Blog posts from March 2008

When you are training a dog, you do not start with something complicated. You begin with something small and easy: sit. From sit, you move on to tricks that build on that one skill, like shake and lie down. You never start with lie down or shake, because a dog has to be sitting to do those things.

When we teach children to read, we sing them the ABCs first and then teach them how the letters form words. We do not show them words and then teach them the alphabet. We know that to learn a skill there is a logical progression of learning. We know this, but often, when dealing with technology, we forget about it. Like all other knowledge acquisition, learning how to use technology tools should follow a logical progression. We should start with cornerstones before constructing the building. If you are a technology trainer, consider what cornerstones are already in your staff's arsenal when planning a training. Read More »

As the new guy on the TechSource blog, I'm obliged to introduce myself to the readership, in order to try and give everyone some idea of what to expect over the next year from me. Since I don't really know what ideas will float to the surface in the upcoming year, I think the best way to introduce myself is to show you what I've been involved in in the past.

I'm the Head of Library Information Technology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and have been at UTC for the last 3 years. My research interests include copyright, especially digital issues surrounding copyright law in the U.S.; open source software and its use in libraries; and how technology is changing the educational process in higher education. As you can tell, I tend to focus on technology in one way or another, and I expect that my columns here at Techsource probably will follow that general trend. Read More »