Learning Objective #9
Entering the Arena
Coming into my final semester at Roger Williams University, I didn’t know exactly what to expect from a course titled The Digital Revolution. I had a general idea—it would probably involve technology, maybe some historical context—but I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into. I also hadn’t taken a class with Professor Cutting before, so there was a level of unfamiliarity there as well.
What I didn’t anticipate was just how relevant and thought-provoking this course would turn out to be. Throughout the semester, we explored not just the “what” of digital technology, but the deeper “how” and “why”—questions that don’t often come up in daily interactions with our phones or laptops. The course has given me a new lens through which to view the digital tools and systems that shape so much of modern life.
Initial Standouts for me
One of the early classes that stands out most to me was our introduction to the concept of what it truly means to be digital. It was a moment that shifted my perspective in a lasting way. We’re all so used to looking at our screens, swiping through content, clicking links, and assuming the experience is seamless. But that class pulled back the curtain. I remember sitting there, realizing for the first time how many different systems, components, and layers of engineering are involved in even a simple gesture like a swipe on a phone.
That lesson stuck with me because it revealed the complexity behind the simplicity. The digital world may feel smooth and instantaneous on the surface, but beneath that surface is a dense network of design decisions, hardware innovations, algorithms, and code. Understanding that complexity helped me appreciate the intentionality and creativity required to build the digital systems we interact with every day.
From Looms to Screens, Another Standout
Another class that had a significant impact on me was the one where we studied the Jacquard loom. Before this course, I would have never expected a 19th-century textile machine to have anything to do with modern computing. But learning about the loom’s use of punch cards to automate patterns opened my eyes to the historical roots of digital technology.
This wasn’t just a history lesson—it was a perspective shift. The Jacquard loom showed how early innovators were already exploring the relationship between pattern, automation, and control—principles that now underpin our most advanced computing systems. For someone like me, who has grown up in an already tech-saturated world, it’s easy to overlook where it all began. The loom helped me understand that digital thinking didn’t start with smartphones—it evolved over centuries of human creativity and problem-solving.
AI and the Reason I Took This Class
One of the most relevant developments I’ve witnessed in my lifetime is the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence. From personal assistants like Siri and Alexa to AI tools that recommend content, drive cars, or power business decisions, AI is no longer science fiction—it’s reality.
In fact, my interest in AI was a major reason I chose this course as my senior seminar. I wanted to better understand not just where AI is going, but where it came from—what events, inventions, and ideas paved the way for this powerful technology to exist. The course gave me that background and connected dots I didn’t even know were part of the picture.
Learning about early computing theories, the development of machine learning, and the social implications of AI helped me see the bigger picture. I feel more equipped now to enter a workforce where AI is becoming increasingly integrated, and I better understand the ethical and strategic questions businesses face when they adopt AI technologies.
Behind the Scenes of the Web: Learning by Building
Another unexpected highlight of this class was learning how to build and manage a blog. It’s one thing to use websites all day; it’s another to see how they’re structured, styled, and published. Working on this blog gave me hands-on experience with the web in a way that felt both practical and creative.
Seeing the “behind-the-scenes” side of the internet helped me appreciate the effort that goes into user experience and digital design. It also made me more critical—in a good way—about the websites I visit. Now, I understand what makes a site functional, accessible, and engaging. That’s a useful skill for anyone going into business, marketing, or entrepreneurship in today’s digital economy.
AI in Business and My Final Presentation
One of my favorite parts of the semester was the final research project and presentation. It allowed us to explore a real-world example of digital technology in action. I chose to focus on how Walmart is using AI to power its supplier negotiations—something I found genuinely exciting and deeply relevant to my field of study in business management.
Digging into this case study showed me how AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s being used right now to make business operations smarter, faster, and more efficient. I enjoyed being able to tie my academic interests into current events and emerging technology, and the project gave me a clearer idea of how digital tools are shaping the future of industries across the board. (For those interested, my earlier blog post on this topic goes into more detail.)
Conclusion: A Course That Changed My Perspective
As I prepare to graduate and step into a career landscape that is more digital than ever before, I’m grateful to have taken this class. It gave me the chance to step back and truly think about how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time. From the first automated looms to cloud computing and AI-powered apps, the journey of digital transformation is rich with lessons—and it’s far from over.
More than anything, this course reminded me that technology is not just about machines. It’s about people. It’s about curiosity, collaboration, and creativity. Understanding the origins and evolution of the digital world helps me appreciate the tools we use every day, and better prepares me to navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Created by: Nick Swaylik
Made with assistance from ChatGPThttps://chatgpt.com/