Mr President, my life as digital learner has been a life worthwhile. There is much that I have to say on the significance of digital technology in my education.
Your Excellency, as a learner I have profited from E-commerce through which I have been able to purchase learning materials online. Through this I usually save a lot which could have been spent if I had to go to the selling premises. All I have to do is to place an order for books and other stationery from mail order stores and they are delivered to my doorstep at a relatively low cost.
As you know, learning requires me to carry out vigorous research and fact finding. The World Wide Web has solved this through Google Search, Yahoo Search and Bing among many others. Through these, I am exposed to vast information. I can easily find solutions to my research problems by learning facts availed on the internet by qualified professionals and this aids me to adapt to the dynamic learning environment and keep up to date.
Sir, digital resources are available to me, thanks to digital technology. I no longer have to purchase newspapers on a daily basis or keep on buying text books with every new edition. Online newspapers keep me informed about news from the country and beyond. Books, dictionary and calculator, not forgetting magazines are also available on the World Wide Web. I am able to read textbooks from different publishers online through provisions like eKitabu. I am therefore in a position to compare how ideas are brought out and therefore understand them better. Online dictionary has boosted my language capabilities in both Kiswahili and English as it is easier for me to get to know the meaning and use of different vocabulary at the click of a button.
My desire to share has also been satiated through the Bluetooth technology, easy share and flash share. On Windows 8 platform, there are also others like SkyDrive, People and Mail which help me share information freely with my friends. For Bluetooth technology, no matter the physical obstacles between the communicating devices, there is only need to ensure that the two devices are Bluetooth-enabled and that they are within each other’s Personal Area Network (PAN). I am able to learn a lot through the files I receive from friends.
Mr President, with digital revolution has come YouTube. Through this, I am able to watch educative videos on scientific concepts and set books online. Internet also enables me to follow online learning programs through my laptop.
Dear president, digital technology has also revolutionized the communication technology. Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype among others enable me to communicate with friends and relatives from far and wide. These technologies are very effective in the modern world. Skype for instance enables me to have a face-to-face communication with the other party and hence the communication is very lively. Mobile phone calls and text messages have also enabled me to convey short and urgent messages with ease.
Without forgetting, we have got the electronic mail or rather E-mail. Today I do not need to carry with me holiday assignments whenever we close school. The teachers are able to send me the assignments through my E-mail account either in Google mail or Yahoo mail. Similarly I usually submit my work for marking even when I am at home. I also address official matters concerning me to the relevant person through E-mail. Whenever I am late for reporting back to school, delay in fee payment or whatever matter it is, I can easily communicate this to the school administration through the school E-mail address. This has saved the cost of writing and sending letters which are as well unreliable.
Sir provision of mass storage devices like flash disks, DVDs, External hard disks and Blue ray disks enable me to back up information I have amassed from the World Wide Web. These devices are removable and hence portable. Their efficiency has enabled me to learn anywhere and at any time.
As you know Your Excellency, learning requires me to have a reliable way of keeping record of my academic progress and carry out self-evaluation. Through Microsoft Access, I have designed a system that automates this evaluation, thanks to digital technology. Using queries I work out grading and comments for the academic reports. The system therefore saves my time and also provides me with a basis of ‘What if analysis’.
Contrary to what we had in the olden days, today I need not to buy a graph book. GeoGebra is all I need. I simply have to get the provision of a computer with this application in order to carry out all my graphical constructions with much ease. This has made geometrical concepts like reflection, similarity, enlargement, rotation and translation to be but just a walkover, thanks to digital technology.
On religious affairs sir, I do not have to worry whenever I need a bible. I easily get spiritual nourishment through online bible. I am able to read the Bible in different versions and languages. I am also able to access Bible lesson guides online without any difficulty.
Truly, digital technology has done a lot in transforming my life and I now stand at a position to see my dreams come true. Your Excellency, I beseech you that you may empower me together with other Kenyan youth to soar to great heights through modern technology. I believe technology used in a constructive way is the secret to a successful society. Otherwise, thank you.
eKitabublog 