I remember getting my first computer. It was sometime in the late 80s, and I received one computer from East Union Schools. I was the yearbook adviser, and we needed a computer to complete our book. I eventually became proficient--with the help of many students-- on that single Apple 2E computer. No apps. No internet. Just good, old-fashioned word processing. I think the only difference between it and the typewriters was that the computer could erase without Whiteout. I'm sure it probably could do a lot more, but that's all I needed.
Jump to Covid, and I had to learn how to teach online. One day I was planning to return after spring break and not too many days later I was trying to figure out how to navigate Google Classroom. I muddled my way through various programs to teach my classes. I wasn't great, but I got through. That was a long way and a lot of years since my Apple 2E.
When I retired from teaching, I smugly told myself I wouldn't have to learn any new technology. I could lock myself in at 2021 and never worry about some new technology coming down the pipe. Oh, how the smug have fallen.
This morning, I just spent 2 hours trying to get my new book loaded onto my website. My neck hurts from nearly putting my nose to the screen--somehow I must have subconsciously believed I worked better the closer I got to the screen. I now have a headache (probably from being too close), but the task is complete. Just like my days in the 80s, I have become--what shall I call it?-- barely manageable. If I were giving myself a grade on the old system, I deserve a C-. If I'm using the new system, I would mark myself as basic. And I can't say that I'll be getting much better.
What's the old saying? "Necessity is the mother of invention." In my case, it's strong desire is the motivation to learn something I don't want to learn. Apparently, my technology days are still ahead of me. Who knows what new thing I'll be learning next.
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