Shopping for Technology

I hope you don't mind, but I am re-posting this entry from 2009, the first time I taught this class. It still applies, and I still like the shopping analogy!

photo by flickr user arbyreed

I have discovered that Sunday morning is the best time to grocery shop. Saturday night revelers have just gone to sleep, many families are in church or sharing breakfast together, and those of us at the store early on a Sunday just want to get it done in peace. Knowing what to buy when I am there is not so easy. I have my habitual purchases - milk, juice, cereal, chicken, and so on - but I am often easily distracted by new products and items on the end caps. I am also a snoop, curious at what others have in their carts. I think, "if that person likes store-rolled sushi, maybe I will too." Sometimes I have a little trouble with these unusual purchases when I get home, but I have a lot of fun experimenting with them. Sometimes, they turn out to be purchases I make more often, perhaps even sharing with friends at a party or potluck.

You're wondering what all of that has to do with our class, right? There is logic to it, I promise. In this class, we are shopping for instructional technology. There are some technologies that we use habitually - listserv, eLC, maybe blogging - but others are new. They are the latest and greatest, on the end caps or in someone else's cart. We may not know exactly what to do with them, but the good news about this class is that we can throw everything in the cart and try it out together. Facebook as classwork? Sure! Twitter assignments? Why not! And when class is over, we might have some new favorites that we use every time we teach.

Looking forward to shopping with you!
>>Sherry