Technology, Not Tech-magically

Technology: the use of science in industry, engineering, etc., to invent useful things or solve problems. Thank you Merriam-Webster. So, how did this definition evolve into meaning: anything to do with computers? I'm not sure at which point the paradigm changed on that, but I can tell you that technology is not JUST the use of a computer, cell phone, or tablet.

As an Instructional Technology Coordinator I have a variety of conversations surrounding technology. Most of them involve computer technology. And thanks to brilliant minds of our time, technology has taken on a different meaning (or maybe the misinterpreted proxy variables have led to the diluting of the definition). Either way, we have led ourselves to believe that technology is like magic. It feels like magic sometimes. If you don't understand the details and logistics of wireless, networking, fiber, hard drives, clouds, bluetooth, virtual etc., then it truly feels like magic. So it's easy to see why people think it actually is.

To jump straight to my bottom line, technology isn't tech-magically. Every facet of it involves a process that was built by a person. There's programming, hardware, sweat and tears, and lots of cable involved in the technology that makes it to your fingertips everyday. You don't actually need to know those details to operate it, though. That is the essence of the double-edged sword that exists with people in my position. We want you to use it and love it without worrying about the details, but this creates the idea that it should just work. Why can't we snap our fingers and make it work? Can't you click a button and fix this? Is there not an app or website that will accomplish my obscure, specific goals? I feel the pain on both sides of this coin. But I do not want to be guilty of perpetuating the idea that technology is magic.

We are educators. We don't have time 'fo dat'.  I get it. So make the technology work for me. I need a program that meets all of the needs I am outlining to you in this 5 minute run-down in passing in the hallway. What do you mean that doesn't exist? You must be stupid OR you are holding back. But someone, somewhere has to spend lots of man hours and sweat to make that work or to create that crazy app or software. So instead of expecting tech-magic, consider rather that man is the magic, the ultimate work of technology that is humankind is the magic. Computer technology is nothing without human technology, idea technology. The beauty of humanity and this overwhelmingly wonderful age of information is that anyone can learn whatever they choose. Want an app for that crazy idea? Build one. Want a website that meets all of your needs? Get on You Tube, or Google how to build it. That's the beauty of keeping technology in its place....it can never trump us, our ideas, our human magic. So put your computer down, and step away from the metaphorical digital ledge, and know that technology is as flawed as its maker. Technology is incapable. Technology isn't your end-all magic tool....humanity is.

☕Tuesday Tech Tips--Tiny Scanner and Keyboard Shortcuts!

Consumer Tip:
I recently found myself in a situation where I needed to print, sign, and scan back a document to someone. I wasn't at home or in my office at the time, and needed to get it done ASAP! I also didn't want to swipe my debit card to use a public scanner in a hotel lobby. So what did I use instead? I used an app called Tiny Scanner (lite....because I'm cheap). Tiny Scanner (and other scanner apps) use your smartphone's camera to take a picture of the document and then convert it into a scanned PDF (just like a scanner does). You then have the ability to share the scanned documents via email. It saved me money, time, AND energy!

School Tip:
This week's school tip is about keyboard shortcuts. If you aren't using these you may want to reconsider, because they can save you clicks and time. Below is a list of keyboard shortcuts and websites to help you explore deeper if you would like. If you are new to shortcuts, start with just the basics and add from there as you feel comfortable! Happy shortcutting!

The Basics:
Ctrl + C - Copy
Ctrl + V - Paste
Ctrl + X - Delete selected text

Google Chrome Shortcuts:
Ctrl + N - Opens a new window
Ctrl + T - Opens a new tab
Press Ctrl then click a link - Opens a link in a window in the background.
Click a tab and drag it (anywhere) - tears the tab away fro the window and makes it it's own window
Ctrl+1 through Ctrl + 8 - Selects the tab in the specified number position on the tab bar (ie: Ctrl +1 selects the first open tab)
Double-click the blank area on the tab strip - Maximizes or minimizes the window

Windows Shortcuts (that will work in most browsers also):
Ctrl + A - Select all text in a window or defined area
Ctrl + Z - this will undo your last step
Ctrl + Y - will redo anything that was just undone ; )
Ctrl + Backspace - backspace entire words at a time instead of letter by letter
Ctrl + S - Save
Ctrl + O - open a file
Ctrl + P - print
Ctrl + F - find any word on a page, file, document, etc.....Looking for something very specific in a 60 page manual? Press Ctrl + F, then type the keyword you are searching in the text box that pops up!

