The Art of Teaching

Our company, High Concept Design & Media Services is the only Corel Training Partner in western Canada and a continuing education provider for the Architectural Institute of British Columbia.

What does that mean?

It means we position ourselves to provide technology training to our clients on the products that we specialize in using every day. It also means that we spend even more time taking training and applying that knowledge in on a daily basis.

Teaching can be difficult, no question, but it can be just as tough to be a student in a challenging classroom environment.

Everyone has their own favourite approach. I believe in a simple formula for assessing the value of training: a 20/30/50 ratio. At the end of the course, I would like to see the total time allocated as follows:

20% Telling
30% Showing
50% Doing

The instructor definitely has experience and information to impart to the students, but in my opinion nobody can learn a lot by being talked at. Knowledge is generally imparted by modeling/emulating; hence the need to show, but the real knowledge is learned by doing in an environment where it is safe, where there is someone to bail you out.

We learn from classes, online and DVD training, experimentation and even from our clients. The thing to remember when it comes to learning software, especially when you have used previous versions is that likely it still works the way you have done it before, but that does not necessarily mean it is the best practice.

Software companies invest millions of dollars on Research and Development – polling existing clients for most requested features, increasing efficiency and adding to ease of use. I often am left shaking my head when someone uses the new version of software and remarks that it is the same as when they last used it – because they can’t be bothered to investigate the power of the new tools and start applying them to their workflow.

No matter how you learn, investigate user groups, tutorials, online training or sign up for a course. You will likely realize there are powerful capabilities in the software you currently use and tasks you do every day that could unnecessarily be costing you hours.

A couple of online resources I recommend are www.lynda.com and VTC Online. They are both inexpensive and support a huge library of courses. Check out the free chapters they offer on all their courses – you could be smarter than you think you are.

Super Mario Bath Bombs

I love baths.

Honestly, I can't get enough of them. It's very relaxing to light some candles, drop some scented oils into the steaming hot water, and step into 30 minutes of tranquility.

I'd have to say the furthest thing from my mini-vacation would be getting Mario stuck up my butt. I appreciate bath bombs and I love video games and toy miniatures. But why did someone combine these two? If there is going to be another man in the tub with me, it will be my husband thank you, not Mario and his gang.

Here is the link to purchase if someone out there is fond of bathing with Mario. I wish the two of you luck. I, however, will be passing this bath up...a rarity for me.

Confessions of a Technology Junkie

I have to admit that I am a technology junkie – I love it. In my view, computers, software and electronics do things that even 50 years ago would have been considered magic.

I love finding software that does things better than I do it today, or solutions that save me time in my daily tasks or help me better communicate with my colleagues and clients.

Technology is also fun – networked PC games like Guild Wars, Call of Duty, Battlefield, etc. One of my favourite ways to blow off steam is to sit in front of my NHL 08 on my 360 and get schooled by some 12 year old half a world away.

Well, finally, I am leveraging my addiction to technology – for good (your benefit) rather than evil (blowing off an evening in front of Raving Rabbids).

High Concept Design & Media Services is hosting our first technology summit: On the Same Page (In a Paperless World)

www.events.highconceptmedia.com

This event will have a handful of guests and will showcase a number of technologies that are available today to help companies to communicate with their clients and colleagues in a more effective manner that they do today.

Topics highlighted will include note-taking and organizing tools, tools for creating traditional art in a digital age, online project management and communication, online meetings and conferencing, representing CAD design in a model environment, 2D and 3D designs to win more business and the efficiency of using digital standards and deliverables.

What we hope to do is showcase a number of products from a number of manufacturers to help architects and engineers to make informed decision about the solutions they can incorporate into their organization to make their lives easier.

At the end of the day, technology is supposed to make your life easier not make you swear at your computer like a drunken sailor.

If you are interested in attending take a look and register – we can show you what all this new fangled technology does and even help you create a plan to integrate it into your workflow.

Katie's Movie Review - February 2008

I've been fighting off bronchitis for the last couple of weeks and all of these movies were watched during my suffering. This does not mean I wasn't paying attention but it does mean I had a lot more patience. If you find that I am way off base with any of these reviews; now you understand why.

Otherwise, I stand firm in my opinions below and hope you will find them helpful. If not, you can at least mock me silently and reap some enjoyment from your time spent here.

How to Eat Fried Worms (2006)

During the first day of his new school year, a fifth grade boy squares off against a bully and winds up accepting a dare that could change the balance of power within the class.

