Global Kids' Online Leadership Program

In the morning, I always listen to my iPod Nano as I ride to school. My iPod is one of my favorite technological innovations. I used to have to carry around a bunch of CDs and a CD player, and I had to buy the whole CD even if I only liked a few songs. Now I can store up to 500 songs in a small device that is only a little bigger than a matchbox. The iPod can be plugged into my computer. On my computer, I use the iTunes program to buy new songs, take songs from my old CDs, and burn new CDs for my friends or for use on a stereo. My iPod is truly a little piece of the future.

At school, I sometimes have to use the Internet to research any number of things, from the history of Ireland to the structure of a human cell. All these things can be found on websites that were created by other people or organizations all around the world. After school, I usually need to use my cell phone to find out who is taking me home. However, my cell phone is more than just a phone; I can access tons of media from my phone. I use this to download new ring tones or pictures for my phone, although they have to be paid for with the phone bill.

At home, I often have to use the Internet to do my homework. I usually use the aforementioned search engine to find information and websites that can help with my work. When I finish with my research and I want to check my grades, I go to Edline, the website my school uses to post grades, assignments, and test dates. Each student has a password and screen name so he can access his and only his grades; the student’s parents have a password and screen name too, so they access his grades separately. Within the site, each teacher has a page, which he or she uses to post important information. Some teachers use the website more than others, but all in all it is very helpful. Teachers must update grades every three weeks; that way parents can check grades without waiting for report cards.

After school, I sometimes enjoy playing video games on the computer or on my Gamecube, a game system made by Nintendo. On my Nintendo I can play any of the games that I have bought, and (if I had the money) I could buy almost any type of game I could want. I have many types of games, such as sports games, racing games, shooting games, and adventure games. All of these games are fun to play, and they are a good way to pass the time.

Each of the devices I use, though their uses greatly differ, is now connected by the computer and the Internet. Many games can be played online against people on the other side of the Earth. Internet sites are created by people in every corner of the globe. I listen to songs made by people everywhere. Every piece of technology I use is connected to the other ones by the vast, World Wide Web.

With all the technology I have at my disposal, I think that people my age and I will be shaped by the technology of the future more than anyone could imagine. We learn using computers. We play games using computers. We listen to music using computers. We communicate using computers. My generation will be honed to a fine edge by today’s technology. In the new world, it seems that a person’s usefulness in a business will be determined by his or her resourcefulness and by how well he or she uses the tools around him or her. The student or worker of the future will be mobile. While traditional office workers or students have their own little desks overflowing with files, this worker of the future will literally have all the information he or she needs in the palm of his or her hand. This can be made possible by the new Palm Pilots, which are like small computers the size of pocket books, or Black Berries, which are the same kind of thing. In the near future, humans and technology will work seamlessly together more efficiently than a man with a pen and paper ever could.

Although technology has its advantages, it also has its drawbacks. With today’s easy access to information, people, especially children, can easily access media that wasn’t meant for them. It doesn’t help that these children probably know more about the technology than their guardians. Also, viruses and spyware have become a constant plague on the Internet; they are programs that invade computers and take information, such as credit card numbers, names, or addresses.

Another important issue about the use of digital media is the process of illegally downloading media, especially music. This is when people download music or other media from websites for free. This is irksome for the creators of that media, such as singers or producers, who do not get paid for the copies of their work. Although copying media without permission is now illegal, it is still fairly easy to do; I’ll admit that I do it, as do many of my friends. I download free music because it is easy, and, most importantly, it’s free. Also, whereas CDs cost something to make, digital media costs nothing to copy. This is one reason that downloading media should be free; another reason is that the makers of the media are paying nothing to copy it or distribute it. I can see how the producers of that media or music might be upset, but I don’t see how this illegal downloading can possibly be stopped.

For all the problems that come with today’s digital media, though, I believe that the good still outweighs the bad. For every song that is downloaded illegally, I would bet that many more are bought legally. There are new programs that can keep children from accessing media that was not meant for them. Also, virus-fighting software improves daily. As with all new advancements, problems arise; all we can do is adapt and solve these dilemmas.

All in all, I believe that today’s technology is adequately preparing my generation for the world. We are learning more and more about the world every day. My generation is more understanding of other cultures, simply because we are better informed than our parents were. We play games that prepare us for the world by heightening our awareness and teaching us to solve problems. We can develop our own tastes in art and music, and create our own media in our own lives. We can learn the best way for us to make a living and improve upon this technology that we use so much. These are a few of the many uses that today’s incredible mass of digital media have.

Of all the media that I use, I have only touched a spoonful of the ocean that is digital media. There are still thousands upon thousands of other sites, games, songs, and other things that I have never used and probably never will use. Every day, though, I find that I need some obscure piece of information, and this new technology allows me to find it. I play games and listen to music, and this helps define what I like and don’t like. Technology is an integral part of my life, and only by using it can I truly be ready for the future.

Mike H. attends school in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a hardworking student who always does his best and strives to make a difference in the world. This essay was a Grand Prize Winner in the 2006 Global Kids Digital Media Essay Contest. For more information, please visit GlobalKids.org.