Sometimes when doing research you stumble on a web site that offers great resources at no cost. While the cynic in me believe the old adage that says, “you get what you pay for”, I have found the free resources listed below to truly be a help for teachers.
Internet4Classrooms (i4c) is a helpful site for integrating technology into your classroom. Here is a bit of information about i4c from their website:
Who is Internet4Classrooms? A decade ago (February, 1997) Susan Brooks and Bill Byles began a collaborative effort to extend assistance to fellow teachers. In November of 2000 that project expanded to a web presence known as Internet4Classrooms (i4c). The web portal which we call i4c is free to anyone who wants to find high-quality, free Internet resources to use in their classroom instruction. The portal is used by teachers on six of the seven continents (there are not many classrooms in Antarctica) and is available to anyone with an Internet connection. No subscription fee is charged.
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/introducing_i4c.htm (link to their home page)
For classroom resources, please follow this link: http://www.internet4classrooms.com/integ_tech_lessons.htm.
Another valuable resource for K-12 teachers is Education World. I found the article, “Technology Integration: Ideas That Work”. Here is a link to the article: http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech/tech176.shtml.
Happy reading!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Elevator Etiquette
I normally blog on technology in education while my colleague rants about various subjects near and dear to his heart or at least something he has been reading about recently. Perhaps this belongs on the rant side of things but I think of an elevator as technology, so here goes.
Elevator rules and etiquette are a set of guidelines that most people attempt to follow except at the University of Central Florida (and I am sure thousands of other places). The twenty seconds that people generally spend on a typical elevator ride can be awkward if somebody breaks one of the unwritten rules. Following a few simple elevator rules and guidelines as well as using general politeness are the ideal ways to be sure you are not creating an awkward situation for others.
Rule Number 1: Let me off the elevator before you come storming on! The first thing to remember before you getting onto an elevator is to let the people off who wish to exit. This is a basic rule of politeness. It also makes more room on the inside of the elevator for you and others. Letting others exit first also helps with the flow of the traffic in and out of the elevator. When waiting for the elevator to arrive on your floor, step back. You do not need to crowd the entry way. I have yet to see an elevator on campus that had a Disney-like line wrapping around the building with people eager to get on the elevator. Remember, dear friend, you are not so important that you have the right to run over people who are trying to get off the elevator. If you are that late for class (teachers & students), leave your home or office earlier. Play nice!
Well, that is all I really wanted to say, but since there are other rules I will go ahead and cover them also. Just remember some of us are not the smallest creatures inhabiting the earth and we will get out of the elevator one way or the other. Do you really want someone my size trampling over your fit and trim body to get out of an elevator? Did I mention that I am claustrophobic?
2: What if you are inside the elevator when it stops? Those who are nearest to the door should exit first. If you are standing near the door on a crowded elevator, see if anybody in the back needs to get off of the elevator. If they do, politely step outside the elevator so they can exit easily and then step back on once everybody has exited.
3: Pushing the Buttons! First, do not let a mischievous child be in charge of pushing the buttons. If you do, you will likely be stopping on every floor. According to Chad Hagy the following etiquette is appreciated. “If your floor is lit up, do not press it again. There is no need to push the button once it is already pressed. Also, if there is space along the wall, stand in an empty spot away from the door. Many new elevator passengers choose to step to the back of the elevator to provide the utmost space for others who may get on. This makes it easier for those who exit on another floor and for those who might be entering on another floor.” (Proper Elevator Rules and Etiquette, 2007) Remember, keep children who behave like I used to away from the buttons—we have been known to push the alarm button.
4: Pushing Personal Boundaries! It is correct to move towards the back of the elevator or towards the side walls. Do not crowd other inhabitants of the small space. Do not touch someone on the elevator—especially if you do not know them. And lastly, save your smooching for once you exit the elevator. Personal displays of affection on a crowded elevator are inappropriate even though I have read some interesting stories to the contrary. If there are only the two of you on an elevator have fun, but remember many elevators have cameras in them and YouTube is very popular.
