floppy disks
Having both my parents as teachers growing up exposed me to much of the technology being implemented into schools at the time. When I was younger I remember us having an Apple 2E. I recall my parents sitting down in our home office and taking turns typing out their report cards and being so excited that they could type them and correct their typing before printing the reports out. Next, we got a Macintosh desktop computer; however, that did not last long because shortly after schools got labs of these computers they quickly got rid of them because no one was trained to fix them and programs were not compatible between Mac and PC (remember having to select CD-ROMs that were specifically Mac or PC? Or receiving both versions in a program package?). Fast forward to the present day where compatibility has been solved in some ways but become more intricate in others (I REALLY like that all of my Apple devices sync up with one another and am probably a long way from purchasing another brand of device primarily because it would now not sync up with my others). When thinking of the evolution of devices that I have seen in my life and storage of information from floppy disk to 3 1/2” disk to CD/DVD to memory stick to cloud, my questions include:
- With the speed of technology device advancements how can we (in schools) keep current while still utilizing previous hardware that has been purchased? Or, how do we make smarter purchases with technology at a school level?
- How can we integrate cloud storage effectively and abide by FIPPA in Canada using mainstream technology (i.e. GAFE, YouTube, etc.)?
Floppy disks! Wow, memories. It is crazy to think how far we have come in such a short period of time. Great memory.
Haneefa
The speed of technology advancements has been a topic of discussion in my division as we focus on Personalized Electronic Blended Learning (PeBL). As far as I can tell, the current strategy of the technological purchasing and implementation department at the division level seems to be on purchasing versatile and dependable hardware that can then be modified/adapted/upgraded to desired and changing levels through software/peripheral devices/apps etc. It seems to be working well so far, but I am also very fortunate that they are willing to spend copious amounts of money on apps and licenses for programs we want to use in the classroom. Otherwise, the devices would not be as useful and dynamic as they are.
I was waiting for an Apple IIe memory! Thanks for your post, Samia
Hi Alison
You are young…I remember using 5.25″ floppy disks and standing in line for Windows 95.
Christopher