As I move further through my degree, I keep finding certain shortcomings that bother me like a small cut doused in lemon juice. These aren’t social, educational or grade faults but one that I feel may be even worse, feeling behind the pack with regards to interacting with technology.
Recently, I have been working on the post-production of a documentary I shot last year. The pre-production/acquisition phases were no problem at all, with the help of a few DSLR forums, I was on my way. However, this third step has proven to be the most challenging aspect of the entire project. I blame this on my “tech-tarded” mind. Ideas that most in my field know–i.e. file sizes, codecs, general jargon, etc.–have completely passed me by in my 16 years of education. The learning curve for me is steep and sometimes seemingly unmanageable. I’m an outcast in this tech-savvy world, my mind on a lag that is only recently being caught up.
I wouldn’t say I’m unable to learn however, through forums and YouTube, one has access to an endless supply of knowledge–as long as you can search using proper keywords. Maybe this is the beginning of the end for traditional platforms of education. Perhaps one day, going to University will never require a university at all but just the infinite knowing that exists on the World Wide Web. It seems this future would fit seamlessly with Berners-Lee’s vision of what the web could be, a forum with no ownership growing exponentially with no barriers holding it back. In our rapidly advancing society, it’s important to realize, this day isn’t too far off.