UAPP 689 was it worth it?

Having a computer programing diploma, I thought this course will be useless and I’ll be wasting my time. Apparently I was wrong.  Technology is changing very fast and it’s changing people’s lives with it. Almost everything that I learned during this course was new for me. The most interesting parts of this course that I really injured were:

·         Creating a bolg and a website, which I previously thought they are a job of an IT specialist only. With all the available free and easy to follow websites like Google Bloger & Site everyone can create a blog or a website. Almost all government agencies currently have websites to provide the citizens with the service that they need in a fast and convenient way. Therefore, learning how to use these tools is necessity for any MPA student.

·         The group project was an interesting experience. I really injured working with intelligent and creative team members. Our project (311 Newark) was a great example of how to use information technology to advocate for a government project and how to make an agency’s mission easier.

·         E-government & e-democracy are growing dramatically, and the last U.S. presidential campaign is a great example of how information technology can influence country’s decision. Information technology really gives us a chance to be creative when making decisions. People should think out of the box to maximum the advantages of using Information technology.   

·         The most useful tool that I learned from this course is how to use social media. My area of interest is human resource management, and using some kinds of social media could be helpful when helpful during the employment proves. For instance, HR manager can use the social media to attract some intelligent candidates to work in the organization. It also (as I learned from this class and the HR class) can be useful to check the candidate background. 

·         I believe I can use most of the methods that I learned from this class in my job. As a trainer at the Institute of Public Administration my responsibility is to provide government employees with the knowledge needed to succeed in their work, and definitely the IT tools can make their jobs easier.

Nowadays using websites, social media, and other IT tools is necessary for all sectors to be able to compete in the modern competitive world. Information technology is changing our lives on almost every level, and we should be aware of that and pay more attention to the important investment in IT.

Thanks for my professors and for all my classmates for this experience.

Hanadi Alqahtani