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1.3 How Technology Has Transformed the Way We Work

A Closer Look: Do You Remember When. . .? (Continued)

Jnan R. Dash, a former executive at Oracle Corporation and IBM, stated that the most fun-
damental technologies disappear (Heisterberg & Verma, 2014). They weave themselves
into our everyday lives so completely that we take them for granted and almost don’t
remember not having them. Consider this: Most of today’s smartphones have greater
computing power than that of the Apollo 11 spacecraft when it transported a man to
the moon (Gibbs, 2012). Yet how often do we stop to think about how far we’ve come in
mere decades? For example, our time traveler from 1980 probably would be amazed at
our 21st-century workplace, but we generally take our office technology for granted and
don’t think much about it while we work.

Reflection Questions

1. Do you remember what it was like before you had a cell phone? How did you
communicate with your friends and family?
2. Did you or your parents ever have to find a pay phone to make a call as you drove
through an unfamiliar area?
3. How has a cell phone changed your life and the way you keep in touch with others?
What are the drawbacks of a cell phone?

Today technology is so complex and changing so quickly that no one can master all there is
to know about it. Instead, to maintain your digital literacy, you must take it upon yourself
to be a lifelong learner and constantly strive to sharpen your computer skills. You can then
carry these skills with you and transfer them from one employer or company to another. You
may even find you want to reinvent yourself and apply your current skills and talents to an
entirely new career (AARP Foundation, 2015). In Modules 7 and 8 we will explore your skill
sets, including your computer skills, and talk about how you can promote yourself, discover
career opportunities, and network with others in this new digital world. Career Services at
Ashford University offers many digital resources in these areas.

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