rev a shelf trash
3 years ago
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Keeping Up With Information Technology
Ok,I'm usually souped-up after I leave class to the point where I can't wait to go home to practice what I've learned from lectures and lab work. On the way home, I talk to anyone who will listen to me about what I've learned that night. After my 45 minute commute and struggling through a forced very bad Bluetooth car phone diaglog, by the time I reach home, I'm so fried from the new language and the pace at which we were introduced to and practiced new material , I can't even spell the word computer let alone logging on again and continuing the process. You know they say avoid going on the computer late nights because it interferes with sleep patterns. My concern here is how do I remember what to do after class if I don't touch the work for 2 days later. Does anyone have a solution (other than practice, practice) that can help me keep up with the work? It's moving quite rapidly.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Phyllis, I totally hear you. I'm having a hard time too. Between two classes and working full time, my head is spinning. I agree that after class, it is just too late and too tiring to jump on the computer and practice a new skill. I think the best thing to do is remember that we are human, our brains need (and deserve) breaks. I've started making a checklist of things I want to accomplish for each class, each day. And then I just try to get to it. And if something on that checklist confuses me, I'm definitely going to ask for a reminder. Very few people "get it" the first time around. If in class, you feel like you're alone in your confusion, look to your right (or left) and check out the expressions on my face. We're in this together!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteManaging my time has also been a struggle so far. I teach 3 sets of classes, am closing on a house this week and am taking 2 grad classes. There are days when I go to bed very late. I am trying the checklist system as well but there are times when I create a "to do tomorrow" checklist.:) Whenever I tackle a technology I am not familiar with, I usually do the step by step tutorial first and then try out different features. Like Kathleen said, "we are in this together"!
I hear you guys on this struggle - aren't you glad you can post to a blog and find out you aren't alone!? ;-)
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can also take comfort in the fact that when you go to sleep your brain "solidifies" information and you can actually remember it better! ;-) But I hear you on the idea that if you don't use it soon after you learn it, you often forget it... Just take a deep breath and try not to become overwhelmed! I know it's a lot!
It will be very good to see what suggestions/ideas your other classmates have!
Phylis,
ReplyDeleteI hear you loud and clear. I just read something for another class and I can't recall a thing about it. I try to work on one thing at a time and try to take as many notes as possible. I know I have to blog, do excel, do the group project, do learning 2.0, and then sign up for twitter. Woooweee! But, you know what? Rome wasn't built in a day. One day at a time. Accomplish one thing today, maybe the excel part, and you will feel that much better.
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteI've never been good at creating lists, but I find that Amy's lists of what we need to do for each week a GODSEND. I am also working full time, so I understand the time constraints.
To address the concerns of remembering, I agree w/ Mara that the tutorials are extremely helpful. (Thanks Flickr!) But I'm also someone who learns by "playing" as my coworkers say. I like to jump into a program and figure out waht I do remember. When I get stuck, I use the "help" tool. When I've discovered how to do something independent of following directions, I find that it sticks more, because I've discovered it. Sometimes letting your "fingers do the walking" rather than over-thinking it will let you realize you remember more than you thought.
Phyllis, I wonder if it wouldn't be helpful to NOT talk about what we just learned, maybe just run through it in your head as you heading home. Retracing the steps you just took might make it "stick."
My plan so far has been to set aside several hours on Saturday to get through as much as I can. I look through the checklist, and try to get done what I think will be easiest first, and then move on from there.
And I know that I personally, am always willing to help if I know something, or -with a bit more difficulty- ask for help when I'm stuck. Maybe when you feel that you can't remember, send an e-mail to your group or the class. Someone who knows can hopefully help walk you through it!
Hiya Phyllis. Here's my advice:
ReplyDelete1) Become insanely organized with your browser bookmarks! This helps in a lot of ways, even with developing your librarian organization skills. I, for example, have a parent folder called "Rutgers MLIS," which contains folders with the numeric names of my classes (SCILS 550 for this class). If there are general Internet-based library tools that apply to many classes, I have yet another parent folder called "Library Tools." And so on. I find that this helps me keep my head on straight and avoid confusion between classes, concepts, and web tools.
2) This is a bit more involved, perhaps, but I reallllllly love the Bookmarks toolbar in Firefox. You can literally drag the website URLs that you like onto a bookmark toolbar that sits nicely at the top of your browsing window. I use MultiRow Bookmarking Toolbar, here is a link: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6937
For me, it's all about organization! Good luck.
Phyllis - I share Tommy's recommendation for making folders and subfolders of your bookmarks: it really makes things easier later when you know you have a web site of interest for a particular class or subject. I also find myself frequently revisiting the stuff Amy has posted on ecollge (whatever): both the things in 'docshare' and the assignments have valuable information in them. But most of all I'd second the recommendation to breathe out and realize we'll all get through this and be better for it...
ReplyDelete