5: Be Quiet! Please don’t hum, sing, whistle, smack chewing gum or any of the many other things that irritate me. Yes, it is all about me. If you recognize the song being played on the elevator, please don’t sing along to the “music”. You may acknowledge someone on the elevator but no lengthy conversations.
6: No Cell Phones! One of the most important rules to most elevator passengers is to remember to turn off your cell phone. You can switch it to vibrate or turn the ringer down to a minimum level, but do not talk on it while you are riding with other passengers on the elevator. The other passengers do not want to hear your conversations in the same way that you do not want to hear the conversations of others. It is considered rude to talk on your cell phone while riding an elevator with others.
Oh well, this became a lengthy epistle on elevator etiquette when all I really wanted to say was please stand back and let me get off the elevator before you run me over trying to get on the elevator. Here’s to whoever created the wonderful technology we call an elevator!
Elevator rules and etiquette are a set of guidelines that most people attempt to follow except at the University of Central Florida (and I am sure thousands of other places). The twenty seconds that people generally spend on a typical elevator ride can be awkward if somebody breaks one of the unwritten rules. Following a few simple elevator rules and guidelines as well as using general politeness are the ideal ways to be sure you are not creating an awkward situation for others.
Rule Number 1: Let me off the elevator before you come storming on! The first thing to remember before you getting onto an elevator is to let the people off who wish to exit. This is a basic rule of politeness. It also makes more room on the inside of the elevator for you and others. Letting others exit first also helps with the flow of the traffic in and out of the elevator. When waiting for the elevator to arrive on your floor, step back. You do not need to crowd the entry way. I have yet to see an elevator on campus that had a Disney-like line wrapping around the building with people eager to get on the elevator. Remember, dear friend, you are not so important that you have the right to run over people who are trying to get off the elevator. If you are that late for class (teachers & students), leave your home or office earlier. Play nice!
Well, that is all I really wanted to say, but since there are other rules I will go ahead and cover them also. Just remember some of us are not the smallest creatures inhabiting the earth and we will get out of the elevator one way or the other. Do you really want someone my size trampling over your fit and trim body to get out of an elevator? Did I mention that I am claustrophobic?
2: What if you are inside the elevator when it stops? Those who are nearest to the door should exit first. If you are standing near the door on a crowded elevator, see if anybody in the back needs to get off of the elevator. If they do, politely step outside the elevator so they can exit easily and then step back on once everybody has exited.
3: Pushing the Buttons! First, do not let a mischievous child be in charge of pushing the buttons. If you do, you will likely be stopping on every floor. According to Chad Hagy the following etiquette is appreciated. “If your floor is lit up, do not press it again. There is no need to push the button once it is already pressed. Also, if there is space along the wall, stand in an empty spot away from the door. Many new elevator passengers choose to step to the back of the elevator to provide the utmost space for others who may get on. This makes it easier for those who exit on another floor and for those who might be entering on another floor.” (Proper Elevator Rules and Etiquette, 2007) Remember, keep children who behave like I used to away from the buttons—we have been known to push the alarm button.
4: Pushing Personal Boundaries! It is correct to move towards the back of the elevator or towards the side walls. Do not crowd other inhabitants of the small space. Do not touch someone on the elevator—especially if you do not know them. And lastly, save your smooching for once you exit the elevator. Personal displays of affection on a crowded elevator are inappropriate even though I have read some interesting stories to the contrary. If there are only the two of you on an elevator have fun, but remember many elevators have cameras in them and YouTube is very popular.
5: Be Quiet! Please don’t hum, sing, whistle, smack chewing gum or any of the many other things that irritate me. Yes, it is all about me. If you recognize the song being played on the elevator, please don’t sing along to the “music”. You may acknowledge someone on the elevator but no lengthy conversations.
