Well, If you. haven’t been living under a rock you would be aware that we are currently living through an Environmental Emergency. Millions around the world are being affected in one way or another by COVID-19 (Corona Virus). Now you may be thinking what are the other ways you are being affected by a virus if you don’t contract it? Think about all the of the precautions that your country, state, or city are taking? How has your everyday life changed?
One of the many ways my life has changed has been how I do my grocery shopping. Remember the toilet paper shortage? We had our own little Hunger Games here in the Rio Grade Valley. If we were told to stay home and limit our contact why were the stores flooded with people buying toilet paper? Same reason why our cases were over 1000 for weeks. But with all this craziness going on did you notice how well our Grocery stores were adapting? Think about having to go to the store and realizing that something that you came for (such as toilet paper) is out of stock. Wouldn’t it had been nice to know before you made the trip? Several Grocery stores have had mobile applications available in the android and apple app store. With technology users, such as you and myself, we are able to download the store’s application and check for items in stock. Another thing you can do with the stores application is actually order contactless curbside with has a store employee bring it out to your vehicle. How does this benefit you? Well, think about the different ways COVID – 19 is transmitted or think about the elderly and disabled that are not able to get down and push a heavy cart. Those are all positive ways technology has allowed us to stay informed and continue to be an active citizen even during a pandemic.
Now moving towards a more civic approach. The year 2020 has not only been a rollercoaster of emotions but it also the year of the census. Now the census has never been anything to strenuous and often didn’t take much effort to complete. We usually check our mailbox, receive a survey to fill out, count your household, check some boxes and your done! This year the census was advertised in more than one way, snail mail, door to door representatives and online. The online form has made collecting census data not only easier but also more accurate. During the pandemic we have been told to limit all outside exposure to help stop the spread but the census determines funding for a number of things such as, head start programs, wildlife refuges, public schools, and other needs within city areas. Without the completion small cities such as my own would lack the proper funding to run. I thank technology and the promotion of information for our city to be at a 70% completion rate.
Instructional technology isn’t just learning management systems or informative blogs. There is technology everywhere we turn nowadays and information at the palm of our hand. We literally are able to learn as much as we want when we want. If there is something we learned during this pandemic is how technology is the future and how vital it is in our everyday lives.
The One About Technology 