Philsophy

Course Philosophy

1. Learners want to use technology more than learn about it - but everyone has to learn at least a bit of how things work.

2. The way that you learn something best may be the most confusing way to your neighbor.

3. There are multiple ways to do everything.

4. I don't know everything.

5. People develop very personal relationships with technology. This is probably the most important thing I have learned.

What makes computers difficult?

1. Their results are conceptual and abstract. Whatever you are doing, it's still just dots on a screen.

2. Their controls are indirect and cumbersome. You can't manipulate the processor except by a combination of keyboard and mouse controls, and feedback from a screen. It's like using a fork suspended from a string.

3. They offer more potential than other devices, with more conditions. Telephones are limited to one function, but they're easy to learn. Computers have numerous functions - and are more difficult to learn.

4. There are at least five sets of variables involved in using software and the Internet

a. Computer stuff - how to operate a mouse, how to type a colon
b. Windows stuff - how to double-click, how to save files
c. Software/Browser stuff - where and how to type in addresses, how to move forward and back
d. Data/HTML stuff - how to manipulate a form, how to set focus on framed pages
e. Information creator/Site designer stuff - what I expect you to do when you visit pages I wrote

Any of these can prevent a user from attaining his/her goal.

Introduction
to the
Internet