6: No Cell Phones! One of the most important rules to most elevator passengers is to remember to turn off your cell phone. You can switch it to vibrate or turn the ringer down to a minimum level, but do not talk on it while you are riding with other passengers on the elevator. The other passengers do not want to hear your conversations in the same way that you do not want to hear the conversations of others. It is considered rude to talk on your cell phone while riding an elevator with others.
Oh well, this became a lengthy epistle on elevator etiquette when all I really wanted to say was please stand back and let me get off the elevator before you run me over trying to get on the elevator. Here’s to whoever created the wonderful technology we call an elevator!
Friday, February 20, 2009
The Net Generation & Information Fluency
The Net Generation is comprised of those born after 1982 and they are the largest generation in U. S. history—comprising over 80 million in number. This generation has changed the face of technology in colleges and universities across the nation. This generation will be on campuses for many years to come.
While doing research I found a very good tool ion learning about the Net Generation. Reynol Junco and Jeanna Mastrodicasa wrote a book, published in 2007 called, Connecting to the Net. Generation: What Higher Education Professionals Need to Know About Today’s Students. Based on the results of the Net Generation Survey (7,705 college students in the US), the book provides information on some of today’s most popular technologies: blogs, instant messaging, social networking Web sites, and filesharing programs. The 164 page paperback also looks at how students are using these technologies to communicate and develop a sense of community on campus and beyond. The authors compare generational values and offer specific recommendations for how to better serve Net Generation students in the important areas of counseling, career planning, academic advising, campus safety, disability services, parental involvement, and classroom learning.
These are some of the results from the survey:
97% own a computer
94% own a cell phone
76% use Instant Messaging (IM)
75% have a Facebook account
60% own some type of portable music and/or video device (like an iPod)
49% download music using peer-to-peer file sharing
44% read blogs frequently
34% use websites as their primary source of news
28% own a blog
15% of Instant Message users are logged on 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
As professors, our expectation is that any student who is this savvy and proficient in technology, often called a “digital native”, is prepared for great academic achievement. These students are used to virtual learning, on line education, and have every possible advantage for doing wonderfully complex academic research. So what is the problem?
Some researchers think the faculty members are the problem. If the old fuddy duddy, outdated faculty would just get out of the way, our students would accomplish great things. This is generally not the case. Every faculty member I know has welcomed (even if begrudgingly) technology into their classroom. So, I ask again, what is the problem?
According to many researchers it is the limited knowledge some students have of the technology available to them. There is a big difference between finding an old friend on Facebook and understanding how to find material needed to complete a research paper. Often students can only utilize the top layer of the technology they enjoy. It is our job to teach them to do more with the technology.
In Information Fluency it is our task to assist faculty, staff and students across the UCF campus to learn to not only find information but to EVALUATE the information once it is found. Is the source reliable or credible? Is the information reliable? Simply put, information fluency is the ability to gather, evaluate, and use information in ethical and legal ways. Information fluency encompasses and integrates three important skills: information literacy, technology literacy, and critical thinking. These three skills are not mutually exclusive but overlap. The ability to communicate information in appropriate and effective ways is another crucial part of Information Fluency.
So how information fluent are you? Have you honed you skills in evaluating information from a web site? Can you critically examine information you find on line? Do you then use the information in a way that is both legal and ethical? Let’s stop here for a time of personal examination and reflection…
While doing research I found a very good tool ion learning about the Net Generation. Reynol Junco and Jeanna Mastrodicasa wrote a book, published in 2007 called, Connecting to the Net. Generation: What Higher Education Professionals Need to Know About Today’s Students. Based on the results of the Net Generation Survey (7,705 college students in the US), the book provides information on some of today’s most popular technologies: blogs, instant messaging, social networking Web sites, and filesharing programs. The 164 page paperback also looks at how students are using these technologies to communicate and develop a sense of community on campus and beyond. The authors compare generational values and offer specific recommendations for how to better serve Net Generation students in the important areas of counseling, career planning, academic advising, campus safety, disability services, parental involvement, and classroom learning.