I gleaned my information from my own experience as well as these awesome articles:
Google - https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/157179?hl=en

Windows - http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/windows-shortcuts-101-ultimate-keyboard-shortcut-guide/

Tuesday Tech Tips--Notetaking and BYOT

Consumer Tip:

As I was trying to fill out some notes yesterday on an outline for a really good workshop I visited, I found myself getting frustrated with the monotonous “fill in the blank/paper-pencil” method. I was very engaged with the speaker and didn’t want to pause my attention to write something down. I am the type of learner that is distracted by that. Notes are necessary sometimes, so I feel like they should also be engaging. My rule of thumb for notes is this: don’t take notes and waste paper unless you REALLY ARE going to reference them later. (mine usually end up lost or in the trash...if we are honest, most of our notes end up lost or in the trash) So in my workshop I didn’t take notes for everything EXCEPT the session that I most wanted to remember . In this case, I needed notes that I KNEW wouldn’t get lost AND that I could easily find for reference at a later time. So a digital method made more sense to me. I used 2 things: my Notes app (that has some new GREAT features) and Skitch.

Skitch

Allow me to nutshell this (because it doesn’t require much elaboration). Download Skitch, allow it to access your camera and photos, take a picture of something, write or draw ON the actual photo. For my note-taking purposes yesterday, I took a picture of the handout with said outline, tapped my draw features, chose text from the pop-out, wrote text over the blanks in the picture of the outline….done! You can also draw arrows on pictures then email the picture to yourself to use in a document. Once you have these, they are saved to your photos (or dump them in Google Drive---download the app!) and you can pull them up by date (how most photos are organized on a smartphone) for reference later. Or, dump them in a pre-created Google Drive folder!

Notes

Notes has added a few features with iOS9. Add a picture to a note, and scribble on a note are the ones I like best. For note-taking, add a picture of a handout to a note, then add any notes or fill-in-the-blank values above or under the pictures. Then, add any scribble notes to that if you desire. Pretty straight-forward, and very handy.

School Tip:

BYOT is not for everyone, I know. I believe in its use, but also know it is not meant to be the end-all, be-all for instructional tools. BYOT is meant to be another tool that supports a specific instructional goal. I think some of us (and I say us for a reason) try to make certain tools (heck, certain people, situations, relationships...i can go on) reach our very high standard for what we want to do. Technology isn’t perfect enough for it to work like magic. All tools aren’t meant to answer all problems. So we have to look at any tool for what it is….a realistic, flawed device that helps one accomplish something specific. Insert BYOT here. Let me back up for a minute and give a scenario. You are introducing different types of rocks. You can only round up a few real-life examples. Have your students whip out their devices to google the different types of rocks so they can see those images. One step further, have them take pictures of certain types of rocks with their devices. You are lecturing through the cold war while students have questions to answer or an outline to fill in. Pull up todaysmeet.com, create a room, let students use devices to ask questions in the background in todaysmeet as you talk. You may just want them to use the browser to look up a definition or a concept. Let them ask Google what something means instead of you. Remember though: DO NOT SHOOT FOR THE STARS WITH STUDENT DEVICES! They are meant to be used as somewhat of a portal to the world, so use them for the web browser only, or for the camera only, and leave the building, creating and designing for the desktop computer. Don’t have such high expectations that your students AND BYOT fail you. Start simple and small and don’t overwhelm yourself.