No Wonder Students Think IT Is Boring

This week you may have seen a few articles in the news along the lines of “… students think IT is boring”.

Having come from an IT teaching / training background, I’m not surprised.

For a start, the national curriculum is always outdated.  Whatever you think, not only computer technology itself, but software, social networks and new media move at a faster rate than ever before… and certainly changes faster than the national IT curriculum itself.

Nearly every day new social networks are popping up, new widgets are coming out and new deleopments are coming out with regards to new media like blogging, podcasting and so on.

How old is the IT course which is currently running in your local schools?  Over a year old?  What do the students learn?  Spreadsheets?  Powerpoint?  Web design? Word processing?

However, check out what students carry about with them… camera enabled mobile ‘phones… mp3 players of all types and so on.

I’ve come acorss parents who complain that their children aren’t doing well in IT.   I’ve heard parents say, “My kids just muck about on their computers all evening and aren’t learning ‘real’ computer skills…”

“What do you mean ‘muck about’?” I ask.

The reply is usually the same.

“I don’t know, but they’re not using their computer for proper stuff…”

“Meaning?”

“… you know… like what you use computers for at work…”

In my opinion, the limited IT skills that many parents have falls in line with the curriculum that’s taught in many schools.  These parents have the idea that IT just includes what they themselves use a computer for at work; word processing, spreadsheets, database and the obligatory Powerpoint.  Just because these parents aren’t “hip” with the latest fashions in technology, they believe that nothing else exists apart from the IT they use at work.

While many students find the school IT curriculum boring, many are happy to go home from school, log onto Facebook or Myspace or any other of their social networks, share photos and music online and immerse themselves in all manner of “IT” stuff without associating what they’re doing with IT in any way. I often see kids “bluetoothing” pictures and music from their mobile ‘phones to their friends’ ‘phones.   Most pupils are more savvy when it comes to relevant up-to-date IT than many or their teachers… and of course their parents.

It’s no wonder that students “think IT is boring” as the IT taught in schools isn’t relevant to their needs, is out of date and also because they probably know it all anyway. As to whether their IT skills are, or more to the point, will be relevant to the job market which they’ll be joining a few years time remains to be seen, although I suspect that social networking and new media will play a huge part in the everyday workplace in the future anyway.

Then these students, the workers of tomorrow, certainly won’t be bored by IT.

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Belt And Braces

It’s no good. I have to have it. I’ve tried something else but I’ve just returned back to what I was using before.

You may recall that I had a problem with the new upgrade to EssentialPIM which somehow fuddled up my data files.

So, instead if of EssentialPIMI’ve been using Mozilla Sunbird which I’ve found ok, but not with as many features as my favourite EssentialPIM.

So, nipping over to the www.essentialpim.com I downloaded myself a copy of the portable version of this great free program.

I now what the problem was before.

I’d been using an older version of EssentialPIM and somehow managed to search for an update and then tried using it as a portable version instead of using the actually portable version in the first place. At least that’s what I think happened.

Anyway, like I say, I’d been using Mozilla Sunbird in the interim. Mozilla Sunbird is a great scheduler and task planner which I’ve had among my portable apps for quite a while and that’s nicely seen me through the gap between using EssentialPIM. Luckily, Mozilla Sunbird allows you to export your tasks and schedule which I then imported into EssentialPIM… and voila… all my new stuff is there in EssentialPIM.

I use the great “notes” section in EssentialPIM as a content and info capture system into which I can copy images, links, write various articles and nicely categorise them, something which I miss in Mozilla Sunbird.

Have I given up on Mozilla Sunbird now that I have EssentialPIM running on my trusted flash drive? Er… no…

I’m taking the belt and braces route on this one… I guess I’ll run them concurrently… that way I know I won’t have a problem… a bit like backing up… if you back up regulary you won’t have a porblem, but that one time you forget to run backup…

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Just Blog!

I’ve been blogging for around a total of 4 years at various blogs; this blog being my most recently started one.

I’m still surprised by the sheer number of subjects covered in blogs and I love that fact that literally anyone can set up a blog and share their interest and passion with so many people and so easily.

So, if there’s one thing that drives me nuts, then it’s people telling me and others “how to blog”.

If you’re remotely into blogging in any way, then you can’t have avoided these “echo chamber” bloggers spieling out their holier-than-thou ideas of how bloggers should blog.

