of us hold the same role, our exact positions differ on the age, level, size of the school and location. 

As was recently brought to my attention and something I had not quite thought of in terms of the text technology is that the mountains I enjoy navigating through are in fact a type of text and how I navigate my way around the mountains in my area and the hazards associated with them would be the technology. Having this brought to my attention changed my scope and lens of the activity to see how text and technology are woven together. As mentioned in our course readings under Thinking about Text and Technology (Module 1.5) that, “Postman observed, that language is a technology in the sense that it is a practical art—an invention to facilitate communication.” I had been thinking quite linear in terms of the functional use of the bag and not fully connecting how that text technology can be interpreted beyond a basic functional use. I can see both Greg and I sharing similar text technology with the bag that we are using with regards to what is inside it and its main purpose for use in the mountains and being outside. 

When I first visited Greg’s blog, I noticed that we each used different authoring tools which also made the interface different from each other. Both of our authoring tools differed greatly in how they were each produced and how the literacies are defined. With mine, I liked to be able to go from my homepage and follow the dashboard drop down links to help me easily navigate where I wanted to be. With Greg’s I found that he captures the viewer with a picture of a bicycle as his header which further identifies his passion for biking. With my blog, I have also pulled in pictures into my headers that identify who I am, my enjoyment of the mountains and my family. Unlike me, Greg does not have dropdown tabs or a main place to navigate to his postings. Rather his postings are all on one page with the most recent post on the top to capture attention of the viewer right away. It is easy to scroll down through his blog postings to read through his tasks. I do wonder if it will be more difficult to pinpoint on one blog as his postings continue to layer on top of each other?