Over the last few weeks I have pushed myself to really use the iPad as my only computing device and am interested to reflect on the thoughts it has brought up within me. I was overseas as part of WYD11 and then at an ICT Conference in Melbourne so had plenty of opportunities to use it for blogging, photos, Twitter etc.
The foremost thought is just how fast exponential change really is! We talk easily about exponential change but few of us actually realize just how steep that exponential curve really is – humans are much happier with straight-line or even parabolic growth cf. our lack of real comprehension of Population Growth or the reality of Global Warming – and the sheer effort it takes just to be aware, let alone keep up! I can identify with the groans of so many teachers and others who have made hurculean efforts to use technology and even see themselves as “pretty good” as they are confronted with smartphones and tablets. The initial response when shown something like QR codes, Evernote or PDF annotating is to say: “Yes! You can do that more easily on a laptop”. I have said it and and I probably will say it again but I am realising that they simply won’t wait for me!!
“Mobile Devices” was the catch cry from the Conference I was at recently.(Judy O’Connell’s stuff is here) This mainly means Smartphones but also Tablets and the big thing is that they are truly mobile. Your laptop is NOT mobile (you can just move it about a bit!) something mobile is with you ALL the time and is ALWAYS CONNECTED to the world. It is the first thing you think about when you see something interesting, want to respond to something or need to know something that isn’t already in your brain! Things like QR codes have been around for years but we are only seeing their true potential now that we are carrying something that can read them – in our pocket!!! Sure these new devices may be tricky with their floating keyboards and tippy-tapping on the screen but you learnt to use a mouse didn’t you?
So there just doesn’t seem to be time to get to all the stuff …. There are secrets – like use your PLN – don’t try and pretend that you know it all. Maybe try Matt Cutt’s 30 day idea? Go to a Teachmeet and share one idea you have found (and maybe learn others)? Just have a go, if you don’t run you’ll just slip down the slope ……
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