With over a 100 million blogs out there in the blogpsphere, I’m more than certain the the majority of these bloggers have managed to set up their blogs and happily regularly post without being inundated with so-called blog experts pontificating about subjects like
“10 Tips for Writing a Better Post”
&
“101 Reasons Why I Don’t Like Your Blog”…
… and so on…

Nearly all these so-called hot-to blog experts seem to give the impression that if you don’t blog like they do then you’re not a real blogger…

Oh come on you “how to bloggers”, find yourself a new subject already!

What I find funny about these “how you should blog” bloggers is that all they ever seem to post about is how other people should blog!

Look, I teach blogging or more precisely “how to set up a blog” and believe me, you really don’t need anyone to pontificate to you how to blog.

If you can write a letter or an email… you can blog. Honestly, it’s that simple!

Obviously you need to learn the mechanics of the blogging platform that you’re using, but like I say, if you can write a letter or an email you can blog.

Once you start subscribing to various blogs and find how easy it is to set up a “blog catcher”, you’re bound to come across these “how to blog” blogs. Maybe read one or two but then just get on and find your own style and technique.

Believe me, most of these bloggers are only blogging in the echo chamber and you’ll probably gain more subscribers by writing about your hobby, interests or whatever. If you’re passionate about what you write, I reckon you’ll do fine.

Just blog!

********************************************************************

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Kiss Your Privacy Goodbye…

How much time do you spend on the internet?

Which websites have you been visiting recently?

What were the last 10 emails you sent out?

Who do you ‘phone regulary?

Without checking your phone now, what were the last 15 numbers that you called?

Don’t worry if you can remember the answers to all of these questions as it seems like the UK governement is planning a massive government database to hold details of every phone call, e-mail and time you spent on the internet as part of the fight against crime and terrorism…

… that’s if they don’t hold such a database already.

With recent scandals relating to various public data being lost or “misplaced”, doesn’t such a database pose a threat in itself should the data fall into the wrong hands?

I don’t know about you but on one hand I feel if it’s going to help national security then fine, put with the recent spate of public data being lost by government officials… I reckon we’re on to something dangerous here…

… or are we?

******************************************************************************
Couple of links you might find interesting about this include
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article3965033.ece
&
www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2217073/government-plans-database-phone

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Welcome Back Napster!

I remember a time when using Napster was regarded as a the “bad boy” of file sharing services; not exactly peer-to-peer but which more people than not would confess to using back in the Nineties.

Remember when Napster was being sued left, right and centre around 2000?

Remember when Napster declared itself bankrupt when Napster agreed to pay music creators and copyright owners a $26 million settlement as well as a good chunk of change as an advance against future licensing royalties?

Well. Napster has come of age.

Ok, so it’s a bit late to the party… even later than Tesco (read my post on Tesco entering the MP3 market), but hey, it’s Napster we’re talking about.

Napster announced today that it’s opening it’s DRM music store of over 6 million DRM-free tracks and all at a bargain price of just 52p.

Whether the new “legit” Napster will create a buzz like the “old” Napster did remains to be seen. I hope it does, after all, it still has its brand and the word “Napster” is still well known.

Welcome back Napster.

You’ve grown up.

… and we’ve missed you.

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Top 10 Tips For “Eternal Newbies”

During the course of my last job as an IT Trainer / Techie Support in the NHS , I came across 3 main groups of computer users… not including other techies…that’s a whole subject in itself

The 1st group are “The Trainees / Students” – A rich fertile ground ready to be planted with skills, knowledge and ready for me to find their interest or hobby with which we can aim their computer skills towards.

The 2nd are “The Users” – These are the people who routinely use computers during the course of their work. They noodle along quite happily in their roles and require the usual techie support. It’s interesting to see these “users” develop and build upon their existing computer skills without them realising it.

When they do require your tech support, their queries get more challenging as they themselves become more proficient and it’s always a great touch to remind them that you’ve noticed how their computer skills have developed over time.

They may not realise it, but you as a techie support trainer will.

Then you have the 3rd group… yes… the 3rd group… these people are who I call the “Eternal Newbies”.

You can spot an Eternal Newbie from miles off by their body language as they sit in front of “The Computer”.