These are some of the results from the survey:
97% own a computer
94% own a cell phone
76% use Instant Messaging (IM)
75% have a Facebook account
60% own some type of portable music and/or video device (like an iPod)
49% download music using peer-to-peer file sharing
44% read blogs frequently
34% use websites as their primary source of news
28% own a blog
15% of Instant Message users are logged on 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
As professors, our expectation is that any student who is this savvy and proficient in technology, often called a “digital native”, is prepared for great academic achievement. These students are used to virtual learning, on line education, and have every possible advantage for doing wonderfully complex academic research. So what is the problem?
Some researchers think the faculty members are the problem. If the old fuddy duddy, outdated faculty would just get out of the way, our students would accomplish great things. This is generally not the case. Every faculty member I know has welcomed (even if begrudgingly) technology into their classroom. So, I ask again, what is the problem?
According to many researchers it is the limited knowledge some students have of the technology available to them. There is a big difference between finding an old friend on Facebook and understanding how to find material needed to complete a research paper. Often students can only utilize the top layer of the technology they enjoy. It is our job to teach them to do more with the technology.
In Information Fluency it is our task to assist faculty, staff and students across the UCF campus to learn to not only find information but to EVALUATE the information once it is found. Is the source reliable or credible? Is the information reliable? Simply put, information fluency is the ability to gather, evaluate, and use information in ethical and legal ways. Information fluency encompasses and integrates three important skills: information literacy, technology literacy, and critical thinking. These three skills are not mutually exclusive but overlap. The ability to communicate information in appropriate and effective ways is another crucial part of Information Fluency.
So how information fluent are you? Have you honed you skills in evaluating information from a web site? Can you critically examine information you find on line? Do you then use the information in a way that is both legal and ethical? Let’s stop here for a time of personal examination and reflection…
Technology & Teachers
We have all heard the various jokes about how many ______ (insert the name of some group here) it takes to screw in a light bulb. The punch line is usually funny and everyone enjoys the joke. Jim Lengel, Hunter College School of Education, Boston University asks, “How many teachers does it take to screw in a new high-tech low-consumption halogen light bulb?” The answer: “Don’t bother, I’ll sit in the dark.”
This statement came from a discussion about teachers, competency, and computers. For years, many of us chose to sit in the dark when it came to adding technology and creativity to our classroom experiences. After teaching a few computer classes in my early career, I went back to teaching classes where I had training and expertise: Ethics and Management. While always striving for creativity and occasionally even controversy in my classes, I never added technology. I was not alone though since this was the late 80s and early 90s and only computer classes had computers in the classrooms. Sadly we were still using overhead projectors, slide shows and film strips and were comfortable with these technologies. Yes, we were indeed sitting in the dark.
As colleges and universities added computer experts they worked diligently to get all of the professors to add technology to our classes. Some of us tried and others gave up and retired. So, what was the big drawback for me when it came to adding useful technology to my classes? Control! Often computer labs would “go down” and the day was lost. The “Instructor’s Computer” in the classroom often didn’t work correctly (generally meaning I didn’t know how to properly work the computer and software) and that was frustrating. As a control freak, I gave up on technology.
When I moved from full time teaching to administration I got to talk to a lot of students about classes they liked and classes they didn’t like. Almost unanimously they loved the classes that had incorporated technology into their assignments and lectures. Contrary to what I thought, many of my colleagues were not sitting in the dark with me. Professors were finding ways to be more productive and technology was a big part of the process.
So I started to learn the basics. One of the best things about being a Vice President of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean is that you can schedule workshops and in-service training for faculty and staff and make sure the areas presented are things you want to know more about. I learned PowerPoint! This was a technologically savvy as you could be in the 90s if you weren’t a “computer geek.” I learned to add sound and animation. From that point forward my presentations and faculty meetings were technological experiences from heaven. I was hooked.
