we have made up

My relationship with technology is so demanding and now wants me to be more available. My new love wants me to commit. I said you know how guys can’t commit. After thinking about it, I have decide to work on commitment and asked myself what is it going to take for me. If my relationship with technology is going to work then there has to be some give and take. Right now I have too much on my burner and don’t have enough time to devote to technology. The solution is to down size my activities and re-evaluate what is important. That is what I am prepared to do for this relationship...now techie is happy.

This week I used my digital camera to record short Ojibwe language segments. I was in my home community of Nigigoonsiminikaaning and filmed my mother cleaning ducks, snow falling down at my camp and a short walk to a spirit house. Short video clips is what I was after and then in my classes, I played them and asked the students to tell me the Ojibwe words that they heard. I then wrote out the words in Ojibwe for all to see, on the Proxima projector. That was really cool.

I volunteer at a school called Anishinaabe Academy where they are looking to incorporate Ojibwe language into the school. What I do is host a language table for them and try and teach them Ojibwe phrases that they can use in the classroom. I use my lap top to project with and then e-mail them the lesson we covered. That really saves on paper. This morning , I showcased a CD Rom that I was involved in. The producer of the CD Rom was in town and I got a copy of the first draft. It is taken from the Mishomis Book by Eddy Benton, the chapter on the Seven Grandfather teachings. It was all animated and we saw the chapter be acted out on the screen. I did the language part of the CD Rom and was quit pleased by the end result. Again I thought that was really cool.

Technology is pretty cool and I think we might have a future together. I'm glad we made up.

Is technology my niij?

This week I questioned the relationship that I am developing with my new found friend, my niij. Now that the honey moon stage is over, are we really compatible and do we have a future together?

Well this has been a trying week for me with technology. I set aside Saturday to do work and the home computer would not pull up the article I needed. I am not quit sure why but it just didn't which made me think of a few choice words. I then tried using the lap top but for some reason I disengaged it from connecting to the internet. Again I did not know how I did that. So the weekend went by without any work being done. On Monday then, I decided to copy the article into my documents, which I did. When I got home, I realized then, that I did not put it on my flash drive to transfer to my lap top. So in total, four days went by while I struggled with just reading the assignment. Thursday morning I was able to read it and offer my insights.
One of the things I liked about it was I had both the article and my response up at the same time and as I read, I created my response. I moved back and forth from document to document and I was quit pleased with myself. I know, I know everybody does it but that was a first for me.

I was also reflecting on the use of technology for teaching. Technology seems to disassociate the teacher from the learner and meaningful interaction is sacraficed. I had that feeling when I had finished a lesson using the lap top and the LDS projector. I then asked myself about the amount of technology that is used for teaching and how technology has a way of consuming the user, at least in my case. I think the addictive aspect of it came into play then. I decided to apply the anishinaabe philosophy of 'everything in moderation' and use a variety of teaching methods and be versitile in the delivery. That is the solution I am opting with.

The blog option of doing a short cut to all the entries has my mind boggled. I am boggled by my blog. I asked my tech guy to help me and he made it look easy. I said, I think I can do it now. After he was gone, I couldn't do what he was doing. However I am determined to get unboggled.

The final aspect of my techno journey thus far that I wish to comment on is the time factor. I find that I need to fine tune my time management skills in order to get everything done in a timely fashion. I am creating all the short cuts that I can because of the limited time that I have. Just to give an example of my workload, currently, I am teaching an overload of courses, one more on top of my regular three plus this master program. I also help run four language tables in the evenings. My boss asked me when do I find time to sleep in which I responded, sleep...I knew I was forgetting something.
Such is my schedule and my relections on technology use thus far.

I conclude with... technology? can I make a good fit with you and I?

Techno savy bush Shinaab

I gotta tell you guys this...I am so excited.

