Computer Skills.

When I was in college, my roommate was on his computer, and I asked what he was doing. He said he was on the “web.” I paid no mind. As I scoffed, he stated that one day soon, I would be on the computer every day. Not even truly understanding what he was up to, I looked at the screen, saw words, in a dot matrix printer typeface, and said my goodbyes. As a result of my immaturity and/or apathy to hearing about “boring computers,” I missed out on a variety of opportunity, from stock investments, to work related skills, to understanding how the world would operate in the very near future. Within a year, I was using email. It was so foreign then, but also useful. I have made efforts to catch up, though I was reluctant to learn programming, and didn’t employ enough technology in my classrooms. I began to investigate ways to connect students with information about technology. I would teach them what to look for in tech careers. I have encouraged participation in CTE programs. I kept students aware of tech, to help them understand the importance of being willing to change how you interact with the world. Our next step is 5G, a real change in how we will interact with the Internet of Things. It’s exciting, and will require learning, for which I am now ready, after blowing it the first time.