Learning and Living with Technology

Today I am leaving the west coast after a much-needed rest away from the growing weeds and deer in my garden. I learned a lot on this vacation. I learned how to cope with a project that seemed insurmountable two weeks ago. I also learned that sound devices have different levels and that when recording audio, you must use the same equipment to maintain audio consistency. This placed a huge restriction on my ability to edit my digital story. I did try to edit my story, but the sound quality was poor on the last image, so used the previously published version. I also learned how complicated it was to upload text as an image to Photo Story 3. I tried to add my references to Photobucket, but that process failed me, too. Finally, I decided the only way to upload to You Tube was to add the references in the description.

Upon viewing my student colleagues’ works, it was easy for me to see how many of them are digital natives. Needless to say, I am not one, but experience has taught me that wanting something badly enough is often the impetus to master something new. I will never work as a web designer, but I have convinced myself that I will be able to design a web site from scratch. I may never author a prize winning digital story or movie on You Tube, or even have more than a few passing visitors, but that is OK, too. The satisfaction for me is that I have the knowledge to work in the Web 2.0 world, and most importantly, to teach it.

First, the web design, and second the world of multi-media. We are so lucky to live in time where this fascinating world is available to anyone willing to spend the time to learn it. There will continue to be so much more to learn, and that is a wonder of one’s path in life: learning more. Now back to NJ and the deer . . .