New Is Old

It occurred to me the other night when I was working in class that what we are working on will all be replaced in a few years with something new. I also thought that all the trouble I'm having just getting a grasp on how all this works is really old news that I should already be familiar with. So it could fairly be said that perhaps one is always behind the times as far as technology goes. Because as soon as you learn it, the innovation has pass you by!

I enjoyed the diagram exercise we worked on. Supposedly it was a "limited" program. Perhaps for someone with limited ability and experience it was perfect assignment. I know that I can use that to help my students follow a lesson. I just like how obvious the applications were for me. When I get my new computer this summer I want to be sure and add Inspiration to my programs.

I was at a teachers conference the other day where I led a workshop on using drama in the classroom. The workshop after me was on using technology in the classroom. As I listened to that workshop I actually understood far more than I would have befor ethis class. Sooooo... something is obviously working.

Took the mid-term last night and felt like an idiot. But I made a 43/50 which apparently was better than those around me I asked about their grade.

And above all I don't feel as much fear in the class as I did before so. That is progress as well...right...don't you think so...

I'm tyring to convince myself...of something.

Can It Be That I'm Having Fun?

Ok, though I almost hate to admit it...I'm having fun using some of my
technology. I've seen others load and download pictures from their
phones and only been able to stare enviously!! Now I'm doing it as well. My spring break was great just to be able to back off on my school duties and focus on my classes at UT. I finished a paper for Ed. Psych. I also was able to catch up on the reading for Instructional Tech. I know some of the folks in my class probably feel sorry for the old guy but their help has been invaluable. I'm beginning to see why Mac users are so loyal. As much as I dislike moving from the pc to the Mac, it must be more uncomfortable to move the other direction. My French students next year will be the benefactors of my suffering this semester!! That makes me feel a little noble...

A New Language!

As I was working in my Theatre Arts class the other day something interesting occurred to me. My students are doing a collaborative project with the dance company. They were working together to find a way to make a puppet communicate and dance with a human dancer. It came to me that this was a new language for them just as assuredly as my French students struggle with learning French. Then I thought even further that my struggles with wiki's and blogs was also learning a new language but that we were all trying to do the same thing...communicate. The important thing is that part of the human spirit that struggles to share in whatever language something common, a desire, a longing, a wish, a hope. In a round-about way gave me hope in my technology class!

Give me a break!!

Nine days away from school!!!! Spring break is so great. I'm not going anywhere just looking forward to catching up on things in my life. I have plans to go ahead and do the story board for the next part of 486. I've done storyboards for theatre and film stuff so I'm familiar with them. Of course this class will have it's own spin I'm sure. Last week with the pictures was as difficult as I expected. So many of the others seem to know things already, not fair. I'm learning some basic Mac skills at the same time I'm working on class stuff. And then the computers often act up. For example, I was able to label all of my pictures except the scanned one. It would not take the edit EXACTLY like the other four pictures did. When I got home on my own computer I was able to label it with no problems. Go figure. And of course I discover, somehow I have a blog at jfergu15 and another one at jfergu15@utk.edu????? My blogs are at one and my photos went to the otherone....I have no idea...I and a small group of fellow struggles stayed for an extra 30 minutes the other day. But Voila! I got it all done.

Possibilities

OK I'm going to admit that some of this is beginning to rub off. I have been promised a smart board for next year. They had training sessions at my school. I went to one the other day and I was already thinking way ahead of them because of the stuff I've been working on in 486. Thanks again to my tutor, M., I have been progressing, albeit slowly. The smart board makes so many things possible. My students still don't have easy access to computers so things like blogs and wiki's are in the future but at least when I can use them they won't be so alien. I still get lost in class when I'm tyring to get my computer to do what I want it to and the teacher progresses to the next point and I miss it...but that is happening less. This weekend I worked on creating the electronic lesson plan and I was actually able to navigate. Tonight however, things sound more difficult, we have to move pictures around, again something I have never done. We'll see how it goes.

comfort zone

Well I'm getting a little more comfortable with the macs in the computer lab. Now if I can just remember to bring my jump drive with me to class I might be able to navigate everything. Working on the WebQuest with Margaret was actually kinda fun. It ended up being a pretty nice project I thought. I'm also getting more familiar with the way the different locations interact in the virtual world. As I mentioned before the kenetic understanding of the different computers is mostly what is throwing me off. But onward and upward.