31 July, 2008

Modern technology simply doesn’t work … no, I’ll qualify that, modern advertising of modern technology is so far beyond the practical application of modern technology that it appears to not work. I say this after testing a set of ICT courses with a range of young people aged between 13 and 18 years of age on medium level machines in Windows and Linux environments. I also say this after trying to get our super-efficient, clean burning fire to light, using the driest of wood, the most flammable of newspaper and most efficient tripod stacking of kindling. I say this after trying to copy music to a solid state portable player, after trying to take photos with a digital camera and after trying to plan a bus trip using a web site, all without much success. Funnily enough, growing vegetables, fruit trees and walking home worked out pretty much as I expected … job done, without fuss. I’m thinking the modern World is mostly full of crap.

Teaching seems to have lost its shine for me. Might be the time of year, might be the school I’m in, might be me but it’s all feeling a bit futile and an exercise in paying the mortgage. I’m thinking all new course ideas need to go on hold in favour of getting through the basics and moving on. Will have to wait this one out a bit and see where it leads.

I bought some mud guards for my bike today. Good times.