Along the way I met a guy who was a true geek. I called him “Geek Boy” for years. We became best friends over time and I learned just how much I still didn’t know about technology and how it could help me in academic administration and help in adding technology to the classroom. I thought I had arrived and then found out I had a long way to go. In the end though, isn’t that how life is supposed to be? We can choose lifelong learning or we can be left behind. It is our choice to make. I am going to learn how to screw in that dang new high-tech low-consumption halogen light bulb!
This statement came from a discussion about teachers, competency, and computers. For years, many of us chose to sit in the dark when it came to adding technology and creativity to our classroom experiences. After teaching a few computer classes in my early career, I went back to teaching classes where I had training and expertise: Ethics and Management. While always striving for creativity and occasionally even controversy in my classes, I never added technology. I was not alone though since this was the late 80s and early 90s and only computer classes had computers in the classrooms. Sadly we were still using overhead projectors, slide shows and film strips and were comfortable with these technologies. Yes, we were indeed sitting in the dark.
As colleges and universities added computer experts they worked diligently to get all of the professors to add technology to our classes. Some of us tried and others gave up and retired. So, what was the big drawback for me when it came to adding useful technology to my classes? Control! Often computer labs would “go down” and the day was lost. The “Instructor’s Computer” in the classroom often didn’t work correctly (generally meaning I didn’t know how to properly work the computer and software) and that was frustrating. As a control freak, I gave up on technology.
When I moved from full time teaching to administration I got to talk to a lot of students about classes they liked and classes they didn’t like. Almost unanimously they loved the classes that had incorporated technology into their assignments and lectures. Contrary to what I thought, many of my colleagues were not sitting in the dark with me. Professors were finding ways to be more productive and technology was a big part of the process.
So I started to learn the basics. One of the best things about being a Vice President of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean is that you can schedule workshops and in-service training for faculty and staff and make sure the areas presented are things you want to know more about. I learned PowerPoint! This was a technologically savvy as you could be in the 90s if you weren’t a “computer geek.” I learned to add sound and animation. From that point forward my presentations and faculty meetings were technological experiences from heaven. I was hooked.
Along the way I met a guy who was a true geek. I called him “Geek Boy” for years. We became best friends over time and I learned just how much I still didn’t know about technology and how it could help me in academic administration and help in adding technology to the classroom. I thought I had arrived and then found out I had a long way to go. In the end though, isn’t that how life is supposed to be? We can choose lifelong learning or we can be left behind. It is our choice to make. I am going to learn how to screw in that dang new high-tech low-consumption halogen light bulb!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Moving On Up
As I stated before, I got to teach an introductory computer class at the college where I was working. Amazingly, they did not use Commodore computers in the college. That’s right, I was “Moving On Up” – just like the Jefferson’s theme song! I was getting a new computer from Apple, Inc. There was some excitement and a bit of fear as I thought about a new computer lab and new classes to teach. Here is a picture of the first Macintosh computer. Since this was the only Apple computer I had ever seen in Atlanta it is what I expected when I was first told about the class.Amazingly, when the computers arrived on campus for the new lab they looked nothing like this old Macintosh. They were Apple notebo
oks similar to the one in the other picture. The ones we got weren’t quite this nice or large but that was okay since we had state of the industry computers in our lab. Wow! Apple was the leader in the educational sector during this time period. In fact, they made some great deals for those in the field of education. Almost every school could get free software with the computers and the computers were heavily discounted to get them into circulation. The programming language used was called LOGO and was pretty simple for most users. I was ecstatic to have these great computers and they allowed you to do so much more than the older versions of Macintosh or Commodore. There were other computers in use but they were primarily being used by various government agencies and were cost prohibitive for schools and home usage. Again, I was excited!
