Week 3 - Overwhelmed by Technology!

My job requires me to work on a computer all day.  I use the Microsoft Office suite on a daily basis reading and sending emails via Outlook, chatting with coworkers across the country on Lync, updating Excel spreadsheets to create various financial statements or data analysis, retrieving data from Access for the data analysis and composing management narratives explaining our financial position using Word.  My company uses various applications and programs to run our business or record our financial transactions.  We use Internet Explorer or Google Chrome as a platform for our various applications depending on what works best.  This is my bread and butter and I don't think twice about the technology I use everyday.  My husband, on the other hand, uses completely different programs such as CAD and other engineering software.  He is unfamiliar with the applications I use and will occasionally call me asking how to perform a certain task or calculation.  Our sons use technology in a completely different way. 

Our school district uses Microsoft on the student issued HP Chromebooks.  They use OneNote, OneDrive, Outlook via Office 365.  I am amazed at the amount of technology that is used on a daily basis.  My oldest son had numerous issues with getting homework and notes to sync for his classes last year.  It was very frustrating and it took three trips to the school IT help desk before the situation was resolved.  My husband and I were at a loss to help him since we are unfamiliar with that suite of Microsoft products.  I found it interesting that despite the school district using Microsoft at every school grade level, a few of our high school son's teachers used Google Classroom.  The teachers had more success with Google rather than Microsoft.  There were no issues with syncing or access to files.  After reading the several articles on Google Classroom products, I was amazed at the platform they provide and support.  I am eager to learn what Google can offer and compare that to Microsoft educational platforms and apps.  

I am trying to get more comfortable using webcam for assignments and interaction.  I am not used to it but I do see the benefit or screencasting or digital storytelling.  For screencasting, I can already see a use within my Scout Troop.  The Scouts are resistant to leveraging the Troop website.  In some cases, the navigation is not as user friendly and I could do a screen cast for users on the basics like logging in, finding documents, how to sign up for a calendar event or create a calendar event.  I am excited about that possibility!  The digital storytelling is more daunting to me.  I am typically strong at telling stories but I need to get creative on how to do this for my area of education, business.  I am thinking about how I can create a scenario that my students could relate.  I may have to take a page from teaching the Personal Management merit badge.  The Scouts need to learn how to budget, track income and expenses, understand interest calculations and other personal finance life skills.  I need to make something interesting but engaging and fun.  I see how digital storytelling can help engage the students and get them to retain the story or lesson being taught.  The Art of Digital Storytelling article was inspiring and provided me some context for storytelling business.

Overall technology is everywhere these days.  I try to unplug but am finding that difficult.  I am plugged in for work, for homework, for volunteer work and even for social and news stories.  My husband and I continually tell our boys to "unplug" but realize it is hard to do.  I am making a more conscious effort to unplug on the weekends so my eyes and brain can take a break.  Technology is a wonderful tool and the possibilities are endless.  We just need to be mindful of how we use it and how often.