RR1--- An Overall Impression on Vicente's Human Factor

The Vicente’s book is a mentor to me since I am a beginner is the field of Educational Technology. Before I laid my hand on this book I thought it was another “regular-boring-doctrine” text book that I always have during my sixteen-year’ study. But it wasn’t!!! While I reading this book, the author is not lecturing me (to my big surprised) rather to tell me facts and reasons as a parent or a friend. I can’t help nodding my head when I agree with the author’s opinion! With his vivid examples of everyday life or well-known incidents, I have a better understanding with the “Human Factor” conception.

At the very first chapter, Vicente does not advocate how important technology is to the human being (of which is a big surprise to me too! According to the conventional Chinese thinking pattern, the author must throw this kind of “reminder” at the table to catch reader’s attention) rather to illustrate how technology can be devastated and fatal. And once again to my surprise, Vicente take the Chernobyl disaster to demonstrate his point of which is exactly the event that always haunted my mind (I’m kind of pro environmental conservation and thus this catastrophic event would print in my mind once I read it). The author draws my attention successfully and I do enjoy reading this book.

Ok. Back to the subject matter then. As Vicente cited C.P.Snow :” the intellectual life of the whole of western society is increasingly being split into two polar groups.”(“Science and Art”, as Vicente added.)(P31) I think this situation is not just happen in western country but all over the world. And it is not a concern but already a fact. We have science and art subjects separately at the very beginning of elementary school. People who learn science are geeks and people who study arts are sentimental. This impression is almost a inherent concept to everyone. That’s why when I told my friends and relatives that I will study Educational Technology in UC and nearly all of them ask:”Oh! Since when you do with computer science?!” What I tried to explain is that people will instinctively relate computes or machines to “Technology”. And it would be ridiculers to try to convince them working schedule and relationship is also “Technology”.

I have to admit that I have the same concept in mind. But after I started reading this book, my mind is having a revolution too. The book is definitely broadening my horizon. Meanwhile I can observe the Educational Technology in a whole new perspective. This is only the beginning…

PS: Background Information for Chapter 1

The Chernobyl Disaster Description

The Chernobyl Disaster Video( totally 6 parts)

Charlie Chaplin's Eating Machine Video

Combining Technology and Education to Benefit Students of All Kinds.

This blog is my web-based study reflection for EDER679.72----User Centered Design 1.

In this site I welcome the educators of whom possess professional knowledge on teaching (including principles, teachers and instructors the like in all levels of education). And students who are would-be teachers and as well as those who are interested in education. Of course the most important is people who are being educated because they are our "clients". Educational technology is a tremendous field for scholarly community and we need information and reflections from all over the world.

The major purpose for this web-based portfolio is to keep track of my insights, ideas,comprehensions and perspectives in the process of learning this course. As in my case, I am not yet set foot in the professional field in education. So in this site I will also express my not insightful views about education and maybe mostly are from a student's point of  view.And if anyone need a person to test their software of application, I am a willing volunteer.Also, because that I am from China, where the education is utterly different from western countries, I can also help people who want to develop an application which is worldwide used.

In the first class brainstorming I came up with an idea that develop a piano simulation application to help those who want to learn to play piano but do not possess one. To achieve this goals I definitely have a lot to think about. What I emphasize is not how to build the application but is what should be contain in this application.And I found Dr.Jacobsen's recommended text book "Human Factor" can help me broaden my horizon on technology or say it helps me to take a profound insight of "what is technology". Within this four months study, I will figure out how to develop this application and as well as supplement my knowledge on technology and education. Meanwhile, I will keep my mind open and may shift to another more useful or more urgent issue that need to be fix right away.

When comes to the long range plans...As for myself, First I need to read more books on education and need to access to the local educational web forum in order to get a clear view to the educational system in Calgary. And than I want to participate in education,to be a tutor or TA so that I would have my own insight in teaching.As for the application, I need to focus more on "client" needs and try to develop it in a more "human factor" way.

The subject is a big challenge for me due to the language and thinking pattern differences from my original education system. But I have faith in myself ... Hope I can do a good jor in this subject because I am really loving it!!!!

New Blog!!!

Open a new blog for EDER 679 User-Centered DesignⅠ.And it also symbolise my fresh new start in Uof C!
I hope we can share our ideas and minds in this site!Nice to meet you all and wish we all have a good time and achieve our academic goal!!

The amazing blue sky in Uof C!