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Running Head: TECH USE OBSERVATION

Tech Use Reflection

Name
Institution

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TECH USE OBSERVATION
Assignment 1 Reflection: Tech Use Observation

Please use this Word file as a template for your reflection. Leave the questions in the file, and
add your remarks in the appropriate places. Your remarks should be 1000-2000 words in length.

1. Your name:

2. What did you do? How many sessions did you observe? For how long? During these
sessions, did you engage exclusively with one type of tech , or did you interleave other tasks at
the same time? Was this your normal mode of behavior?

I observed four sessions of my technology usage in the week. The duration of each session took
approximately 25-30 minutes on average. The type of technology I engaged in was the use of my
laptop and my phone each dependent on the time and tasks to be achieved. However most of the
time of the observation my phone was the technology under study. Interleaving tasks to interact
with technology is the most common thing to do especially when one is following up on a
conversation and being in the same shoes I was no exception. The use of technology during my
free time is my normal mode of behavior.

3. In observing breath, body/posture, emotions, and attention, which of these dimensions of

your present experience were most salient? What did they reveal to you about how you
currently engage with technology (about whats working well and what isnt)? Did you notice

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any of these aspects of your mind and body changing over the course of a session? In what ways
and on what basis?

There was at times when I observed an abrupt change in the breath if an encounter with scary or
noticed disgusting activities in social media. These events lead to deep breaths or short,
inconsistent breaths with no rhythm at all. Emotions were involved when stories that involved
sorrow or involving people I care about sprout up. The emotional shift was, however, quick, and
this lasted depending on the length of the conversation. The attention was the most noticeable
aspect where I observed that I was attached more to the discussions that involved me. From the
attention, I was keen to see the comments and defend the situation if that appeared necessary.

4. Were you able to notice the impulse to check email, text, play games, watch TV? What
was going on in your mind and body at that moment? What did this tell you about why you
check email, cell phone, play games or watch TV?

I observed excitement anytime I looked at my phone to check mail, text or play games. I
experienced little excitement when watching the television, and this led to the limited focus of
what was happening. The mind conviction when dealing with technology was that I would
discover something new that I had not seen when I last opened the technological device. I
observed that the technical aspect of all devices is an obsession, and this was what led to the
addictive nature of smartphones.

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5. Were you able to notice the state of your mind and body when you first laid eyes on your
screen? What did this tell you?

My state of mind was excitement and eagerness to find out what new had been posted in the case
of text messages, what new level I could unlock in games and what new mail had arrived when I
was away from my device. The observation led to my thinking that technology has affected a
part of our brains that deals with suspense and this led to the more frequent peeps on our devices
no matter how many times weve had a peep.

6. While you were engaging with the technology, did you notice the impulse to switch to
some other task? Did you switch (sometimes, always, never)? What does this suggest about
your current online behaviors/habits?

The impulse to change from one activity gave a mental disappointment that wanted to see more
and more about the technology. I sometimes switched to other tasks when using technology. The
switch of activities I most cases experienced multi-tasking activities which involved doing the
assigned tasks while at the same time continuing to engage with my device at hand.

7. Is there anything else youd like to reflect upon that isnt covered in the above questions?

With technology increasing by every tickle of a second, we are left helpless by what we can do to
get rid of it. The truth is we cannot get rid of technology but rather control how we can use it.

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This achievement can only be by reducing the hours spent gazing at our screens and finding
activities that will substitute our technology spent hours. This allusion correlates to what Gerald
tries to explain that only substitution can lead to reduced use of technology. (Gerard Jones, 2002)
8. Summarize what you learned from the exercise.
From the exercise, it is clear that the more we spend life on our devices the little we realize that
there is a life that requires more than a gaze. We divert from people we care about more and
more each day, and this is what society calls connection. We disconnect from the real society and
fail to realize all that surrounds us is more important than the people on the other side of the
world.

9. What personal guidelines for future technology use might you now adopt based on what
you learned? [Summarize them in no more than a page.]

Technology advances are made every minute and what we term as technology may be well
known as obsolete in the near future. Technologys main aim was to make work easier for us, and
this should always remain the case. Reducing hours spent using technology and investing more
time in outdoor and other activities is the only option that we have. The time to start practicing
the change and regulate our use of technology is now; else we risk turning our society into a
place of smart devices and dumb people. (McSweeny, 2014)

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References
Gerard Jones. (2002). Killing Monsters.
McSweeny, J. (2014, July 18). Are We a Generation of Idiots. Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/jack-mcsweeney/arewe-a-generation-of-idiots-smart-phones-and-dumb-people_b_5347387.html