U-Blog 1

I really enjoyed the “Teaching and Learning Internet Skills” even though it maybe just a little too old for my taste, but you get the feel and atmosphere of how people felt about the internet’s beginning and growth. The article itself is a bit long, so I’m just going to summarizes and reflect on my favorite parts. I wish the author would have defined “adults” a little better.

The very beginning paragraph got my attention right off the bat. The part about his mother using the internet should indicate that everyone is going to be on the internet. Throughout my life I have enjoyed computers and the internet greatly and I never saw why people could care less about the internet or computers. My grandparents, who now use the internet, once avoided any technology say it’s a nuisance, complicated, or interferes with the “back in the day” methods. Although more people in the 60-99yrs of age are getting involved with the internet, the fact that they did not grow up around this technology causes resistance.

Okay, back to the subject. I’m going to pass on talking about the explosion of the internet in 1990’s, because what is there to really talk about, other than more and more people began using the internet.

Here’s my assessment on “Overview of Internet Skills” section:

This section is rather depressing but true. The more we learn the more we realize that we can know everything about computers. If someone was able to know everything about them today the next day a new idea is created tomorrow. It’s harder for adults to adapt to new technology so they tend to rely on already known “functional set of skills.” A part of us would like to have things stay the same because they are “comfortable.” I am guilty of this concept too, even though I love new technology and progress. Whenever I finally learn something a newer way, method, and idea comes out and it’s obsolete.

The net truly is vast and infinite.

Skills for the internet are not the same as skills on a computer. For example: My brother barely uses his computer for anything other than use of the internet to keep up-to-data, entertained, and out of habit. He doesn’t know his way around the computer as well as he does on the internet. You can easily tell the difference from a person who uses the internet for work only then from a person who spends their free time exploring the internet. Skill acquired out of pleasure will always out do those who do out of force or payment.

Review on “Strategies for Learning and Teaching Internet Skills” section:

“Self-directed learning” is a perfect phrase to describe the internet. Sure there are classes, groups, and tech people but most of all the internet experience is gained by once self over exploration of the internet. Adults are use to the self-directed learning via newspaper articles, books, and magazines so they tend to be the ones buying books about how to do something with the computer or internet, since the internet is not as organized as they would like it to be. But the internet also has tons of information to help just as much as any old book, but the thing is you have to find it. Adults would rather buy a book without the hassle, then look for it for free on the internet. So basically there are a few main ways to learn skills about the internet: classes and teachers, internet, printed material, and social networking.

I would have to say that the rest of the article is total nonsense. It just talks about classes presently available in 1999 and what they have to offer.

My Conclusion:

The impression I get from this article is that adults are not willing to step into internet, unless backed into a corner. And if they do, they want formal training. Sure formal training is good but it just teaches you about the process not the desire and will to do it. I have to admit that there are some things like learn a particular computer language, would be very useful. No one can learn everything about the internet and technology because the advanced social networking and conglomerate amount of information on the web creates new ideas; and new ideas create new possibility and reality. Knowing something one day is obsolete the next. That’s what makes the internet great; it’s not the same old thing over and over.

Overall I think the author did a great job examining the methods on how people are progressing to the internet. The article made me reflect on my progress of exploring the computer and the internet. I can only dream what other great things will happen in the future.

http://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/idl/internet/skills.html

Do you believe that adults are just afraid of change..... or have good reason to be afraid?

Sincerely ,
Joshua Settle

Workplace Learning

There are several Office trends I see happening within the next couple of years.
1.) Mobile and Wireless Trends- The explosion of popularity in the iPhone provided a big boost in this concept. People want phones to help them find customers and services (example sending messages to phones about lunch specials) There have been a number of companies making applications for iPhone and Blackberry Storm to attract customers and make life easier for them. Business people can keep up-to-date with emails, stocks, clients, etc easier and more efficiently. The internet is more accessible than ever before on a phone. http://www.m-trends.org/2008/01/mobile-and-wireless-trends-for-2008.html

2.) Virtual Office- No more long trips to work. Well yes and no. Virtual office setting can help business especially smaller businesses with travel reduction costs. Not only will it reduce costs they will be able to meet almost whenever or where ever they are without having to wait for the other party to arrive. This concept boosts social networking to help all people from all over to contribute to projects and business relationships. http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2006/10/01/virtual_office_is_what_you_make_it/

3.) Going Green- Its not all about cars anymore. Businesses are finding new economic friendly methods for their business. Most economic methods deal with less energy costs, because the technology they integrate uses less energy. The fear of Global Warming is still fresh in people's minds. People more than ever are attracted to economic friendly products so it may also attract new customers to the business. I just makes since to use less resources. http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/article191852.html

4.) Social Networking- Its all the rage now days in the digital world. What make it so appealing? Web sites like YouTube, twitter, and facebook have grown tremendously to the point that almost no one hasn't heard of them. This generation is hungry for some social networking. Social networking can also help businesses. It can allow people to search for jobs, contacting managers or people they meet over the internet. Social networking has so many possibilities. It’s just like have "inside sources" you build up with others over the internet. In the NorthJersey.com article they state that 65% of business professionals use professional social-networking sites, and 35% of individuals use networks to find and assist them with finding a job(such as careerbuilder.com). http://www.northjersey.com/education/tow/37055159.html

5.) Reconstructing the Workplace- Corporations are seeing a reduce level of supervision and emphasis on a “team approach to business”. This modifies the chain of command. Traditional “ranks” are nonexistent makes it harder to press “grievances.” Trend is also a shift of Human Resources Departments moving from an Administrative to Strategic. The very concept of “workplace” is being redefined with the help of telecommuting. People would rather work from home then meet and work at central locations. Article Here

6.) Going back to school- Websites such as http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/workforce/wrkRetrain.php usually belong to university either online or in actual location. They help people that are unemployed to learn their positions they work in, to better qualify themselves to be in the position for employment opportunities. Businesses today are very picky, especially with economy the way it is, and want to help their business succeed in this time of crisis.

7.) Training home business- Home business are growing by leaps and bounds every day, be it selling items on eBay, Amazon, programming, etc. #2 and #4 focus on the areas needed for successful home business; Social networking and Virtual Office abilities. Websites such as http://www.homebasedbusiness.sbdc.com.au/ help people become better and more profitable. People are beginning to realize that in order to make money they have to be organized, educated, and wise. Going back to school is a wise thing to do.

8.) Better training for employees- Most business today are follow the flow of sending their employees to “camps,” group “therapy” (worker trust and functionality), and classes. Companies have realized that if the employees are up to par the company is up to par. http://www.act-eap.com/

9.) E-Learning- Can help people of all background grow in knowledge and move away from the "one size fits all." The computer, database, and internet are huge resources to the users disposal providing growth in knowledge. E-learning eliminates the need for training teachers to teach students. And it can reduce costs. Article Here

These topics cover the main points in all 10 webpages.

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