learning technology

While I’ve neither been described as a ‘techie’ nor a ‘technophobe,’ my computer proficiency could best be described as falling somewhere between neophyte and novice. Upon entering the dMLIS program, I was confident that my technological knowledge was sufficient for distance study, though. While I was pleased to learn that this was true, I also learned that there was an entire technological world opening up to me, via LIS 541 (Internet Technologies and Applications), and that I could make excellent use of these technological skills at the iSchool and beyond.

For our final project in this class, we were asked to design a simple website on the subject of our choosing and that it must be handcoded. My website, There’s no place like Portland (please view in Internet Explorer to see JavaScript special effect), provides a whimsical authority on the city I love. Having leapt from neophyte to beyond competent in a matter of ten weeks has armed me with some very versatile skills that I have been using since the completion of the course.

In addition to acquiring html skills that have enabled me to build eye-catching and user-friendly websites by hand or with a web editor, I have also obtained other technological skills, such as the deft use of Microsoft Producer to create voiceover presentations. Once I felt comfortable with these technologies, I found that I could embellish my creations with more complicated technological skills. For example, my aforementioned website incorporated JavaScript and Cascading Style Sheets for a more expert look. In my presentation (please note: must be viewed in Internet Explorer) for LIS 560 (Instructional and Training Strategies for Information Professionals), in which I propose a workshop addressing diversity training for education professionals, I went above and beyond the task at hand, utilizing various attention-grabbing features, such as animation and more advanced slide transition effects, to enhance my presentation.

While these technological skills have facilitated my success throughout my studies at the iSchool, I found that my aptitude to be more technologically inclined has leaked over into my personal life as well, as I have also become an avid blogger. Ironically, my fascination with keeping a blog directly resulted from an LIS 541 assignment. Our instructor, Scott Barker, who vocalized a clear skepticism on the purpose of blogs, nevertheless required that we open an account on Blogger and create a solitary post. Little did I know what would become of this post! I found that I loved having a means by which to publish and share my musings; I enjoyed and appreciated that not only friends and family, but random strangers (!) as well, would read my posts and comment in return. As an avid writer, I found the feedback and support very encouraging (click here to read an excerpt from my blog in which I describe what it is like to attend the ALA conference as a newbie). Further, in exploring other blogs that were of interest to me, I learned that there were many types of blogs, including news and media blogs, several of which focused on issues of interest to librarians and those studying library science.

One aspect of LIS 541 that had a significant impact on the remainder of my successes at the iSchool was the sense of community within the iSchool population and the willingness of others to provide assistance when needed. The heavy emphasis in this course of students helping students really defined community for me and clearly informed me that it was safe to ask questions and rely on my peers for assistance, that we were all in this together.

Most importantly, I can foresee putting these skills (both technological, as well as community-oriented) to good use in the world of librarianship and beyond.