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My Ideal Tech Job

Funny how you have something mulling over in your mind and then, a few days later, you discover that someone has blogged about it.

I've been thinking about what I would like as my next 'career'. Yes, it's one of those 'what do I want to be when I grow up' moments in my life right now. Might have something to do with the fact that I feel like I'm constantly trudging through muck and mire to get anything accomplished in my current professional life.

And I've decided that I would like to be a 'digital miner'. That's right....no, no, no...not the one with the hard hat and headlight! LOL But rather someone who is able to cull through all the digitial information out there and extract EXACTLY what the client wants.

The ComputerMajors blog did a post about the 10 hottest computer jobs and surprisingly mine wasn't on the list! Wonder why?

What are your thoughts on what a computer job in the near future might be? What would be your ideal job (unless you already have it!), what would it be called, and what would it entail?

PS I'm actually thinking of doing this as a project with my 4th graders and publishing the results. We might actually be 'enlightened' by their perspectives!

Get Out Your Skates!!!

Nope, not discussing the impeding forecast of snow in the upper echelons of New York, I'm talking about Transmedia's Glide 2.0. Word on the street (or would that be the 'web') has it that it outperforms Google! You got to register to see it and believe it! What? Rumor has it that Glide 2.0 allows you to save to PowerPoint format or PDF (are you listening Google????). You do need to have Adobe's Flash Player on your machine (most of us already do). And when it comes to sharing, you can invite ANYONE, not just those with g-mail accounts! I can't wait to check out the mobile version and upload to my iTouch.

Web 'Cubed'

[This post is 'cross-posted'.]

O.K. So I've been thinking about this for a while and finally decided to put my thoughts to blog.

You know how the web is considered by most to be the 'read/write' web? I don't think that is applicable any more and would like to offer a new paradigm. I think we need to view the web as 'cubed'. Instead of 'read', we should look at 'consume', because, let's face it we don't only 'read' on the web anymore since 'read' implies text. As for 'write', we should look at 'contribute', since again, 'write' implies text and we now have the ability to 'write' images, videos, audio, etc. And we have a new component -- 'collaborate', since so many of the new applications are social in nature and provide the ability to work with others.

So here's my new slogan: 'Web 'Cubed' -- consume, contribute, collaborate'. [And if anyone can figure out how to get the exponent '3' onto a blog, PLEASE let me know!] [Actually I would like to see it 'Web', then the letter 'C', then the exponent '3'. Help!]

What are your thoughts on this?

Join Us at 366 Photos Flickr Group

It's official, I've joined the '366 Photos' group at Flickr. Seems to consist primarily of educators at this time. I'll be taking a picture a day, which is great since I've been wanting to push myself to using my digital camera a bit more (I did make great strides by now carrying my camera with me in my purse whereever I go). It's also a means for me to focus (note that I DID NOT say 'add' -- since that would go against my 'reduce' 2008 resolution!) a little more of my time on creativity which I've been wanting to do for a while. Some groups require that you upload one picture a day EVERY day so I've posted a question to the group about time management and the ability to post a week's worth of photos at a time. That would definitely help to 'reduce' my time-on-task.

And how will I 'reuse' (another 2008 resolution) this activity? Simple! I plan on sharing the photos with my 4th grade classes and having them vote on the ones that should be uploaded. (That's another reason I want to upload only once a week.) We'll be looking at content, layout, color, etc. in preparation for a digital photography unit in the spring.

So what are you waiting for? Head on over and 'join' today! I was #25 to join.

NOTE: It would be WONDERFUL if all of us would tag our photos with Creative Commons licensing allowing us to use these images in the classroom with/by our students (as appropriate). This group could then become another resource for teachers to use for images.

Validation of my New Year's Resolution

You know how I said 2008 was the year I was going to 'reduce, reuse, and recycle' technology wise? I ran across this great post on Christine Kane's blog that validates my resolution (hmmm....does a resolution need 'validating'? Does it make it a stronger resolution if it is 'validated'?....hmmmm). Her blog post discusses that you should reduce your resolution to one word and her post provides a list of words in case you're 'stuck in the proverbial rut'. And the best part? You're to ONLY choose ONE word. If you're able to master the word, then go for a 2nd one in June. Now that's a GREAT idea for resolutions!!! Make ONE, and then halfway through the year make a 2nd resolution. Now I think that concept is one that we can all follow!

So I'm following Christine's advice. I'm going to begin with 'reduce' (and at the last glance at my ikeepbookmarks.com I'll need until AT LEAST until June to master that resolution!). And from there I'll move on to 'reuse'.

Yup, 2008 is already looking promising!

So, what word is going to be your 2008 Resolution?

How Much is Enough?

I've been contemplating the issue of 'info-overload' recently and one of my fellow GCTers, Jerome Burg, happened to mention it in one of his posts to the group and let's just say my 'floodgates' just opened!

Here's part of my response to the group (interesting to note, no comments were made!)

Let's face it, we have a limited resource -- 24 hours in a day and we need
to decide how we want to allocate our time to meet our needs and wants.
I've noticed that on a 'good day' I'm taking over 2 hours of my time to
check all my e-mail accounts, look at Twitter, read my two Blogline accounts and
various other social network sites. It is becoming more and more like
'work' and I'm NOT liking it.....

I'm also experiencing 'information' overload in terms of all these new,
free, 'gotta have/gotta use' apps. I tend to grab the url and throw it
into my ikeepbookmarks account with the intention of weeding thru it over
the winter break (unfortunately winter break is almost over AND at last count I
had over 130 'tools' in one minor folder alone!).

The French had a saying, 'Les mals du 20eme siecle' which roughly
translates to the ills imposed on individuals due to the times and circumstances
(and supposed 'time saving' devices from the 20th century). I'm convinced
that we are facing the same in this digital age. We have too much coming
at us too fast and are, quite frankly, not able to keep up in a way that
contribute positively to our health and well-being. I see a new profession
resulting from this -- Digital Psychologist.

My goal for the beginning of 2008 is to REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE in terms of my digital experiences.

I mean really, how many online photo- editing websites MUST I use?
How many screen capture programs can I have? How thin must I stretch
myself over all the social networks I belong to? And yes, I can already
here all the arguments about the wealth of knowledge that we are acquiring, but
let's face it guys....it almost feels like we're running from fast food chain to
fast food chain, gobbling everything down. Frankly, I'd rather have dinner
in front of the fire, with friends I can reach out and touch, and savor every
last morsel, and swirl every last drop of wine, leisurely contemplating the
wonders of the snow on the lawn leading down to the lake........aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh

And next time you're offered up a tantilizing new app, try saying 'I'll
pass', then get up, go take a walk outside and let Mother Nature touch your
soul......

I'd be curious to hear what others think of this......