Technology and Connections
Season 1- Episode #1
Welcome to Tick Tock Tech! In this episode, we are focusing on Technology and Connections and how technology can help and hinder personal connections.
In each episode, we will focus on a “fire” or a problem that educators and professionals may be struggling with. We will then focus on three options or tools for helping “put out the fire”.
This episode’s “fire” is too many virtual meetings and not enough connections.
Summary of Solutions:
Limit the length of virtual meetings
Lunch dates- in person or virtual
Share agendas before meetings and problem solve ahead of time
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Episode Resources
Transcript
In fact, research has found that our need for connection maybe as fundamental as our need for food and water
Welcome to the Tech Tech Tech podcast where we talk about all things education, tech and teacher happiness. Join your hosts Anna cliff and Cassie frost as they share simple ideas to guide you and bring meaning to your day to day experiences.
Alright, research has found their need for connection may be as fundamental as our need for food and water. What does this mean? We spend so many minutes in virtual meetings and we don't have enough human connection right now. So what can we do about this?
I am going to completely agree with that. I feel like I'm in virtual stuff all the time these days. So yeah, I mean, we're doing this virtually so. Yeah. Okay, so way we're gonna do this, sir. First episode, we're gonna do what three solutions? Yeah, that makes that that sounds good. I like that. Let's go with three we'll start three, we're gonna try to stick with three most Yeah, well, that works. We tend to have more opinions, but we're gonna try to stick to three. So okay, four solutions to too much tech time, too many virtual meetings too much virtual time with people, I think the most obvious one for solution number one is going to be limit the length of our virtual meeting times. So I mean, sitting in a meeting is already rough. If I don't know, maybe it's just me, but like sitting in a long meeting can already be hard. Sitting in a long virtual meeting is even more difficult.
I'm with you on that one, Cassie?
Yeah. And it's, I feel like it's easy. And maybe this will be another episode at some point. But I also feel like it's easier to be distracted during meetings during virtual meetings.
Oh, yeah. I mean, how many times have you put your camera and put your camera off? And, you know, maybe text an email or two, just to get through a long meeting that you're just as just there, right? Like, they're just get really long sometimes.
Yeah, maybe we should maybe I shouldn't like say that online, like recorded? Yeah. Yeah. I'm guilty. I think everybody is. So solution, one, limit the length of virtual meetings, look at that we already have a solution. Yes, I'm gonna say solution to to that one. Um, you know, it's fine ways to connect with people either face to face, and that could be like in person or virtual. So like, for example, through all of this, I have a friend that moved away, and we have virtual lunch dates. And now that's not because of any particular reason other than she just lives too far away to actually meet up. So I think remembering that our retrieval time doesn't necessarily have to be meeting time or professional time. It can also just be social time. So we schedule lunch dates, and we both get our lunch and we eat together and chat, just like we are at a coffee shop somewhere. It's not ideal, but it works. And it still gives me that like, connection time. And then I do still try to schedule in person lunch dates. So it just those short periods of time where you're really still face to face with someone without mute without your camera off without
Yeah. Yeah, that you make a great point, I spend time every week trying to make sure I get at least some time in the office to see my coworkers, my peers, not because I have to be in that space to work to get the same things done. But I just really value having that connection. And they say that that connection that you can have with people in even though you're doing it virtually just that human connection in person can can make it even more special and more important than how many times do we FaceTime with with family and friends. And that connection is so important to right. So just that value, human connection is so important in so many ways.
Well, and I think it's easy to forget the value of that face to face. Because you know, we've learned to do a lot by email. And I'm all about an email instead of a meeting. Like if it's not necessary, again, limit the length of virtual meetings, but like that face to face time just to get to know people and to connect with people. And I was reading an article somewhere. And if I find it, I'll link it to our website. But I read something recently about like, people coming back to the office and meeting people that they've never even met face to face before. And how much it's easier to have people like do favors for you or work with you on something when you actually know them. Absolutely.
