The Teaching Box

Being an Education Professional these days is complicated.  The advent of the internet and computer technology has forever changed the way that I view education.

We are surrounded by information.  No longer is the library the only place to research for information.  So many sources, so many programs where do we start?

I believe that we must become USERS of technology, not necessarily EXPERTS.  There are too many applications out there for us to become experts.  The time it takes to become an expert on a single program could be better utilized learning three or four programs deep enough to get the job done.  The education professionals of the future cannot affort to be technologically challenged.  We must be able to discover new programs, delve in and use them effectively in a short period of time.

I have a number of applications that I use.  I would classify all of them as easy to learn.  If you are willing to set aside an afternoon you will become competent enough to begin using the program.  Then as you continue to use utilize the application it will get easier, and before you know it you may be an EXPERT and can teach others.  In the current economic climate you will find that the best part of these apps is that they are FREE.

Here are some Programs that I use in the context of Education:

Camstudio - http://camstudio.org/
I enjoy doing video tutorials, and camstudio is a good way to get started. It allows you to capture the action on your screen (along with sounds). Camstudio is a free and pretty intuitive program.

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/theteachingbox
If you make videos you need a place to put them. Go to YouTube and create your own Channel. This way you can easily share your creations with everyone.

Gadwin Print Screen - http://www.gadwin.com/
I sometimes need to capture areas of my screen, Gadwin Print Screen is a free app that lets you do it easily.

Try them out and let me know what you think.  Share your favorite applications.

-Loren
http://theteachingbox.today.com
http://www.theteachingbox.com

I stopped by Illarterate.co.uk today and saw an excellent Blog posting on “Concise Posting”.  What a great topic!

The purpose of my Blog is to present information to an audience.  I have chosen a niche area in the blogosphere that has a relatively small population.  Small is a relative term of course.  I am saying small compared to News based blogs, or Blogs that talk politics.  I didn’t have a chance in that arena, so I stuck with two things I like and linked them together.  Education and Technology

Regardless of the Blog topic, my purpose is to build a readership base and keep them coming back for more.  Hopefully in the process I will build some collaboration.  The Illarterate blog post was short and sweet.  He stated that the average Blog reader stays on the page for 30 seconds.  Talk about short attention span…wait, that is about how long my interest is kept as well.

He says make an interesting opening paragraph, keep the word count low and use good formatting to allow the reader to get the idea you are putting across.  I am going to take this to heart.  I write on Education issues.  Academia LOVES long wordy papers.  The Blogosphere abhors it.

I am in a quandary.  I just finished up some classes in graduate school.  How do you think I wrote my papers in those courses?  The length of a Blog post is a very good topic for Education and Technology, especially when it deals with online work.

I am thinking that Maybe it is better to break up large thoughts into smaller snippets across multiple posts.  SEO (Search Engine Optimization ) doesn’t like short posts, and one commenter on the Illarterate posting said 300 words is the minimum.  I will do a bit more research on this, but for now here is my plan for my posts:

• Length = 300 Words
• Minimum of 1 Graphic
• Use Formatting (Bold, bullets, colors)
• Compelling First Paragraph

I will stick with these 4 points and will let you know how they work.
What do you think of my plan?
Send me links to what you consider a “Perfect” Blog posting.

-Loren
http://theteachingbox.today.com

Everyone is beginning to feel the effects of the economic downturn.  For the younger generation it is the first real recession they have experienced.  To these new comers my advice is to fasten your seat belt and ride it out.  The business cycle goes through these ups and downs.  It will get better, just be patient.

I have noticed quite a few news articles discussing the prospects of education in the light of this economic uncertainty.  Many people are turning to education in these uncertain times.  Why does education seem flourish during an economic downturn?

Here are some of my personal thoughts.  There have been a number of people laid off at my employer.  These people are re-evaluating their situation and quite a few of them are looking at taking classes to increase their knowledge in specific areas.  Others have thrown it all up in the air and are looking at going back to school for a career change.  Even those who were not directly affected by the downsize are taking inventory of their skills and are talking about classes or education.

I have always been a proponent of education, and my beliefs about it are reinforced by the current circumstances.  Education has a number of qualities that I believe are timeless.  Actually many of these qualities are shared with money but education is different.  If you lose your job money will become scarce, but education and educational opportunities won’t.

Money can be lost in an economic downturn, but your education and skills you have learned cannot be lost due to economic circumstances.  People generally agree that an education gives a person options and freedom similar to money, but again education cannot be taken away or lost.

These timeless qualities of education come to the forefront when economic uncertainty hits.  Increasing your skills in your current field may help you keep your job.  An employee with many skills is and employee who may make it through the layoff cycle.  Then again the loss of a job may be a chance to set off to something completely new and different.  These trying circumstances produce opportunity for all.

I have done quite a bit of “career counseling” in the last few months.  I have pointed people at educational opportunities both online and through the traditional classroom.  I have become somewhat of a resume reviewing expert.  I have even pointed some people to my network of business contacts to find possible employment.  I have become somewhat of a “go to guy”.

It has been an interesting journey, and I hopefully have helped people along the way.  This relationship building is my favorite and most rewarding part of being an Education Professional.

Good luck on your current endeavors.  I will see you online!

-Loren
http://theteachingbox.today.com