Week Eight of Computer Literacy Class

The outcome statement for this course is the subject of this week's post.  I don't think I would add or remove anything from the way it is currently written.  It is a good description of the things I learned in LAC172A and of  my overall experience in this class. 

Computer Literacy is so much more than just knowing how to format a document, create a spreadsheet or present information in a power-point!  My eyes were opened to the vastness of the information, both good and bad, on the Internet.  I believe we need to be our own sensors and be aware of the tricks and pitfalls as well as the benefits of having access to this huge cache of information.  Electronic technology is a tool, and like any tool, if it is used without proper instruction, safety precautions and protective gear it can cause injury. 

Electronic technology is a rapidly advancing industry with constant changes in the available equipment and technological possibilities.  The electrical industry, also a rapidly progressive industry due to advances in equipment, requires electricians to take several hours of continuing education every few years to stay up to date on code changes and maintain their licenses.  Users of electronic technology would do well to take a cue from this trade and maintain their efficiency and competency with some hours of continuing education as well.  New software and  improved programs can improve efficiency, open new creative possibilities and keep us up to date in "an ever-changing technological context."  Applied technology seems to be here to stay, and to "identify and appropriately utilize" is to enjoy the benefits of the tool while wearing the appropriate safety gear.

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Technology and the human connection

I think our dependence on technology has improved our world.  Just yesterday my granddaughter was admitted to hospital with severe pain in her back and abdomen.  At first it was suspected to be gall stones or appendicitis, but with the wonderful technology of a cat scan, they were able to determine it was blisters in her intestines caused by a virus. Also, computers guided the doctors several years ago to correct a heart problem for my husband in a procedure called catheter ablation.  Computers are present in many aspects of our life.  For many years I did the billing at my business by hand.  Once the new owners took over, the first thing they did was install a computer system for billing.  I noticed right away that the customers, the very same customers to whom I had always sent hand written invoices, responded with payment in a more timely manner to the computer generated invoices.  Did they seem to have more authority and importance than the hand written ones?  Perhaps it is an unconscious feeling that once something is entered into a computer, it is the same as carved into stone.

Because of technology I am able to maintain contact with my friends and family in a more convenient way than by writing letters and sending them by "snail mail."  However, I do try to keep in mind how much I enjoy receiving a hand written note, so I still write a few a year.  I think that helps to maintain the "human connection" that we worry about loosing with too much dependence on technology.  ~Nadine

Technology and learning

My favorite classroom experience is still face to face, but I am beginning to develop an appreciation for the hybrid classes.  In the classroom, the dynamic experience with the instructor and the other students makes for a more interesting learning experience because I am able to listen to the other student's point of view and thoughts and questions about the subject we are studying.  However, the hybrid classes seem to work well when we have met face to face and then continue the conversation and exploration of material on line. 

Some of my instructors have used technology in the classroom, and oftena lot of time was used trying to get the technology to function correctly.  I am not sure if it was a problem with the equipment or the user, but the waste of time disappointed me.  I would suggest that the instructors practice with the technology independently before they use it in the classroom, so everything works smoothly.