To CSS or NOT to CSS...

 To CSS or Not to CSS...  

I wish it were the question, but it’s not. Have you ever had something that you REALLY didn’t want to do? Eat the frog and all of that? Well, CSS has topped my list after hours of struggling and googling, and YouTubing and LInked In Learning... Progress, however small, is still progress. Last week at this point, all I wanted to do was to turn my page blue. My son hears me talking to myself and asking me why I’m so insistent that the computer be blue. Luckily, he missed the *colorful* comments moments before.  


As I struggle with CSS, my love for learning is also renewed. Having been out of the classroom as a teacher for a long time, and having kids that are a bit older and not in the stages of daily discovery as when they were toddlers, I forgot how much fun it is to learn. Even in my frustration and desire to throw my laptop, the HUGE amount of success I feel when one tiny thing goes my way reminds me WHY adults choose to continue to learn, and why I’m invested in that process. The endorphins aren’t bad either.  


This week in my professional work, I’m getting to the point in my training that I will use my training module. I’m referencing it to my trainee vaguely, and it’s confirming not only the need for it, but also that my objectives and plans are still spot on – I'm really excited about the final product that my trainees will have once it is complete as they are really designing a “real world” tool throughout the process that will allow them to have a fall back option for when things get slowly.  


I’m working on my Pebble in the Pond model and the concept of looking at problems from simple to complex is helpful to me and to my learners. I’m challenged by thinking that ALL problems are enormous, but by really focusing on what I want the LEARNER to experience as he or she looks at the problems (and what problems maybe AREN’T as difficult as they may seem in early stages of problem solving.) It's a really unique way to look at designing instruction, and I think that adding it to my checklist when developing activities will make my ID better long term.  


One thing I’m struggling with is the time frame for the module. I may have to cut some pieces as the ideas that I have would take place over several days and I think that this is too much for what we’re looking at – I'm wondering if I should reduce my overall plan and narrow in on the higher levels information while still keeping my module focused on the higher order skills from Bloom.  


I’m going to spend some time wrestling with the templates and if I can find a way to make it work, I will try to keep the entire vision intact as I think that it will ultimately benefit my trainees, and that’s really the point.  

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