Today [it was "today" when I started the post; now it's two days later] I completed the final pieces of the Google's Power Searching course. That is, class six and the final assessment. Here is the link to the previous class "recap". And here are the final random thoughts.
Random thought #1. "If the final class requires as much attention as the fifth, I'm in trouble." I'd been feeling rather groggy and having trouble focusing the past days, so I was really worried I wouldn't be able keep up with the more complex ideas. Fortunately, the sixth class was more like a sort of a graduation speech - less about the details and techniques and more about the attitude and courage to try it all out. The most important thought to take with me, long-term was: "you don't have to get it right the first time." I wish more educators would grasp and pass on that simple yet profound idea more often.
Random thought #2. "That's our street! Wow, you can even see the dog turds under the hedge!" This class was tapping into the Street View more than once. That immediately activated the knowledge that our town had recently launched Street View as well. So, I spent the better part of the day ogling the neighbourhoods I know from the screen (instead of going outside) and spamming the view links to other people.
Random thought #3. "Pay attention to what the question is!" I fell for it again. The activity to locate the restaurant by the hotel was easy enough but its sign was quite littered with text. After trying at least the third version of its name, I read the question again - "what kind of restaurant" ... Oh. This made me a bit worried but in effect also more alert about the assessment.
Random thought #4. "Incognito comes handy." A few days ago I'd done some not-class-related searching and found I didn't know how to get rid of personalized results. Logging out worked, of course, but I needed to be working in the docs with those very results. (And I also secretly hate logging out from my stuff when I'm in the middle of things. It's a lazy-thing I suppose.) It only struck me a day later (or maybe in my sleep) that the Incognito function is perfect for this situation. Later, watching the Hangout video, I was thrilled to hear them discuss exactly that - and especially thrilled to hear they were recommending Incognito too. (It's a vanity-thing I suppose.)
Random thought #5. "I wish i could put off the the course for a bit and take the assessment in a few days." After the last class I'd grown even more groggy and unfocused. I thought I'd squeeze in a nap and check out the assessment after that. But while watching the second "hangout" video, I figured I could sloooooowly check out the questions in another window at the same time. I noticed a few questions I knew for sure in the process and sloooooowly checked them, then watched some more of the hangout. I also noticed the picture question that required my unofficial new favourite technique - so I slooooowly downloaded the picture. At some point I noticed that between the video bits, I had slooooowly marked most of the answers already, so I decided to make an effort to focus and complete the rest of the questions as well. I fully expected to get a few wrong the first time because of misreading something or getting the idea of the question wrong... but I didn't! I actually got it all the first time - yay! This joy might originate from all the wrong places, but I'll take it nevertheless :D
Random thought #6. "One day I would like to speak about my expertise this way". Of course, first I need to build that expertise.
Incidentally, one day, I would also like to speak of my work/ my medium/ my world in TED (or equivalent) like this:
(I wanted to spam that video with the same idea as a stand-alone tidbit some other day, but it seems fitting right now. Also - serves as the pretty picture.)
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