Blog 1
Before you all start thinking “How on Earth?” did he win a technology competition with a title like that, and more importantly has he already smashed up the Asus EeeTop, may I point out that I have never written a blog before. As I do not have books like “The Idiots Guide To Blog Writing” I needed to set up the EeeTop to access the internet to find out how to do it. This was simplicity itself and I soon found hundreds of sites giving me key information about all sorts of great bloggy content. So here it is as suggested by the experts…..
- Have an interesting title to your post. Luddite has a ring to it and if you have got this far it has worked.
- Be instructional and review things. I will be recounting my adventures with the EeeTop and reviewing my experiences (see other points in the list) from the standpoint of a non-techie (neo-Luddite?).
- Lists are good in blogs. Doing that! Also made a list of things to do with the EeeTop especially digital imagery stuff. Like Sajeda took some photos of the Asus EeeTop but have not learnt how to transfer them from the digital camera. So you will have to make do with an image of King (Ned) Ludd.
King (Ned) Ludd
- Interviews are good. Well the EeeTop has a variety of communication tools so I’ve no excuse.
- Case studies are interesting. I’m sure the relationship between myself and the EeeTop (and it’s software) will be.
- Profiles are essential. Like Sajeda, Stewart and Ian I am in education. I work quite a lot from home using mainly distance learning techniques. Hence the choice of an EeeTop which should significantly replace my ageing PC and peripherals. Like Ian I live in the North West but the far sunnier resort of Blackpool. No doubt this basic profile will be built upon in future blogs.
- Opinions and Rants may be useful. Well the first aspect if critically done is better than the second. People who know me won’t believe I wrote this! To this end I will adopt the Luddite “view” from E.P. Thompson’s perspective – not opposed to new technology in itself and acting from a sense of self-preservation rather than merely a fear of change. So I will approach the EeeTop objectively and occasionally comment on wider aspects of technology and education. I will also not be dressing like King Ned (see image above).
- Research and Collation make good topics. The action research working with the EeeTop will form the spine of future blogs (probably).
- Predict and review events. Not one to be a Nostradamus type I will stick to the review of the EeeTop.
- Work to a hypothesis. Ever the optimist I am sure that I will be happier with computing over the next few months than previously (null hypothesis). Work out the alternative hypothesis: well as ASUS sponsers the Guardian’s Classroom Innovation website a few educational bits cannot go amiss.
- And finally using satire can be effective. I had to look up what it actually meant! Quite wide ranging actually, so will try for the humorous as appropriate rather than derision.
Well that is it my first blog. It seems fairly consistent in approach; another key blog attribute I am told. Hopefully it will provide a critique (missed it off the list) of the EeeTop and over the weeks will elicit some debate (missed this off the list as well!) – so please reply.
Until next time……
