Dave Cormier’s alternative tension pair blog brought further insight to my resident-visitor typology map as far as going completely digital. I realize that I am caught in the middle between the analogue-digital pairing. The image of the activity with all the sticky notes resonated with me. I have participated in countless effective exercises using sticky notes over the years. As I ventured into an activity six months ago using sticky notes with my new innovation team at work, a look of shock appeared on all their faces. One team member wanted to know why we would use sticky notes when there are plenty of software applications that will work instead. I was left wondering if this was a generational gap that I needed to explore. Hence, one of my many reasons for joining the MALAT program.
Reference
Cormier, D. (2018, March 31). Digital practices mapping – intro activity for digital literacies course. Dave’s Educational Blog. http://davecormier.com/edblog/2018/03/31/digital-practices-mapping-intro-activity-for-digital-literacies-course/
Jessica
Hi Marni! I am a fellow sticky note enthusiast so your questions really resonated with me. It’s akin to the debate I have had on numerous occasions about reading via Kindle or book (I love a book myself). I think it can be said that there are pros and cons to both the analogue and the digital – and different variables that need to be noted – is time of the essence? Do you have a group who prefer to learn with tangible items? Will using digital tools increase or decrease the interactive nature of the activity, etc. I believe in innovation and ‘work smarter, not harder’, and I also believe there is space for analogue activities that add a personal connection that can sometimes be missing when we’re ‘dialed in’.
Marni Russell
Thanks for your input, Jessica. You make some great points. I also love books. I enjoy going to libraries and bookstores where I can skim through the pages before reading. As we move to online purchasing of electronic books at my college, I ponder how long these types of physical buildings will be around. The future outcome will be interesting as society navigates between these digital and analogue environments.
Russ Wilde
Good thoughts, Marni – this observation really resonates with me.
One challenge I have faced over the years has been a fascination with digital tools aimed at “productivity.” I put that word in quotation marks because it can be surprisingly difficult to describe and defend. I would not want to find out exactly how many hours I have wasted developing intricate workflows based on the latest apps instead of actually just getting work done through analogue tools. 😉
Now, this does not mean that digital technologies have not been revolutionary and led to amazing new possibilities. I wonder though, if those of us who have lived through the internet revolution to this point have been involved more in laying the groundwork for future gains rather than reaping the rewards. This is just an idea that I am playing with right now – I need to do some additional reading to see what kind of consensus might be developing within the literature.
Marni Russell
Hello Russ,
I am circling back to your comment about the number of hours spent on creating workflows versus completing work through analogue tools.
My team member just created a workflow in less than two days for our Annual Program Review Process using Microsoft Apps and Power Automate. I am so excited to try out this process. If everything works well, I will be calculating an immense number of hours saved for all involved in the review. There also will be the benefit of eliminating errors when transcribing and compiling the info and data.
Hooray for technology!