I’ve finally taken the plunge and installed Ubuntu on my kids’ computer.  Despite playing with various Linux distros on my netbook, this as my first experience with native (i.e. not netbook remixed) Ubuntu.  I have read many posts and listened to many podcasts that inform Ubuntu is quite a simple system to operate, but I was not expecting how simple.  The user interface is clean and easily navigable, and the computer in question (a 5 year old Pentium 4) hums like a brand new car,  Boot up is amazingly quick despite the limited amount of RAM on board.

First item installed after the standard Ubuntu 9.04 install was the GCompris pack -  a great set of games for younger people.  Then I chased down TuxMath, TuxType and TuxPaint.  If you have not experienced these programs then I can only encourage you to give them a try (on a linux OS of course) .  TuxPaint does work under Windows.

What was most exciting to see was how quickly Mr 5yo could navigate the interface.  As a beginning reader he can certainly recognise icons and familiar words so launching programs such as FireFox are simple.

So now the next challenge of teaching both boys how to use a computer effectively, and for more than gaming.

Welcome to the first post of a fresh start, using an old feed:)  I still haven’t thought of a suitable name yet so the Journey remains for now.

I’ve blogged before about personal productivity, and the frameworks and theories I tend to follow to try and organise my seemingly increasingly insanely busy life.  Well I’ve come across a great little utilisation of one of my favourite programs to enable and enhance effectiveness, and after a 5 week run it seems to be working a treat.  The system I am using is loosely based on GTD (Getting Things Done) which was originally made popular through the publications of David Allen.  His books are a good read, as are the many blogs that explore the concept of GTD.

The key concept I am following is that of “Next Actions.”  This simply identifies the tasks I should be focusing on as a priority.

The program I am using with this concept is Evernote.  I’ve blogged about Evernote before, tweeted about it, even podcasted about it.  Its an essential element of my toolkit.  Within Evernote I have created 2 top level notebooks.  These notebooks are titled;

• 0_next actions
• 0_to do

The “0″ ensures that the notebooks will always be situated at the top of the list of all notebooks, and therefore easily accessible.  The “0_to do” notebooks contains notes for all the projects and roles I am responsible for.  In these notes is a list of the tasks I need to complete relevant to this role or project.  The key though is the “0_next actions” notebook.  I transfer tasks from the “0_to do” notebook into the “0_next actions” notebook, only one task from a list at a time.  This means each role or project has its next action in the “0_next action” notebook.  When I get to work, I open that notebook and work through the tasks.  This rule of one only is not strict, and at times I will overpopulate from specific roles or projects depending on timeline pressures.  However, the maximum  number of tasks in the “0_next actions” notebook is not to exceed the number of notes in “0_to do.”

As a task is completed, it is deleted from the list.  At the end of each day, incoming tasks are processed into the appropriate note within “0_to do,” and a selection of tasks moved to the “0_next actions” notebook.

This is currently working for me.  As long as I commit to the process, organisation is enabled.

Lately I have been feeling stressed and unaccomplished due to a lack of attention to my online existence, especially my contribution to the spaces I choose to utilise.  I believe that these feelings are partially due to me spreading my contributions out across a range of contextual postings, hence the other ShaneTechTeach spaces linked in the top left corner of the blog site.  This has been leading to hesitation with posts as the concepts I want to publish cross the boundaries of my personal online contexts and I don’t want to contribute to digital waste by cross posting in my own spaces.

So I need to consolidate.  At least I think if I can consolidate then I will contribute more regularly than I have been recently.  As this blog is the most read of my spaces, it is the one that will remain.  So if you are subscribed to this, you need to do nothing.  You will notice a change in title.   What to, that I am not sure of yet.  You will also notice a definite change in postings, as contexts and issues will vary from that of digital pedagogy.  Digital pedagogy will remain, it just won’t be the sole focus.

I hope this consolidation will enable me to feel less stressed and busy, and enable the flow of all the madness bouncing around in my head onto this space where it aids me to solve the problems I encounter.