Well first it is Saturday and I am reflecting back on my week and thinking about my techno journey assignment. On Tuesday I used technology to run a language table. (I know, I know....how brave of me)
I had my lap top booted up and I was projecting with a Proxima projector. (I sound so cool knowing what to call it) I was showing video clips from a CD Rom, running a slide presentation from pictures I took on my digital camera, delivering a language lesson and showcasing a langauge booklet that I have been working on. I was so impressed with myself that I just felt so techno savy. (then I saw Nora's blog....aaay) I thought to myself, not bad for a bush Indian.
That experience prompted me and encouraged me to try using technology to teach with. So I did. My lap top was hooked up in the classroom and I was projecting on the screen, my lesson. Wow I thought to myself. I went from the 20th century to the 21st century at the speed of light or whorp speed at the least. I was using my two fingers to type with and using a laser pointer to highlight various aspects of the lecture. Being able to do that, I decided that I would like to put all my lectures on the lap top and learn other programs like power point (I know everyone knows power point but not me...)
I also bought myself a little flash drive and it is like carry around a little pocket computer. That little thing can carry so much, like pictures, documents...and then it was filled up. I quickly realized then that it could only carry so much.

So far this is what I have learned on my techno journey.

Techno savy bush Shinaab

I gotta tell you guys this...I am so excited.

Well first it is Saturday and I am reflecting back on my week and thinking about my techno journey assignment. On Tuesday I used technology to run a language table. (I know, I know....how brave of me)
I had my lap top booted up and I was projecting with a Proxima projector. (I sound so cool knowing what to call it) I was showing video clips from a CD Rom, running a slide presentation from pictures I took on my digital camera, delivering a language lesson and showcasing a langauge booklet that I have been working on. I was so impressed with myself that I just felt so techno savy. (then I saw Nora's blog....aaay) I thought to myself, not bad for a bush Indian.
That experience prompted me and encouraged me to try using technology to teach with. So I did. My lap top was hooked up in the classroom and I was projecting on the screen, my lesson. Wow I thought to myself. I went from the 20th century to the 21st century at the speed of light or whorp speed at the least. I was using my two fingers to type with and using a laser pointer to highlight various aspects of the lecture. Being able to do that, I decided that I would like to put all my lectures on the lap top and learn other programs like power point (I know everyone knows power point but not me...)
I also bought myself a little flash drive and it is like carry around a little pocket computer. That little thing can carry so much, like pictures, documents...and then it was filled up. I quickly realized then that it could only carry so much.

So far this is what I have learned on my techno journey.

My Techno Journey

I started this master’s course with very little if none or any skills related to using technology. Even as I type, I am a two fingered typist so writing takes time for me. One of the cohorts showed me how to download a typing program which I eagerly did. Now I forgot where I downloaded to…mmm, I think I put it in my e-mail. Anyways, my plan is to teach myself how to type. Any problems that I encounter in my life, this is how I approach them. I would rather be in the solution than stay in the problem. I am much happier and more satisfied with myself when I apply that philosophy.

With that, here are my other limitations.

I do not surf the internet because that technology is foreign to me. I do check my e-mail at work and can respond to people generally. However, I am very technologically challenged.

My journey began with getting into cyberspace which I mistakenly called hyperspace. Hyperspace apparently is where star trek and star wars takes place. Learning the technology and the names is a big part of my journey. The other thing I should mention is that I am having fun with all this and my fear of breaking something isn’t so prevalent any more.

Pebaam

Da baam did it...yaaa...

Da baam did it. Good thing I know how to follow instructions but I ran into a problem. I had the home computer up while I was setting up my blog because it has a printer but it wouldn't print the instructions. I don't know why. I thought maybe I can memorize the instructions but that didn't work because first you gotta have a good memory. The second thing I thought is, I know, I'll write out the instructions and just read them and I thoght naaah...too much writing. So I said to myself...self, wait til tomorrow when you are at your printer. So I went to the lap top to shut it down and realized I don't need a printer, I have a home computer and a lap top. I read the instructions on one computer while I created the blog on the other computer.
So that's what I did...I'm so smart meeee...

Pebaam