RECOMMEND (FOR KIDS)

Some movies designed for kids can be just as enjoyable for adults as well - this wasn't one of them. It's a classic story from a book I loved as a kid, but as an adult it just didn't hold up. The characters were delightful on screen and the relationships were well thought out but the humor was, well childish.

The Reaping (2007)

A former Christian missionary, who specializes in debunking religious phenomena, investigates a small town which seems to be suffering from the 10 biblical plagues.

RECOMMEND

I expected this movie to suck, but it pleasantly surprised me. The characters were enjoyable to watch, the plot kept moving forward at a nice pace and the scenery was engaging. I liked that they created a simple nightmarish backstory for Swank's character but didn't harp on it throughout the movie.

Eastern Promises (2007)

The film follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai , who is tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is jarred when he crosses paths with Anna, an innocent midwife trying to right a wrong, who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. Now Nikolai must put into motion a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution.

RECOMMEND

I was unsure going into this movie because I'm not a big fan of 'mob movies' or anything too dramatic. Regardless, I was quickly won over. Nikolai as a character was compelling, but a bit easy to figure out early on. The movie is intense in a very quietly creeping way. The one exception is an explosive fight scene that takes place in a steam room (by a fully nude Viggo Mortensen might I add). Definitely worth the rental price.

The Nines (2007)

A troubled actor, a television show runner, and an acclaimed videogame designer find their lives intertwining in mysterious and unsettling ways.

NOT RECOMMEND

It is with a sad heart that I don't recommend this movie. I REALLY wanted to like this movie. I tried to find a way to recommend it, but I just can't. The horrible thing is that I don't know why. The acting was outstanding, especially Melissa McCarthy and Ryan Reynolds. The ending was satisfactory as well. This movie just didn't spin me like I expected it would I guess. It felt like there was a lot of time spent on characters just to prove a point at the ending. I liked the premise and they did have a story there, but it just fell a bit flat.

Kickin It Old Skool (2007)

A young breakdancer hits his head during a talent show and slips into a coma for twenty years. Waking up in 2006, he looks to revive his and his team's career with the help of his girlfriend and his parents.

STAY AWAY
Yup, I got mine. At the movie store I picked up the DVD case and laughed at it in mockery. Then I saw a trailer come on the movie channel and said, "Hmm, maybe I should give it a shot." I'm glad I didn't pay for this movie - that's at least something. I am very disappointed because I love Jamie Kennedy and Michael Rosenbaum. Even with them in it, this movie was a trainwreck. The script was horrible, the jokes were ridiculously flat, and it shoved good actors into a level below "camp." A positive thing? You'll see some good dancing but not until the end of the movie. Unfortunately anyone that doesn't have the patience of a rock won't make it that far.

Katie's Movie Review - January 2008

Perspective - What Do You See?

Here are two beautiful examples of how perspective can change everything.

Two epic movies edited to tell a different story. The first one, Shining, was done flawlessly. The second, Must Love Jaws, has slightly chopped editing and a forced soundtrack but is still very well done.

Enjoy and happy Monday.

Shining




Must Love Jaws

WARNING! Blood, gore, and general shark-yness will ensue

Experiences and Life Challenges

We define who we are. Our lives change in a split second, constantly rotating around the choices we make daily. These stories and life experiences should be shared with one another. In that effort, here is a simple little story of one of my personal acheivements.

Let's call it "Going Against The Grain"

I was up for a job. It wasn't awesome and I had a perfectly good job, but I desparately wanted a change. The trouble was that I was transitioning from a computer/tech job to a more 'personable' job. Anyway, I was everything they were looking for EXCEPT they had doubts I wouldn't be 'enthusiastic' enough coming from a technical background. Hmmm...okay. I was scheduled for a second interview anyway - they wanted to talk to me again and see if they felt a bit different.

Being me, I took it as a personal insult. Me? Not personable? Well, of course I knew that I wasn't bubbly or 'flaky' but I didn't think I was terribly unapproachable. I turned that insult into a challenge. They'll end up stuffing that comment before the end of my second interview. Maybe I was insane. Regardless, I crossed a personal boundary and it was terrifying, but a very healthy thing to do.

What did I do? Well, I rented a full dog costume and performed a choreographed dance number. They didn't know it was me until I took off the head. I landed the job that moment. Insane, but really effective. Which is saying a lot because I can't dance to save my life.

Moral: Break your boundaries. Challenge yourself. Convert obstacles into opportunities.

Epilogue: That job sucked. Like really sucked. Integrity? Non-existent, which meant I didn't stay long. Do I regret the costume dancing? Nope, I have an awesome story. And pictures.

KATIE THE "DANCING DOG"