PSI Tutor:Mentor

Student Life

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What do you do when you’re not part of the generation who grew up with computers and the internet and which obsessively embraces each new breakthrough technological development as it comes along? These days everybody is expected to be digital savvy. You might be older, and probably wiser, than the teens and twenty-somethings running around campus, but there’s no denying that being digital natives gives them an advantage.

You, on the other hand, are a digital migrant. Computers came along and suddenly it seemed like the whole world changed overnight. The Internet arrived and now there’s no going back. The world of digital technology is like a completely different planet at times, yet somehow you’re expected to find your way around and make sense of it.

There’s no way around it - migrating is your only option. But the fact you’ve accepted that shows considerable courage in itself, so take a moment to congratulate yourself because many people never make it that far. I’m sure you know some of them.

The good news is becoming a digital migrant doesn’t have to be a terrifying ordeal. Moving to an entirely new country is always challenging, but it can also be an adventure. And if you have people to help you settle in and show you round, it can even be fun!

Getting a Computer

If you haven’t bought a computer yet, or you’re in the market for a new one, do yourself a favour and get an Apple Mac. There’s a battle between geeks that’s been raging for a long time over which type of computer is best, but let the geeks worry about that. All that matters is you have the computer that’s best for you. In my 8 years of tutoring people on computers, I’ve yet to meet a digital migrant who isn’t better off with a Mac.

An Apple Mac is far easier for a newcomer to get to grips with, is far more intuitive to use, is much more secure and free from viruses and also comes with an impressive swag of great software. Perhaps most importantly, Mac users love helping each other out, so you’ll have plenty of support and encouragement if you know where to look.

Many places that sell Macs offer some sort of introductory training or can recommend someone who does. If you’re lucky enough to live near one of Apple’s impressive retail stores (http://www.apple.com/au/retail/), you’ll have access to everything you need, including free training and workshops every day, free one-on-one appointments with a Genius who will help you get things set up just the way you want and transfer files from your old computer. You can also make free appointments with a Creative who will help you with the technical aspects of working on your assignments or whatever project you happen to be doing.

All this sounds like a huge plug for Apple, and it is, but only because in my opinion Apple is by far the best option for a digital migrant. In many cases you’ll be able to get a special deal for being a student too, so don’t forget to ask about an education discount.

Getting Internet Access

You’ll find you end up spending a significant amount of time on the internet, if you don’t already. It’s easy to find internet access at libraries and most universities have wireless internet access on campus. Make sure you have a suitable internet connection at home too, preferably from anyone but Telstra, who will rip you off unashamedly. There’s hundreds of internet providers around and I don’t have any particular recommendations, but ask a friend or visit the Whirlpool site (http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/), where if you type in your phone number and answer a few questions, you’ll get some excellent suggestions. You may also want to talk to some of the mobile phone companies about mobile broadband, which lets you get on the internet anywhere you can get a good mobile signal, even in the back of a moving car or train.

Where to go

If you’ve got a computer and internet access, you’re the equivalent of the traveller who’s just stepped off the plane with their luggage. Now what? Here’s a short list of just some of the software and websites you might want to investigate.

Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page)

The free online encyclopedia that’s written by the community. Theoretically, anyone can write whatever they want on Wikipedia, but it’s surprising how accurate and up-to-date it usually is. Nevertheless, don’t reference it too much. Use it as the first place to go, not the last word on anything.

Gmail (http://gmail.com)

Consider using Google’s free Gmail service as your email address. It’s easy to use and isn’t stuffed full of ads, you can access it from anywhere and you won’t lose the address if you change internet providers or leave Uni. Plus you can also use it to have live conversations by text and/or video with fellow Gmail users.

Google Docs (http://docs.google.com)

Before you go plonk down all that money on buying Microsoft Office, be aware that Google’s suite of office apps is free. Not only that, but it’s based on the internet and works with your Gmail account so you can access your work anywhere. You can collaborate with others on projects which is fantastic for group work and all your work is compatible with Microsoft Office formats.

Facebook (http://facebook.com)

It might seem strange or pointless at first, but social networking facilities like Facebook are one of the most important forces on the internet. The ability to connect quickly and easily with friends and colleagues to share information, keep in touch, organise events or just have a laugh is powerful and addictive. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a little while to build a great network of friends, it’s well worth it in the end. Like all the best things in life and on the internet, Facebook is free.

Twitter (http://twitter.com)

Also free, Twitter takes many people a while to wrap their head around at first, but is an incredibly useful tool once you get the hang of it. It’s essentially like a huge, crowded cocktail bar where you can drift in and out of any conversation you feel like. Use it to make friends, ask questions of real people, get feedback or share ideas.

iTunes (http://www.apple.com/itunes/overview)

Not just a great piece of software for managing your music, Apple’s iTunes is also home to the massive online Podcast Directory. A podcast is the digital cousin of a TV or radio show, but which you can download to listen or watch whenever you like. Podcasts are almost always free, and the podcast directory is a fantastic resource for students to find out more about just about any topic you can think of. Be sure to check out iTunes U, where you can download full lectures from universities all around the world. And yes, they’re free too.

iPod (http://www.apple.com/ipod)

The iPod isn’t free, but it’s almost a must-have if you’re going to embrace the digital lifestyle. There are other brands out there, but the iPod is designed to work neatly with iTunes, making it easy to take your music, photos, podcasts and files with you wherever you go. If you go for the iPod Touch or even the iPhone, you’ll take the experience even further by making it easy to access the internet and everything you need all from one portable device.

Feed Reader (http://reader.google.com)

In case you haven’t noticed yet, the internet makes it easy and fun to consume huge amounts on information on a daily basis. Once you start discovering your new favourite blogs, online magazines and other resources, you’ll want a way to keep it all organised. A feed reader keeps track of your favourite websites and lets you know when they are updated. That means you can keep up with new information as it happens and quickly flick through to make sure you’re not missing anything important. Most feed readers are free, and Google Reader is one of the most popular.

Good luck and have fun

If you take the time to explore the things I mentioned in the list above, even if you’re new to computers and timid about technology, it’ll be hard not to find something that captures your interest and imagination. Technology is exciting and opens new worlds of possibility. There’s a lot to learn, but we’re all learning all the time. It doesn’t have to be scary, you just need to find a few friends to help you when you get stuck. And the more friends you make, the better the experience gets.

Don’t forget to take a breath every now and then too. With the constant stream of new information and perpetually steep learning curve, it’s easy to forget to look back and see how far you’ve come. Being a digital migrant is something you can be proud of. You’ve crossed the sea and made it to the far shore. Now it’s time to make yourself at home. Enjoy!

Shameless plug

I’m currently writing a book called, funnily enough, The Digital Migrant. It’s written like a novel so you can read it from cover to cover. It isn’t about how to write email or edit photos - there are plenty of fine ‘how-to’ books already available for just about anything you may want to do with technology - this book is about how to understand technology.

This is the book I’ve always wanted to recommend to family, friends and hundreds of clients who struggle with their digital devices. Calling on my years of teaching people computers and my natural gift for explaining complex concepts in simple terms, I’ve decided to write it myself.

If you’re interested in finding out more - visit my website at www.danupoyner.com/book