I keep having these grand plans for writing these blogs, I have decided to give up that and instead have shorter blogs more often. This will hopefully allow me to actually upload my posts.
I can actually start my Service learning outside of my job until November. There were entirely too many schedule conflicts. I have gone to the Library and just need to let them know what dates I can show up.
Even though I haven't started there, it doesn't mean that I haven't started on my service learning. Every question I receive on the reference desk becomes an opportunity to help people discover the resources available to them either at home, school or work.
I am always somewhat surprised by the questions that come to me at the reference desk. The Undergrad students are often surprised by the information available to them, also I've come to see that they aren't nearly as competent on the internet as they believed themselves to be. Sure they can use HTML to change their MySpace pages, however they have no clue on how to use the educational resources that are available to them through the library.
We also have Graduate and Advance (adult degree completion) programs. These are mostly returning students, many of which haven't written a college paper since they finished college. They seem to know only the most simple computer applications. The OPAC completely freaks them out. And forget about online databases, they are completely demoralized by them. Each day I have to answer questions that for me are every day matters. They don't know about short-cut keys, they don't know how to problem-solve at all in fact.
Every day I have a chance to walk someone through the in's and outs of basic computer science. I am having to learn that certain things are not obvious to most people. Patience is once again rearing its head for me to relearn and practice. It also reminds me of all the readings we are working through. How can the government be so clueless about it's people and their so called "knowledge or proficiency" on the internet. I talked to my grandparents about the possibilities of voting online, their response was that when that happened they would stop voting. I believe that is a sentiment that is wider spread than the government realizes.
But for now I am working with people who are getting excited about the possibilities open to them concerning the internet and its resources.
25 October 2007
14 October 2007
Found something
So I am sorry it has taken me so long to write back, but life has been insane. I have had a pet die, and another one run away [it has since been found]. I also went home to visit my parents and that generally means I am so busy having to go places, and see people I can't breathe. My other class has also had something due every week this last 2 weeks.
Enough of my complaining, I have finally found somewhere other than my job to conduct my Service Learning. I am going tomorrow to see them and sort out what my part will be in their program. Yippee!
Now onto the question we were asked about the importance or "uniqueness" of ICT. I suppose that for me the most unique aspect of ICT is the ability a person has to relate to persons from around the world. We have a chance to communicate and collaborate with persons and groups from around the world. Take a look at the Myanmar conflict. This isn't the first time that the Burmese people have had their monks or their police kill their people. I have a co-worker who is Burmese and her parents live next to one of the temples. She was telling me about how the 1984 raid went, how the majority of monks were killed back then. However, there was not at that time the means for the world to experience with them the terror. The didn't have a way for the world to become involved. It took years for people to hear about the atrocities that took place during that particular protest.
Now we have a world in which we have the opportunity to see within minutes to hours about the protests and their end result. The government found out to their consternation that the internet is power and it can be powerful. They had to cut off all electricity and cut the lines of communication even among themselves to try and contain this tool. However the students found a hole, they aren't sure how. But they found a way to still get certain pictures to the press calling for aid. This is one of the reasons why it is important for us to continue on with our studies and our teaching of ICT. It is a way for people to speak for themselves. It is part of every American's personal right of Free Speech. In Great Britain, ICT is worked into the national education curriculum. They know that their students need to be aware of their personal rights, as well as participation in government. To try and get students more aware of their political obligations they are working on the technology to vote by text messaging.
So there is my first response to why ICT is unique and important.
http://www.nc.uk.net/webdav/harmonise
Enough of my complaining, I have finally found somewhere other than my job to conduct my Service Learning. I am going tomorrow to see them and sort out what my part will be in their program. Yippee!
Now onto the question we were asked about the importance or "uniqueness" of ICT. I suppose that for me the most unique aspect of ICT is the ability a person has to relate to persons from around the world. We have a chance to communicate and collaborate with persons and groups from around the world. Take a look at the Myanmar conflict. This isn't the first time that the Burmese people have had their monks or their police kill their people. I have a co-worker who is Burmese and her parents live next to one of the temples. She was telling me about how the 1984 raid went, how the majority of monks were killed back then. However, there was not at that time the means for the world to experience with them the terror. The didn't have a way for the world to become involved. It took years for people to hear about the atrocities that took place during that particular protest.
Now we have a world in which we have the opportunity to see within minutes to hours about the protests and their end result. The government found out to their consternation that the internet is power and it can be powerful. They had to cut off all electricity and cut the lines of communication even among themselves to try and contain this tool. However the students found a hole, they aren't sure how. But they found a way to still get certain pictures to the press calling for aid. This is one of the reasons why it is important for us to continue on with our studies and our teaching of ICT. It is a way for people to speak for themselves. It is part of every American's personal right of Free Speech. In Great Britain, ICT is worked into the national education curriculum. They know that their students need to be aware of their personal rights, as well as participation in government. To try and get students more aware of their political obligations they are working on the technology to vote by text messaging.
So there is my first response to why ICT is unique and important.
http://www.nc.uk.net/webdav/harmonise
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