Day 2

Today has consolidated my thinking considerably.
The confusion of last night has settled, and the pathways are appearing a lot more logical.
The blackboard learning was wonderful. Many of the time-consuming methods I have been using can be simplified, just by knowing how to negotiate the blackboard. I am excited about the potential which is still to be utilised in the way that we are presenting our data on blackboard.

I see a need to be thinking at a few levels - the population of this group, although all adult learners and all post-grad, have varying prior experience with IT. We have much older students, who are returning to study after a period in the workforce (mainly gen X). We have students who have rolled on immediately from an undergraduate degree, many of which were science based (mainly gen Y). And soon, we will be enrolling our 'digital natives' - those who have incorporated computer technology throughout their entire education experience.
As the career requires people skills, and revolves around an ability to function effectively in a relational manner, we cannot capitulate to a totally e-interface in our teaching. But neither can we be offended by the ubiquitous laptop. Rather an intelligent approach, which enables students to develop healthy boundaries, healthy work ethics and healthy relational respect while aknowledging and accessing the benefits of social networking and immense resources, should enable the development of a more resilient junoir graduate, with capacity far beyond there predecessors.
Our challenge - to interpret what an 'intelligent approach' should look like!