Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Mike and I with members of the University of Indiana team

1 comment:

  1. It is good hearing from you Corey. I am pleased that you have gotten off to a good start. If you think that you are encountering a reluctance to accept new technology, you should have been around when we first brought computers to OMSA! I had one secretary who said she would not use them because "computers" were not in her job description. For the first few years all our computers were on mobile carts; we did not have enough for each staff person so we moved them around for use. They were also on carts because you could not keep a computer if you did not use it!

    Reluctance to adopt new things, whether moving to a new neighborhood, changing schools, or adopting new technology, is human nature. We fear that which we do not understand, or feel threatened by. It does not matter where you are, or who you are. I think taking time to explain is important, and allowing local people to assume as much input and responbility as possible is crucial. You must not simply teach local people to operate the XOs while you are there; you must also prepare them to do so effectively after you are gone. This whole idea of self-sufficiency is a most difficult thing to accomplish. Things should not "fall off the table" after you and your team have left. Don't get frustrated, or impatient; try not to be judgmental. They will learn from you; with an open mind you might be surprised what you might learn from them. I am sure they have seen "experts" come and go, so work within the local time frame, as much as possible. I am anxious to read more about the work you and your team are doing. It is a unique and very worthwhile project that I am sure will be successful. You should be proud.

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