December+2012

Monday December 10, 2012.
After much deliberation and hand-wringing I finally bought a tablet computer. I settled on a Samsung Galaxy 10.1 Note, and although I've only used it for two hours at this point I am happy with my purchase so far. I really did get an excellent deal: $419.99 at my local Best Buy store for one that had been opened by someone else. Everything was intact and still had all of the shipping plastic all over it. After charging the battery for a bit everything seems to be working well. I figure that getting $80 off the retail price was worth the gamble of the open box, and I guess time will tell.

One of the first things I've noticed as I dip my toe into this whole new ocean is that I am remembering again what it is like to have to learn something new. I've never owned a tabled, and I don't know much about Android at all. Sure, I have a Gmail address and I know what the Google Play store is, but trying to figure out what an "S-Pen" is, how to use it is all new. Over the past few months I've warmed to the idea of buying this tablet as I have watched my friend & colleague, Dennis, learn to use his 10.1 Note. Dennis is a true early adopter, and he knew about this tablet prior to its arrival here in Canada. He bought one and has been learning how to use it. He has given it excellent reviews, and I trust his judgement.

So, I learned by following a good example. I also am learning through experimentation and guidance. My first hour with my new tablet was all on my own, at home. I plugged it in, charged the battery, but really didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know how to add or subtract apps or widgets, or even really understand the differences between the two. I still don't really, but I'm sure it will come. I managed to get the tablet to run, I changed the home screen, and then it was time for bed (while visions of settings menus danced through my head). My second hour with the tablet was with Dennis, and he gave me a guided tour, answering my questions and showing me how to gesture to make the keyboard split and how to make new notes with the cool stylus. My first hour was fun, and a little overwhelming. My second hour was fun and informative, and at the end I had a sense that I'd actually learned something.

Both Dennis and I are peer coaches here at Dakota, so during our session together we were both well aware of the new learning, the modeling, the direct instruction, and the demonstration in which we were engaged. And we were engaged. The hour flew by, and it was good. I think that sometimes I can forget just how daunting it can be to try something new. What if it doesn't work? What if I delete the wrong thing? How do I add stuff I want? Being thrown completely into the role of the learner reminded me of how helpless I can feel in that spot. Learners really need good teachers that they can trust.

My next step will be more learning on my own. I've found an official Samsung User's Manual that runs to 163 pages. I'll likely read the whole thing over the next few days. Hopefully I'll figure out how to use this new electronic companion. Hopefully I'll discover a number of ways that I can use it for home and for work. I read somewhere recently (sorry...PEW research? Not sure...) that 75% of the people who own tablets use them every day. I wonder if I'll fall into that majority. I likely will. That'll mean that I am changing again, both as a learner, and as a teacher too.