It is getting down to crunch time for applying for teaching jobs so I thought I would get on the band wagon and get all of my application packages done early. Ahhh. After learning about mail merge in class a couple of my friends decided that they would use it for saving time on their coverletters. This successfully worked for them, so they sent me their data base, seeing as we are applying for the same jobs. Well, could I open the darn thing, no. So here is what I did:
1. Check to see why I couldn't open it. It was an mbd file and I don't have a program for that.
2. Tried to download Open Office. It was too complicated for my Mac.
3. Go to my mom's house because she had Open Office.
4. Realize that the database will never open and create a new one.
5. Finish typing in all of the fields and then realizing that the program doesn't actually work.
6. Copy and past my coverletter 8 times.
7. Erase all the field and type in the information, again.
Now, I know that this thing should have worked, but it seems like Murphy's Law occured when something so simple became so painstakingly difficult. Maybe I just didn't understand one simple thing that I was doing wrong, or maybe the program had a but, or maybe I just have bad luck. Either way, here are some questions for you.
How do we get our students to continue with technology when the easy things fail for them? Or, how do we convince our older colleagues to use technology when they could have rotten experiences such as this?
I would love to hear what you think!
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1 comment:
You've raised a very good point Jackie, and some very good questions...I am afraid I am in the same boat as you. I too would like to know how to get students to not give up on technology after rotten experiences.
As for teachers who've had rotten experiences, I think it entirely depends on what sort of an attitude that teacher has. I think as long as the teacher has some patience and was willing to listen to some explainations/directions, that this could be a good way to get them involved again...or maybe even demonstrating some neat things they could use in their own classroom... worth a shot I think!
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