I'll admit that I don't usually choose to tinker with technological tools and toys; I prefer to play with ideas, words, and people rather than with (physical or virtual) things. That's probably part of why I don't tend to be an "early adopter" of new technologies -- I prefer to wait until the dust has settled and clear, easy-to-follow guidelines have been established, so that I can fill my time with ideas, words, and people rather than with figuring out a machine.
That said, I've actually set myself an additional tinkering task during this course: besides the required experimentation with the various tools, I'm also (for reasons I won't go into here) using this course to get more familiar with the Apple Macintosh system and operating environment. That means that some of the step-by-step guides Rick has offered to various tools have not directly applied to me -- I've had to figure out some different ways into things.
The lesson for me in this has been the importance of flexibility. I've realized that when I get really frustrated with a technological tool I'm learning (ask my office neighbors, who have heard me muttering at the computer and occasionally pounding on my desk), it's usually because I've assumed there's a single right way to go about it, and the way I'm trying is not working -- so I get stuck. This week has given me opportunities to try out different approaches from the way I think things should work. Usually, the results have been reasonably successful.
Like you, I mutter at my computer when I can't figure something out. And I have been doing a lot of that this week! I admire you for tackling both a new computer system AND learning how to teach an online course at the same time. Now I feel like a slacker!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I mutter at my computer when I can't figure something out. And I have been doing a lot of that this week! I admire you for tackling both a new computer system AND learning how to teach an online course at the same time. Now I feel like a slacker!
ReplyDeleteAron, I use both PC and Mac - I'm on my Mac right now. If you can let me know which guidelines I've given that don't apply to a Mac, I'll try to make them more platform independent.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I also like to let the tools sort themselves out before jumping on the bandwagon. But unlike you, I don't mind trying new things out to see if they might be effective teaching and learning tools.
Aron, I have a PC, and believe me - I do plenty of talking to it and wondering why it just won't do the things I think it ought to be doing; and why can't it just go faster??? Yes, all the new gizmos that we are learning about are very cool, but I have had to reach out to Rick more than once just because I don't have the confidence in myself! Keep on talking to yourself and your computer - we all understand! :)
ReplyDelete