You’ll never see an Eternal Newbie slouching nonchalantly back in their chair surfing the web, with a telephone receiver clamped between their shoulder and ear, eating pizza slices while idly flipping through a magazine and supping from a can of coke… all at the same time.

You can also tell an Eternal Newbie from what they say…

“I hate computers….”

“Computers don’t get on with me…” (!)

“I’m not very technical so I don’t like using computers…”

“We have a computer at home but we don’t use it much…”

The best give-away that someone is an Eternal Newbie is by the fact that they’ve been in their role for years and years… and years… and years… have used a computer most of that time… and still wonder where they saved their last file to…

Eternal Newbies are often afflicted with the “Flashing Zero” syndrome… where various electronic items in their homes flash zero… as they haven’t been set or programmed to the correct setting…

If you recognise yourself as an Eternal Newbie, then fear not… help is at hand.

It’s my goal to free everyone from the Eternal Newbie trap…

Stick with this post and see if you can pick up some tips…

So, here are my “Top 10 Tips For Eternal Newbies” which could save you a lifetime of angst from that pile of plastic, metal and sand that sits on your desk in front of you…

… and will help you a lot with your confidence in using “the computer”…

Right… let’s get started…

Tip 1: Don’t Expect To Learn It All…

… you never will… trust me… never… ever… and neither will I… and neither will anyone else.

You see, when you say to me that you don’t “do” computers, you need to realise that it’s the program that you’re really… er… “doing”…

There are thousands and thousands of programs out there and nobody is ever going to know about all of them let alone learn them…

So when you wonder if you’re ever going to learn it all… the answer is “no”… However, it would be in your interest to learn what is relevant and useful for the work that you’re doing.

That takes us nicely on to…

Tip 2: Learn Something New Regularly.

If you’re using a word processor every day, then try to learn something new about it regularly… maybe a new key combination, a new shortcut… something… anything…

Keep a small pocket notebook handy where you can jot down new things that you learn.

Tip 3: You Don’t Have To Be Technical To Use A Computer.

Just how technical do you have to be to use a DVD player? Or a food processor? Or to drive your car to work? Or to record a video?

I don’t have to be a mechanic to drive my car… I have no idea what happens when I turn the key to start her up… as far as I’m concerned it’s magic… but I still manage to drive… and even drive different combinations of routes each time…

Tip 4: Don’t Be Intimidated.

You know the manager who plonks down that pile of printed papers in front of you with figures, graphs and charts from an Excel spreadsheet together with a floppy disk… and wants this and that done..? You know the one…

Well, he may be bit of a computer whiz and may know more than you, but there was a time when he was starting out too.

Like I say, don’t be intimidated…

Tip 5: Relax.

This is so important. Yes, relax.

If difficult to learn something when you’re anxious and stressed out.

For goodness sakes it’s only a computer…

It’s not a tsunami, it’s not an earthquake, it’s not famine… it’s just a calculator processor thing…

Think of it as a tool…

… a bit like a food processor in a kitchen.

You can use a food processor to make an omelette, or a twelve-course cordon bleu meal…

Seriously, do relax, as sitting at a desk, stressed out can have a detrimental effect on your shoulders, neck, back, spine… it just ain’t good for you.

Tip 6: File / Directory Structure.

I would advise you to learn about the file / directory structure. Yep I know it sounds as interesting as watching black paint dry in the dark, but you’ll save yourself hours of heartache.

Trust me…

You know all those countless times you’ve wondered where you saved your file to?

Well, by learning a little about file / folder structure and management you’ll really learn a very useful part of using a computer… and believe me, when you do, your confidence will increase proportionally.

If you can, ask a techie or a trainer to sit down with you for about an hour or so to explain about folder / file management, or even invest in a short course where you learn the fundamentals.

Learn how to sort your files… that way you won’t just save everything into one heap of a folder… I know someone who likes to make a new folder every month for their documents… or pehaps you’d prefer an Excel folder for your spreadsheets… a Word folder for all your Word documents… whatever…

If there’s one main thing I always encourage newbies, especially “Eternal Newbies” to learn, then it’s got to be folder / directory structure and moving / copying files from folders to folders.

Tip 7: Learn These 3 Commands:

If you really can’t face learning about file / directory structure, the do me a favour and learn the following 3 commands:

1: “Save”…
2: “Save As”…
&
3: “Undo”

That’s a start… and a good start.

