2008 - A Year of Learning Challenges

Written by: Leah Maclean
January 1, 2008

Digital Space - Learning TechnologyWelcome to 2008! If you don’t believe that 2008 puts you smack bang in the middle of the digital age then think again. All you need to do is to read articles like the one that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald this morning (10 Things That Will Change Your Future)

It all might sound a little far fetched, or even something that you don’t need to concern yourself with but as each new year ticks over the children that are fluent speakers of “technology” (and think technology like a native of the digital land) are getting one year old and one year closer to being the major influencers not just in technology but also in the business landscape.

So if you feel that you are a little behind in the digital landscape then 2008 is the year for you to learn more. What do you really have to loose?

Here are some easy to do monthly technology challenges for you to take on. If you already feel comfortable with the challenge then just take that topic to the next level. I can guarantee you that even after more than 20 years in technology industries I’m still learning a huge amount of new things each year.

January
Do something more with all the great photos that you took over Christmas. Learn to resize them, manage and file them on the computer in a better way or how to be creative with photo editing software.

February
Get your email under control. If you thought that your email exploded last year then just wait for the overflow this year. Make sure you understand and are taking advantage of the email software you use, get a “public” email address (eg. gmail, yahoo) for all those things you subscribe to and keep your main inbox spam to a minimum or even use an application like SpeedFiler to help keep your inbox under control.

March
Learn more about RSS (Really Simple Syndication). If you have little or no idea about RSS and need a starting point then have a look at this video.

If you already use RSS to subscribe to updates, news and information then take this task to the next level. Maybe learn about how you can share the interesting things that you read with others.

April
Find out what all the buzz is about with “social networking” (it will get more broadly spread in the coming year). Find out more about LinkedIn, Facebook or any of the other many social networking sites. Get in there and have a play around and make up your own mind if connecting online is for you. As you do this remember that you can give away a little too much about yourself at times with these sites. Just as you would be careful who you invite into you home, be wary of who you are sharing personal information with.

May
Start a blog! Many of you will roll your eyes about this being an old idea or one that just isn’t for you but just hear me out. A blog is one of the easiest ways I know to share information or your ideas amoung a group of people. Those people may be your target market, current clients, your family, friends or community group. It doesn’t even need to be public - maybe a departmental information sharing tool, or a family roster or what’s been happening. The ability to quickly and easily publish information is fast becoming one of the major communication tools of the digital age. Are you skilled up for this one or not?

June
Learn more about the ever-growing repository of digital media being provided by the ABC (Australia’s national broadcaster). For a couple of years now various ABC radio and television programs have been making it possible for you to listen/view extracts of your favourite shows at times that worked for you, and recently they launched ABC Now.

Digital media being presented to you to to listen/watch at a time that suits you will be one of the big movers in the next couple of years. This is just the low definition version of the high-definition (HD) TV that is here (for the early adopters) or just around the corner (for most people).

July
Learn some basic HTML coding. Now I know that this will be stretch for some people but HTML (and CSS) is more and more becoming the language that makes the online world look pretty. This is what gives your HTML emails, blogs posts and web pages their good looks. You don’t need to become a full blown programmer but by understanding the basics you can have more control over the look and feel of the information that you put online.

August
Get into digital music. In 1979 when British band The Buggles sang “video killed the radio star” video and CDs were the new technology - they were the move from analogue records to digital media. These days the need to even produce a physical CD is not required for a “record” to be success (Radiohead’s latest release “In Rainbows” is a case in point).

You don’t need to have an MP3 digital music player - you can do that straight from your computer. I find iTunes a great way to put my CDs into digital form and organise them in a manageable way. By using iTunes to play the music that normally just sits in the cabinet in the living room via my computer my work day is much more enjoyable.

September
Have a conversation with someone under 20 and ask them to show you their favourite piece of technology. Ask them why it is great and why it is important in their life. Don’t dismiss their answer as just stuff for young people. These are the people that will be making decisions about how we live our lives in the next 20 years. What they do, know and like now is an important guide to the future.

October
Get a little more jargon under your belt. Now I’m the first to admit the technology jargon can get a little out of hand with all those acronyms. But when does it stop being jargon and start being everyday language? Set yourself the task to unconver the true meaning of technology jargon. Depending on you level of understanding, time available or inclination, set yourself a target of one new word/acronym every day or week.

November and December
Don’t let the year finish up with you still wondering about how to better use a piece of technology you already own or wanting to know more about something that you’ve heard about. Set yourself a learning plan over these last 8 weeks and get up to scratch.

I promise that if you follow even 50% of these challenges you will be in a more confident place with technology at the end of 2008 than you are today, at the beginning of a new year filled with opportunities for learning.

Leah Maclean - demystifying design and technology for small business women | http://www.thecalmspace.com/about#leah

Comments

3 Responses to “2008 - A Year of Learning Challenges”

  1. AngelaNo Gravatar on January 1st, 2008 5:43 pm

    My niece invited me to join Facebook when she was travelling overseas. So I reluctantly agreed, and I’m so glad I did. I was able to follow her travels, see her photos, send her a birthday message while she was in Europe, keep her in touch with family news and learn more about her. I’ve also sent other family and friends greetings, and impressed my own children with my “coolness”. If my niece hadn’t sent me the invitation I’d still be in the dark about social networking.

    So I’ll give some of your other suggestions a go too, starting with January’s.

  2. ChrisNo Gravatar on January 2nd, 2008 9:18 am

    So Leah when are you running the first class in html?
    Do it and I’ll take up your challenge!

  3. MarjorieNo Gravatar on January 9th, 2008 11:48 am

    Hey Leah, count me in with the html - i have already purchased CoffeeCup :)

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