10% Smarter

Growing up in the Marine Corps about the time jarheads started embracing technology other than the rotary telephone taught me that you always have to be 10% smarter than the technology...or you end up looking pretty foolish.  That axiom came to mind as I came across a story about a guy who blamed his car's GPS unit for almost running his car off a cliff.  Here's the link so you can see for yourself.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,510495,00.html?sPage=fnc/scitech/personaltechnology

How is this story related to this blog's topic?  I look at it this way.  If the guy had been just a little smarter than the technology (or maybe he needed a lesson in situational awareness), he would have realized that his equipment was wrong.  But as it turned out, the guy almost lost his life, and everything he experienced was avoidable. 

Avoiding problems with technology in the online environment can also be accomplished if you simply take a little time to conduct a self assessment.  Analyze the software.  Ask the IT folks what skills you might need to use the program.  If you need training, get it.  If you can use the program and understand how it works relative to what you want to accomplish in your course, then I argue that you can probably avoid falling off the virtual cliff.  You'll be prepared to know when to stop and ask more questions...without looking foolish in the process.

Sometimes the e-learning challenges simply reside in the over- or under-estimation of our technical competence.  If we'll adopt a mindset to be smarter than the technology, if only by a little, and always be prepared to query the technical experts, I believe we can create a better teaching and learning environment.