When the computers came in for the new lab the President of the college gave me one to take home so I could “master” it before walking in front of the class. I was hyper and played with my new toy for days on end—morning and night. I learned everything I could about the computer hardware, the operating system and the available software. To be honest, that didn’t take long. Computers wer
e just glorified typewriters for most of society. The only advantage offices saw was documents could be saved on the floppy disk. For those of you who have not seen a 5 ¼” square floppy disk I am including a picture for you. We used to keep big boxes of these lovely things all over the computer lab and in every office. Remember, we were state of the art! The majority of what I was supposed to teach was keyboard skills (formerly known as typing), word processing and spreadsheets. We had not even considered programming, databases, presentations, etc. As a side note, the machines still did not do “cut and paste” or many of the very simple things we take for granted now. I was still excited! I was a little worried about teaching keyboarding skills since my only experience was a 9th grade typing class and typing my own papers in college. Not exactly the best training for a new class.The first day of class arrived and the students were awe struck when they entered the new computer lab. They had never seen so many computers in one place and only two of the 30 students had a computer at home (see Blog on Commodore). The shiny white notebook computers (no additional monitors or a mouse) with the blue and silver apple were there to open a new door to these and many other students. I was mean that day (according to my students) and I am grateful we didn’t have “ratemyprofessor” or “myprofessorsucks.com” back then. I wouldn’t let the students use the computers until we went over the “house rules” for the new computer lab, how to use them correctly (there was a real process for turning them on and off and the order you did things in mattered greatly). But eventually we got into the class and everyone got to “play” on their computer. I got to be part of changing lives through technology that day. I had no clue where it all was going, but it is nice to look back and know that I helped to open doors for men and women who are now employed in Silicon Valley and the Technology Triangle. There is no better feeling for a teacher than to know you helped to broaden the horizons of your students.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
In The Beginning...a Commodore!
Technology literacy is a vital part of being fluent in the world of information. We are bombarded every day with more and more and more information. Sometimes it seems overwhelming and sometimes it is a wonderful gift—really depends on my personal mood that day.
When it comes to technology and the information age I entered kicking and screaming, much as my parents said I entered the real world. I have always wanted to stay on the all important “cutting edge” of what is new and exciting in the world so when I was in college I enrolled in a computer class. The class taught us how to punch holes in cards (key punch machines) and use them to store and retrieve information. That was it. The cost of the cards was astronomical for most companies and the machine that punched and read the cards was cost prohibitive. Wow, I really feel old just typing those lines.
Our professor took us on a field trip to the Human Resources section of the local Social Security Administration in this central GA city. The facility was the size of the UCF Teaching Academy building and one half of the building contained the computers that kept the government operating (according to our tour guide). Each computer was the size of a car standing up from bumper to bumper. They contained huge rolls of tape with all kinds of important and personal information on US citizens. To keep the machines operating correctly the rooms were freezing cold. I was amazed and a little bit frightened. Amazed at the power of the computers and what they could do for us and frightened by the power of the computers and what they “knew” about us.
Not long after completing my Master’s degree I purchased my own computer: a Commodore 64. This was an 8-bit home computer, released in 1982, costing $595 each. The Commodore 64 was the “cutting edge” technology of its time. I was excited! I had no clue how to use the thing but it looked good in my office at home. I was teaching at three colleges (all part time) and knew the Commodore 64 was going to make my life much easier. It did. I learned to do word processing and found the fascinating world of computer games. I was hooked.
One of the colleges where I was teaching was a private school in Atlanta. They asked me to teach a new computer class since I was the only person on faculty who actually owned my own computer. I agreed and they ordered a room full of Apple computers. Apple introduced the PowerBook in 1991, which established the modern form and ergonomic layout of the laptop computer. The same year, Apple introduced System 7, a major upgrade to the operating system which added color to the interface and introduced new networking capabilities. Did I fail to mention that the original computer in my life was black and white (actually black and gray)? I was in heaven. Now I had a powerful computer that students could use to type their own papers and I no longer had to read bad handwriting! For the first few years that was about as good as it got.
Over time the computers changed and more and more people got them in their homes. Computers now did more than just word processing and saving your materials. Now, you could cut and paste! Probably doesn’t sound very exciting to you but it was great for a teacher who was tired of making up tests over and over and having to start from scratch every time you taught a class. Then I became complacent. I moved from classroom instruction to academic administration and didn’t stay on top of the developments in the world of computers. I liked WordPerfect 4.2 and saw no need to learn anything else. I was happy in my world.