Tip 8: A Computer is Just A Tool.

It can’t think… it can’t even daydream… it can’t form an opinion… it has no feelings… and it certainly isn’t out to “get you”.

It’s simply a food processor for information…

Make it your friend…

In fact it’s better than some “friends”…

… it has an “Off” button

Tip 9: Be Honest About What You Don’t Know… And About What You Do.

Don’t say you know how to do something or understand something when you don’t.

If your Techie Support person asks you whether you understand what they showed you… you say that you do… and the next time you have the same problem… and again you say that you understand what you did wrong… the same thing… again… and again…

Get the picture?

There’s nothing wrong with not understanding something… in fact it’s a great help when you tell the Techie Support person when you don’t understand something… as then they know what you don’t know and… hey… get this… they can help you.

Soon, without you knowing how and why, you’ll strangely find yourself, maybe not necessarily understanding, but remembering and learning how to do things….

While we’re on about “Honesty…” go on… be honest… when was the last time you carried out an RTFM? That’s “Read The Flippin’ Manual”… or RTHF – “Read The Help File”?

Reason it’s called the “flippin’ manual? That’s because when a techie needs to refer to it, it usually means that they’re in deep technical doo doo when they need it.

Okay, granted, I totally agree that some help manuals or help files can leave a lot to be desired when it comes to them being actually helpful… but they’re worth a go…

When you click on something, make sure you know what you’re clicking on… actually read it… or at least… see it…

All Techie Support people will know of Eternal Newbies who say, “I don’t know what I clicked on…”

The Techie will most probably ask, “Why did you click on it..?”

To which the reply is usually… “I don’t know…”

If you’re not used to taking a couple of seconds and read and see what it is that you’re clicking on…then get into the habit now.

Just taking an extra couple of seconds to read what’s on the screen could save you a lot of time later…

Tip 10: Change Your Attitude.

There’s nothing awe-inspiring or magical about computers these days.

They’re everywhere whether we like it or not.

Like I keep saying over and over again… it’s just a tool… whether you want to make your own programs… or design aircrafts… or compose music… or just surf the web… or play Spider Solitaire… or whatever… it’s just a tool.

If you can play a game or click on a command in a program, then you can “use” a computer.

If you’re going to go around saying things like, “I’m hopeless when it comes to computers… Computers have it in for me… Computers don’t get on with me… “, and so on… guess what? You’re right.

However, if you make the effort to start to get to grips with “that computer” and start learning bit by bit… not only will your confidence grow, but so will your skills.

Think about it…

If you’re really committed to your job and here’s a piece of equipment that can help you, wouldn’t it make sense to learn a little about it?

We’re back to where we started… learning.

Nobody will learn it for you, but your Techie Support person or your IT Trainer can help you to learn… learn and remember…

Go on… break those chains that hold you back as an Eternal Newbie…

… get rid of that anxiety about “the computer” that you really find uncomfortable…

Don’t let that fear of “the computer” make your job more difficult than it should be…

… Build your skills and knowledge base with regards to getting to grips with “that computer” and see how your confidence will grow…

… others have done it…

… and so can you…

Trust me.

And you know that computer you have at home? The one you don’t use much?

Well, it’s just waiting for you to fire it up and show it what you can do.

Enjoy!

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Time Is Running Out For XP

I use Windows XP and I’m happy with it… more than happy.

I know people who have Windows XP on their computers too. I also know people with Windows Vista on their computers.

I hear more complaints from the Vista users than I ever do from XP users.

I’ve used Vista many times and I don’t like many of its quirks.

I don’t like the way you can’t move menu bars around in various programs while you’re running Vista while you can using XP.

I don’t like the way in which you have to save a file first in a particular version of Dreamweaver before you can preview it in Firefox when using Vista as opposed to XP.

I don’t like some of these and other quirks that I’ve come across and there at the moment I wouldn’t want Vista on my own computer.

Like I say, I’m more than happy with the stability of Windows XP and if purchasing another computer I would want Windows XP on it instead of Vista.

I’d also like Microsoft to support Windows XP for a lot longer…

… but that’s not likely to happen.

You see, in June 2008, Microsoft is ending its support sales of Windows XP.

