I read a quote from Charles Darwin the other day as I was reading through Marnie’s notes. Here’s what it read: “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” This instantly brought me to my own fear with technology and the amount of undue stress I cause myself trying to read all the workshops, and watch as many tutorials as I can so I can try to implement tools into the blog and the final project. I finally figured that I don’t have to try and learn about all these things (in reality there’s no way one could learn all the stuff that’s available anyway) but to try and learn about a few. At least in this way I am attempting to change my views and diminish my fears.
Cheryl, I had that same quote posted in the hallways of LLCS last year. One of my favourites. You certainly have it right that it would be impossible to learn it all. If fact, I'm not sure you need to. How many programs that do essentially the same thing does a person really need. I think if it meets your needs great; if it doesn't, you really didn't need it!
ReplyDeleteI like the quote. I also appreciate the dilemma of making choices about technology when there's so much to choose from. I think that's why this class is useful. I get to read about what you're trying and how it works for you and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteFinding a focus is difficult when everything seems new! I just have to laugh when I hear or see something in the media about technology that I have at least been learning about via this class.Certainly it lessens the frustration I may have been feeling.
ReplyDeleteThe reward is that I am a bit more aware of what is happening in the world. In the sharing of this info our interest may ripple outward and something new crops up. For example,
my mom loves watching Oprah. A few days ago Oprah had some Skypers from Van.B.C. call. My mom perked up when she recognized the word Skype!SHe was so happy to know what Oprah meant...of course she thanked me for telling her what Skype was all about and even trying it out for herself... She is 71, learned how to text in Sept. and no longer calls it a fax!
I agree about increasing your skill with a few tools, keeping an open mind, practicing and moving on to the next. But , is this fast enough to help our students move on and keep up in this massive technological surge?
And, how do we do it as an effective collective ?