My world changed. For a few years my instructors had told me of the new company, Microsoft, who had great new products. They told me I needed to learn the new products and keep up with the times. I saw no value in that; besides Word 5.1 was doing a good job for me. Then it happened, the powers that be decided when we built the new administration building for the college we would go to an all Microsoft format. No more Word Perfect for me. I quickly changed my attitude from complacent to “must know everything.” I took classes (of course, they were free for me), cornered my computer science instructors and kept them hostage in my office, and learned Microsoft (at least enough to function). Wow, I really feel like I was in the beginning...you know, with God and dirt and light. But it really wasn't all that long ago when we were still using punch cards.
When it comes to technology and the information age I entered kicking and screaming, much as my parents said I entered the real world. I have always wanted to stay on the all important “cutting edge” of what is new and exciting in the world so when I was in college I enrolled in a computer class. The class taught us how to punch holes in cards (key punch machines) and use them to store and retrieve information. That was it. The cost of the cards was astronomical for most companies and the machine that punched and read the cards was cost prohibitive. Wow, I really feel old just typing those lines.
Our professor took us on a field trip to the Human Resources section of the local Social Security Administration in this central GA city. The facility was the size of the UCF Teaching Academy building and one half of the building contained the computers that kept the government operating (according to our tour guide). Each computer was the size of a car standing up from bumper to bumper. They contained huge rolls of tape with all kinds of important and personal information on US citizens. To keep the machines operating correctly the rooms were freezing cold. I was amazed and a little bit frightened. Amazed at the power of the computers and what they could do for us and frightened by the power of the computers and what they “knew” about us.
Not long after completing my Master’s degree I purchased my own computer: a Commodore 64. This was an 8-bit home computer, released in 1982, costing $595 each. The Commodore 64 was the “cutting edge” technology of its time. I was excited! I had no clue how to use the thing but it looked good in my office at home. I was teaching at three colleges (all part time) and knew the Commodore 64 was going to make my life much easier. It did. I learned to do word processing and found the fascinating world of computer games. I was hooked.
One of the colleges where I was teaching was a private school in Atlanta. They asked me to teach a new computer class since I was the only person on faculty who actually owned my own computer. I agreed and they ordered a room full of Apple computers. Apple introduced the PowerBook in 1991, which established the modern form and ergonomic layout of the laptop computer. The same year, Apple introduced System 7, a major upgrade to the operating system which added color to the interface and introduced new networking capabilities. Did I fail to mention that the original computer in my life was black and white (actually black and gray)? I was in heaven. Now I had a powerful computer that students could use to type their own papers and I no longer had to read bad handwriting! For the first few years that was about as good as it got.
Over time the computers changed and more and more people got them in their homes. Computers now did more than just word processing and saving your materials. Now, you could cut and paste! Probably doesn’t sound very exciting to you but it was great for a teacher who was tired of making up tests over and over and having to start from scratch every time you taught a class. Then I became complacent. I moved from classroom instruction to academic administration and didn’t stay on top of the developments in the world of computers. I liked WordPerfect 4.2 and saw no need to learn anything else. I was happy in my world.
My world changed. For a few years my instructors had told me of the new company, Microsoft, who had great new products. They told me I needed to learn the new products and keep up with the times. I saw no value in that; besides Word 5.1 was doing a good job for me. Then it happened, the powers that be decided when we built the new administration building for the college we would go to an all Microsoft format. No more Word Perfect for me. I quickly changed my attitude from complacent to “must know everything.” I took classes (of course, they were free for me), cornered my computer science instructors and kept them hostage in my office, and learned Microsoft (at least enough to function). Wow, I really feel like I was in the beginning...you know, with God and dirt and light. But it really wasn't all that long ago when we were still using punch cards.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)