The hunchbacks of computer alley

Being one of the people who help course creators has its advantages – I get to preview the material that goes into a course. Bonus! One of our recent additions to the eBrainz clutch of courses has been Jane’s course on pain-free computing. You might think that’s not for you because you don’t sit at a computer long enough to risk a problem. Think again. Jane actually challenges you to keep a diary of how long you are actually at the computer researching topics of interest, answering email, chatting on Skype, updating your Facebook page or browsing YouTube. Just try it for a week, and I think you’ll be amazed at how much time you and the screen come face-to-face.

Jane’s course material actually prompted me to go looking for a reminder program that will demand I take a break. I get so engrossed, often with my shoulders tense as I work towards a deadline, that hours can go past. At the end of the day I’m tired and sore.

Well I found two options. I’m currently using one from Scirocco called Take a Break. If you want to try this free program go here. The program can be set to vary the time you work between breaks and the time you are encouraged to move away from the computer. You can reset it or turn it off whenever you want (though that’s cheating). There is also another free one to try called Eyes Relax.

So those wee programs take of getting you to stop working – now you have to do something to ease the muscle tension.  That’s when you try out the exercises Jane recommends to stop those sore shoulders or aching backs ... or simply shortcut the whole process and take her course in keeping you computing healthy!

While you’re there on the net on the respected Cnet site look up some of the free software on this software programs page – like free anti-virus software for Avast and AVG. They are two programs I have used and both are tops for ease of use and reliability. TIP: Don’t try installing anti-virus software if you already have one installed. Uninstall the first version before installing the second. At best you’ll slow up your computer majorly, at worst they will both not work properly.

Happy course creation

From the Team at eBrainz

www.ebrainz.net.nz

learning@ebrainz.net.nz

It's someone else's responsibility

Those of you who have heard the story of eBrainz will recall that it was born out of the withdrawal of New Zealand government funding for community classes. Others may not know the story so I tell it again.

Now I have a profound belief that community classes help to weave the fabric of society. People who know how, guide people who want to know to a state of knowing. Along the way new relationships are formed, success is generated and community is created. Sharing and growing knowledge is part of the glue that binds us into a community and the process helps form the networks that keep people aware of their inclusion in the scheme of things.

Many sociologists have tried to define theories of societal inclusion or exclusion and predict how this will impact on personal behaviour. The one I remember most clearly was Durkheim’s definition of anomie. This is when there is a breakdown of social norms and where norms no longer control the activities of members of society. It happens when large numbers of people feel disassociated or disconnected from any sense of community. Basically Durkheim predicted that anomie would lead to the breakdown of society.

Now I’m not going to even suggest that such a state could come about in New Zealand or most countries in the Western world. What I do propose is that anything that starts to unravel the connections within a community will have an impact on the feelings of connectedness of people to their communities. So the news of the discontinuation of funding for community classes (mainly night classes) seemed to me as the start of another unravelling thread.

“The government should do something about this,” was my first response, followed by: “I can’t make the government change its mind.”

Almost simultaneously I had another thought: “What can I do about it?”

It was some months before I received an out of the ether thought that I could do something. And that’s how eBrainz was born.

Now I am passing on the mantle, the torch, or whatever metaphor you can think of, to the skilled and knowledgeable in our society to start building on this network of learning and sharing. I want course creators to give substance to eBrainz and share their knowledge and share the story of eBrainz so that the site is able to recreate feelings of connectedness.
 

Heather

Happy course creation

From the Team at eBrainz

www.ebrainz.net.nz

learning@ebrainz.net.nz

Phone 64-3-525-7073

Phone 64-3-337-0234