For Thursday, September 4, 1997 Gibbs, Drummer Column, 720 words

First this then anyhow

I have never missed a deadline in the 13 or so years that I've been writing this column. For those who missed it last Thursday and had to read it on Sunday, please know the it was an e-mail snafu in cyberspace that delayed publication. I sent the article on time.

I only bring this up because of the angst that formed in me years ago when television programs lost their time-slot stability. When I was a kid I could always count on "Candid Camera" airing on Sunday evenings. I knew the show times for "Bonanza," "Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour," "Ed Sullivan," "My Favorite Martian," and "Nat King Cole." They never changed. They were as reliable as dawn. They became part of my biological clock throughout my formative years.

Then market analysts began tracking viewer statistics and networks began moving shows around to capture peak tune-ins, or to ride the coattails of hits, or to compete head-to-head against favorite shows on other networks.

I lost faith in television when that happened, and my viewing habits fragmented. Now I just turn on the TV when I have time and surf to see what's on. I don't set my calendar to coincide with my favorite shows anymore. It's futile. "X-Files," "The Simpsons," and "Third Rock" are prime examples. They've all been pushed around.

Reliability is a virtue. I tell my students that. So, I'm sorry I wasn't there last week. I hope you got to read the column. It turned out to be one of my favorites. It's still bouncing around in my head. If you missed it, please visit my web site.

Anyhow, onward.

School's in. I'm happy. I'm ready. I have a good schedule, good students. I got administrative support for my computer-repair lab. I'm getting connected to the Internet. A certain Benician has donated more essential equipment. All the merchants who advertise in the school newspaper have paid their bills and seem happy with their service. My new lesson plans for the year are typed up. Judy Reavis and Drew are cool. Patty Wool is cool. We have a porch. I'm a mentor again.

This year a main mentor goal will be to teach teachers to use presentation software. We've been showing it to the kids in business and computer classes for years. It's time the teachers had a go at it.

I believe that digital presentation is the gateway to bring technology into every classroom. The age of pen and plastic presentation is fading.

By projecting a computer screen onto the classroom television or onto the whole white wall, teachers can design classy, colorful, animated slides to reinforce any lesson plan. Flip the switch, grab the remote mouse, click and teach. And they will never run out of transparency pages. They can use 50 or 500 if they want. And they won't need Dry Erase markers.

This summer I loaded all my vocabulary words into PowerPoint: First a bright yellow word pops up on the screen. "Who knows it?" (click) The definition in red drives in from the right and parks with a screech. Or (click) a blue clue flashes on the screen. Or (click) an animated sequence begins. I can insert movie clips, or my own video, or charts and graphs, or scanned student homework. I can voice over. I can even save the whole presentation to VHS, or upload it to a web site, or put it on a disk and take it to a computer that doesn't have PowerPoint.

One day I showed Ron West, my teacher buddy down the street, my illustrated computer-component presentation. He got psyched. He is also new at computing. He jotted down the few steps required for beginning PowerPoint on some Post-It notes and ran home. He told me later, "It was a breeze. I made some great stuff."

I also have HyperStudio and Harvard Presentation Graphics. There are plenty more out there.

Bring on the WASC.

My wife is a mentor this year, as well. Her project is to pull people away from their computer screens and their virtual realities, once in a while, and get them outside together to interact and socialize. She wants to revitalize clubs and rallies and teacher involvement outside the classroom. Bring on the PANTHERS!