seasons of change

i have been neglecting my multiply site. made a couple of entries on my new blogspot and while it's quicker to write cos i just ramble on without using a structure, i find it less user-friendly than multiply. (perhaps i'm too used to multiply's features, having used it for 2 years) and as my faithful readers know, i am rather particular about my blog entries which i tend to craft based on a theme of sorts.

i had been wondering how i could integrate my multiply and this blogspot. didn't really want to delete my new blogspot or abandon my multiply one. typical human nature: i want to have the cake and eat it. and yesterday, i suddenly discovered that i can actually import my new blog into multiply! (have already done so) amazing stuff. now i don't have to choose between my trusty old multiply and the zesty new blogspot!

this tiny episode may seem insignificant and i can almost hear the hub sighing that i've wasted too much energy in trying to solve a non-issue. but it did set me thinking about my attitude towards the little things in life that matter a whole lot to me. when people tend to be too settled into their routine, they get too complacent. naturally, if the routine is upset or needs to be replaced, they baulk at the inconvenience to start from scratch.

things HAVE changed for me quite a bit over the last few months. and today, the point shot me squarely between my ears: i can't always rest on my laurels and at some stages in life i'll have to get off my butt and try out something new or i'll be outmoded. it's not just keeping up with the jones and getting the latest hi-tech gadgets or updating the wardrobe every month. physical changes aside, it's also crucial to be adaptive towards various situations and scenarios, especially in the corporate world where the fickle bigwigs rule the roost.

i've been going on and on and on and on about my THEC assignment and my PBL experience in my last few entries. and realisation hit me that ever since i've joined the polytechnic, my learning curve has inclined towards a steep, elevated slope. besides adapting to a new environment, i've to embrace new teaching and assessment methods. this term i've started teaching a new module which also incorporates an online component using discussions and postings to communicate with my students. while i daren’t profess to be the most technologically savvy lecturer on this planet (of course i'm not), i rather enjoy the refreshing way of facilitating online classes and look forward to deploying technologies to enhance my teaching.

even though i've been facilitating online classes since 2001, this experience seems quite different. careful thought has been given to the development of the curriculum / online materials and creation of an appropriate learning environment – unlike an ensemble of haphazard ‘cut-paste’ documents and equally hasty schedules i was used to.

in my humble opinion, the most difficult change is that of one's attitude and mentality. our beliefs are shaped by observations, experiences, and sometimes misguided perceptions. it's always easier to blame others for not appreciating or understanding our problems. and it's almost impossible for many of us to accept the ego-bruising reality that we are, for the lack of a better word, inadequate. which, of course, reminds us of our vulnerability and mortality. if that's the case, then when we're stripped bare to the bones, the ability to change and adapt is our suit of armour which will shield us from the cruel blows of reality.

many of my fellow gen-xers, including myself, still resist change. we cling on to whatever's left of the old-school mentality, and we are puzzled and piqued by the new generation's philosophy. we shudder at what's to become of the world when these kids grow up to take over the reigns. the blogging phenomena is just a tip of the iceberg. the new-fangled media i.e. the internet has upstaged traditional communication channels. just take a quick look at how the world wide web has influenced war and politics. i'm struggling to keep pace with the hyper-speed technologically advancements (and i take it upon myself to do so since i'm dealing with youths) and familiarise myself with the gen-y lingo (so that i can understand the kids better).

whoever said teaching is easy doesn't understand what it takes to be an effective educator. it's not just about imparting knowledge and hoping that the students are sponges and learn via osmosis. i know of many people, teachers included, who believe students should "be seen, not heard". but that's precisely my point: such students don't exist anymore. how can they NOT change when the global landscape has morphed so dramatically over the turn of the century?

change is inevitable and as much as we detest clambering out of our comfort zone, there are some situations in which we may have no choice but to take a giant leap forward. for all you know, it could very well start with the little things which may mean nothing much.

do ponder over this for a bit, won't you?

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” - Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882)