SDEA+Retired+Educators

TMI! TMI! TMI!

Having attended many technology classes over the last two decades, I have been continually frustrated by the presentations and teaching methods used for such products. The usual technique would be: "Everyone click here, now click here, then select the ... ".

Since I am beyond the "over 30" divide by many years, I would often struggle to find the first button through my variable bifocals, click, find the menu item, click, find the sub-menu item, click, find the gallery item, click, find the color palette, click, etc. (I'm getting some revenge here). Then, if the design didn't look just right - where do I start again? Psychologists found we could remember only seven items (phone number) at a time, so why do those "techies" expect me to remember all those buttons and such? I learned to take notes, which in some cases actually frustrated the presenter because I wasn't "just clicking through fast enough".

The worst was (is) Microsoft Office products. Did you know that Microsoft Office Word 2003 had over 1700 individual specific commands? The "ribbon" for Office 2007 improved the functionality somewhat by grouping commands according to the task at hand. (My engineering background says "Why didn't they do that in the first place?") Now Office 2010 is "improved" with additional collaboration tools.

Although these technology classes would be about the "latest and greatest", my experiences (since Windows 3.11) did not reflect the awe that was expected.

So now with Web 2dot0 we have "social networking", which multiplies the connections and the complications of using these technologies. I don't expect the chaos to quit.

The workshop/seminar for the SDEA ENL was not like my previous experiences with learning new technologies. I was able to take many notes, and to try the connections on the screen. I am looking forward to this process of "leap-frogging" into the newest technologies, ahead of our association members, and, more importantly, ahead of the students. It shows again the involvement NEA/SDEA has in "creating the classroom of the future" with effective teaching methods.

For those who have "been there, done that", and maybe don't want to do it all again, the groupsite is: SDEA Retired Educators

http://sdearetirededucators.groupsite.com/main/summary