45 minutes this morning on the line to India to discuss the corrupted file that was preventing me from opening my e-mail and the day went into the Internet  toilet from there.

 So many frustrations with links and BAD passwords (in RED, on the Bubbl.us login. BAD PASSWORD!!!!! FOR SHAME.  Not mine - on the Blackboard course link But took about two hours to get sorted out with Sheri.) )  Around 10.00a.m. I blogged  that I was getting into Collaboration Tools - it is now 6.44 and I still haven't finished the tasks for 3.8 (Collaborations tools.)  3.8, but the handouts say 3.9.  Handout says "Add at least two nodes..", but the Bubbl.us site says "Add one idea..." What's a girl to do???....glitches, inaccuracies, confusions,  a ton of new concepts and tools and ideas to absorb....I could scream.

I was getting dispirited and angry and then I opened a link (still in 3.8)  that said "Social Bookmarking" and it was about "Social Networking" and the absurdity of expecting perfection and instant response and that things would work on the computer hit me and I started laughing - which is where I am now.

All I can think about is that if the experts who have been dong this for years can't get it all right - what am I going to do?  I am rather enjoying being in the position of student and experiencing these frustrations - as I foresee  how I am going to feel when the small small issues become critical and my frustrated students are the ones sending me multiple whining e-mails....

So, OK, that's it!!  I am gong to be very careful about promoting computer use in our ESL environment.  If I do use it - it will be at the simplest level - and at the slowest pace - and I am again taking pressure off myself that this is what I HAVE to do.  I don't have to do anything.

Today was another eyeopener as I read about concept mapping, and simultaneous editing, and bookmarking - social and otherwise...
Here's my introductory paragraph to TASK THREE of 3.8..  I think it is funny....(but a bit sad...)

"How did I record or save web addresses until about five days ago? Hahahahaha! I saved them in Open Office “Bookmarks” or “Favourites” when I used Internet Explorer. Once or twice I trolled all the way up and down a list looking for “Great Crab Cake Recipes” or “How to Fix the Toilet”. For the most part they skulked behind the button.. and then they drifted off into the etherworld."