Yeah, that you make a great point. Yes. And I think when you're talking about that limiting the length of those virtual meetings, there's so many ways we can start to do that. Like I love the idea of sending an email for a meeting instead of having an actual meeting. Same thing as like sharing agendas before meetings. Like, how great is it if you can be a little prepared, and people can comment in an agenda, add things to it that they have to talk about. And that way you're not going down the rabbit hole of information and ideas that don't aren't really, really like worth that time at that moment. Like, what are the things you need to get done and problem solve and get ready for those meetings and just be prepared, be more efficient. And I think we can get there if we if we do the right things to get ourselves ready for that. So
I think that can count as our third solution. I think like you just gave our third solution without even like, us having to think about it. How great was that? Like? We
hit three? No. There you go. Yes. Look at that.
Okay, so you came up with a fire? Have you no need for connection? We have three solutions. Yeah. Limit length of virtual meeting times. Lovers virtually or in person connect with people? Right. Wow. Yes. work in the office. And then you had the third, which was like, kind of prepare for meetings?
Yeah. Simple. Right. Connect, we don't do enough of
Yeah, connecting ways before the meeting, so that the meetings can be more efficient.
I mean, how great is Google nowadays to just put a comment on there and it notifies you Right? Like there's so many ways we can make it way more efficient.
You know, that could be also another episode. We're just going to keep coming up with them. Yes. Love it. I have coworkers, we get all of our work done pretty much with comments back and forth in a Google Doc. Because Yes. Which I mean, I guess this is probably a bad episode dimension. That instance, this is about personal connection. And I'm giving examples of how we don't personally connect.
But it's Yeah, but Cassie, I think it's really great because we talk about how we don't personally connect enough with people, right. But like, if people really knew the fact that you and I have actually never been in the same room, as people together before, and we've connected as professionals and just enjoy this back and forth, coming up with ideas and solutions to make ourselves and others happy. Like, that's the whole point of this podcast. So I just, I think we're going down that totally perfect example of you can still have great connections remotely, but it's just how you make those connections.
I think that's a really interesting point. But like, we didn't even realize I don't think that we hadn't ever actually physically met each other until like, 10 minutes before we started recording this episode. And then late Yeah, sorry. I don't even know you are sterile. You don't? Five, four? There we go. Five, six, I got you. Oh, there you go. So okay, we've got our fire, we've got some solutions. Let's talk a little bit about networking.
Oh, my gosh, I could talk about a million things for networking, right? Like you and I are a perfect example of networking with people in our own state or on communities. One of the groups that I really value and I think that you and I kind of got more connected with during the pandemic was probably 80 forward. So assistive technology forward, which is in the state of Wisconsin through the Department of Public Instruction. It's a grant funded program that's really supporting professionals, families, students, users of assistive technology, and connecting and sharing those resources together to be more active and promote technology across the state of Wisconsin. So that's just one example. Okay, do you have any other ones that you want to think about now? Or should we save them for the next time?
Well, I think we should save some. But I think if we're going to talk kind of networking in, you know, our podcasts here, kind of give some people ways to connect. So if you're in Wisconsin, you connect with at forward how?
Oh, yes. So you can go through the Department of Public construction websites. And there are lots of links to active meetings that are one to two one to two times a month. They're all the meetings are recorded. So they have access to the recorded meetings. There's also ways to earn micro credentialing to like even go out and learn how to become a better assistive technology professional, or even a parent of a child who may need some resources or support. So lots of ways to get involved. But start with the Department of Public Instruction website, and we'll link it at the bottom of our podcast notes as well. So you all have access to perfect
and you know, the other thing I was just thinking of as technically, this is a Wisconsin thing. But if somebody that wasn't in Wisconsin, like decided to sign up for a meeting, I don't think like anybody boot him out. So I mean, I guess I'll say, oh, people to connect in general. So. Okay, so I think this means we have successfully recorded our first episode, right? Yeah. So I think this is like where we come up with a closing. So we're going to try to keep these fairly short. You know, eight, 910, maybe 11 minutes just so it's something quick that you can listen to to get ideas. Again, some simple solutions for things that you can use every day. And that's where we're going to go with this. So with that being said, thank you for joining us for an episode of tic tac tech. You can find links to the information discussed in today's episode, along with the references on our website. And don't forget to like, subscribe and share this podcast so you don't miss any tips and tricks and so your fellow educators can join in this