My opinion is, if something is broken, then fix it…

If something ISN’T broken, then DON’T fix it…

… and if something is working fine and people are happy with it and want to continue using it… and are even willing to pay for it, then why not let them have it?

Come on Microsoft, we don’t any kind of admission that Vista isn’t exactly taking the computing world by storm.

Let me quote from the “Save XP” people…

“There is a precedent for that, too: In many respects, Vista is like the Windows Millennium Edition that was meant to replace Windows 98 in 2000 but caused more trouble than it was worth. At that time, Windows 2000 was promising but didn’t support a lot of hardware, so users were stuck between two bad choices. Without admitting Millennium’s failure, Microsoft quietly put Windows 98 back on the market until the fixed version of Windows 2000 (SP1) was available. Microsoft needs to do something like that again today.”

If you would like to sign the petition to “Save XP”, then visit www.savexp.com

I’ve signed it.

Will you?

Electronic Bubble Wrap!

I’m a sucker for bubble wrap.

I really am.

The only problem with bubble wrap is that it runs out…

Not any more…

Well, not the electronic version anyway!

The latest craze from Japan, the Puchi Puchi as it’s called is exactly that… electronic bubble wrap… and endless supply of pops!

Not only that, but just to keep you popping the Puchi Puchi will also randomly make another noise to reward your popping!

Don’t get the bubble wrap thing?

Never mind…

I do!

Click here for more details of Puchi Puchi

Steampunk Ambience Enhancer

As you might know I don’t have an iPod and yet I’m a total Podcast Junky. Heck, I used to run www.podcastjunky.co.uk in the good old days! Remember?

Like I say, I love my podcasts and I’m constantly cranking up my iTunes and downloading my subscribed-to podcasts.

Then, having set up Auto Playlists in my Windows Media Player, all my downloaded podcasts are nicely categorised in their respective playlists from which I can then sync them nicely to my SanDisk Sansa m240 1Gb MP3 Player.

I’ve had my Sansa m240 for nearly 2 years now and I haven’t had a single problem with it and as it’s not an iPod, I’m not tied to the iTunes chains totally.

Ok, so it’s not the most stylish of all MP3 players, and like I say, it’s easy to use, such as syncing my podcasts via Windows Media Player or even just simply dragging MP3 files to it as an additional drive…

… that’s why I had to feature this great customised skin / holder for what looks suspiciously like a Sansa MP3 player… just like mine.

Brilliant!

Check it out in detail at
http://porkshanks.deviantart.com/art/The-Ambience-Enhancer-70300457

101 Gadget Blogs!

There you go… aren’t I good to you?
101 gadget blogs for your delectation.

engadget
blog.wired
makezine
ubergizmo
techeblog
crunchgear
yankodesign
coolest-gadgets
inventorspot
akihabaranews
i4u
slashgear
gearlive
switched
ohgizmo
geeksugar
technabob
slipperybrick
product-reviews
bornrich
shinyshiny
everythingusb
redferret
techfresh
hackedgadgets
geekalerts
gearlog
uberreview
gadgetell
nexus404
kilian-nakamura
gadgets.fosfor
gadgettastic
gadgets-reviews
nerdapproved
geardiary
ounae
gadgetvenue
gizmowatch
teknobites
audiojunkies
thegadgetblog
blog.pcnews
geeky-gadgets
rimarkable
funponsel
techchee
likecool
phonearea
gadgetizer
digitalworldtokyo
7gadgets
geekandhype
thinktechno
techiediva
gearcrave
gadgetmadness
gadgetspy
gadgets-club
realitywired
mobileincanada
techzi
gizmosforgeeks
spyreview
trendygadget
dasyndicate
techlivez
thegadgetsite
todaygadgets
cutiegadget
freshpilot
elitezoom
gopaultech
lifeatmost
rj3sp
gadgetspage
smart-parts
dailydigitals
idealgadget
machinesthatgobing
gadgetsonthego
desinformado
degadget
themensgiftguide
gadgetsngizmos
technonix
dyohanan
megatechnews
jonzee
techgadgetblog
techpuddle
gadgetsblog
teckh
latest-gadget
loopygadgets
gizmo-central
mybestgadgets
extraworld
mightygadget
popgadget

Sling those into your rss aggregator and have fun!