Learning About Technology Offline

This article was adapted from a forthcoming IT workbook created by TechSoup's MaintainIT Project, an effort funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to gather and distribute stories around maintaining and supporting public computers.

If you're even vaguely acquainted with learning theory and cognitive psychology, you've heard that we all have different learning styles. You've also heard that knowledge stays with us longest when the learning experience is multi-sensory, appealing to our senses of sight, hearing and touch. Unfortunately, we often get into a rut with learning, going to the same resources again and again, overloading one "learning pathway"and ignoring others. If you need to give your brain a jolt or make your study time more effective and efficient, look at some of the tools and techniques described in this article.

Some of you don't have time to develop new skills or satisfy your technical curiosity, but you still have day-to-day problems that have to be solved and decisions that need to be made. In other words, you're looking for ready reference tools. The resources in this article will help with these immediate concerns as well.

This article is part two of a two-part series. The first part addresses online resources, and the second part discusses offline resources. The resources discussed in this article include creating a testing/learning environment, classroom-based training, conferences, technology books, and technology-related magazines.

Testing Environment

Most folks in IT (both the accidental techies and the professional ones) have at least one test computer. Some companies have large, formal testing networks. Part-time, accidental techies with small budgets often test software on their everyday work computer. Obviously, this isn't an ideal situation. If the following suggestions don't suit your situation, and you try out a lot of software on your primary PC, be careful to install from reputable sources, back up your data, and create frequent restore points. And never run tests on a live production server that your colleagues and constituents rely on. The following are three ways to test software:

• Find an old computer and turn it into a sandbox that you can use to play with different types of software.
• More and more Web sites host "sandbox"versions of software. In other words, you can log on to the software as an administrator via a Web interface and experiment with the program (every night, the previous day's changes are erased). For example, Open Source CMS lets you try hundreds of open-source content management systems (CMS) platforms, blogging tools, wiki packages, e-commerce applications, and more.
• Virtualization software is another popular option for creating a testing environment. Virtualization programs let you install and explore multiple operating systems on a single machine, and they let you switch easily between the different operating systems. In other words, it turns one computer into many. Talk to your IT department before you start playing with virtualization, and make sure you have enough power and memory on your PC to support this software (the memory requirements are quite heavy). For more information, see Virtualization 101 on TechSoup.

Face-to-Face Training and Networking

In the year 2696, our communication and knowledge exchange will occur exclusively online. We'll never have to move outside our immersion pods. In the meantime, there's still something unique and irreplaceable about face-to-face interaction.

• Co-workers, friends, peers. If you're lucky enough to have some engaged, informed techies on staff or in your personal network, you probably already rely heavily on them for advice. Some of the best learning experiences I've had occurred in informal conversation with someone passionate and knowledgeable about a particular technology.
• Computer user groups, meetups and technology clubs. Not every town has a computer user group, but a surprising number do, and members are often generous with their knowledge and advice. Some of these clubs have a general focus, while others concentrate on a specific platform or technology.
  • NTEN's 501 tech clubs and the NetSquared monthly meetups appeal specifically to nonprofit techies, but these groups meet primarily in larger cities.
  • The groups listed at the Association of Personal Computer User Groups include more hobbyists and enthusiasts, while the groups at Culminis focus more on enterprise IT. Both sites include Windows-centric associations, but if you're looking for more leads in that direction, check out User Groups: Meet and Learn with Your Peers on the Microsoft site. Linux.org and LinuxLinks both host a directory of Linux User Groups (LUGS), while the Apple site has a Macintosh User Group (MUG) database.
• Conferences. Local, regional, and national conferences are great places to learn and get inspired. The annual Nonprofit Technology Conference is the standout for conversations about nonprofit technology, but lots of local and national conferences cover these subjects. Check out the event search at the Chronicle of Philanthropy Web site. For pure technology, Somewhat Frank has a long list of recent and upcoming conferences.
• Classroom training. A week-long, classroom-based technology training often costs several thousand dollars, but if you learn best in this environment, it's a worthwhile investment.
  • NPower specializes in classroom-based training for nonprofits, but they don't have offices in every city.
  • New Horizons is probably the best-known national provider of technology training, but thousands of local businesses offer similar services.
  • Some people prefer community college technology courses because they're often cheaper and less exhausting than the intensive New Horizons–type class. Instead of learning eight hours a day for five days straight, college adult education courses let you attend class one or two evenings a week.

Print Resources

Some people are passionate readers, but some find reading difficult in the best of circumstances and dread the idea of reading about technology (though in that case, you're probably not reading this article). Bear in mind, though, that the best books on technology now incorporate engaging personal stories, powerful images, informative graphics, and thoughtful navigation. If you need a quick overview of recent trends, a year's subscription to Wired or Fast Company will cost you $10, and you can flip through the latest issue at the gym or on the bus.

• Books. A lot of folks can't stand technology manuals, but they've greatly improved over the years in terms of design and readability (or at least some of them have).
  • For tech beginners, we've heard good things about Bit Literacy, Rule the Web, and Upgrade Your Life.
  • For intermediate and advanced topics, pay close attention to Amazon reviews, and spend some time in the computer section of your local bookstore.
  • You might save some money in the long run by paying for a subscription to Safari or Books 24x7. Both are online, searchable collections of IT manuals. Even better, see if your library has purchased a subscription. If this is true in your area, all you need is a library card number, and you can usually log on from home.
• Magazines. Most technology magazines are available online in one form or another, but many people, myself included, still subscribe to the print version of their favorites.
  • For a general overview of technology, check out Wired and PC World (MacWorld or Linux Magazine are the Mac/Linux equivalents), but there a lot of magazines that cover the same ground.
  • Fast Company and Business 2.0 also do a good job of writing about technology for a general audience. They're usually interested in entrepreneurial applications of technology, but some of those ideas apply to nonprofits as well.
  • If you're managing technology for a large organization, InformationWeek, eWeek, CIO, Network World and others can keep you apprised of developments in the enterprise IT realm.

Like professional networking and public speaking, the ability to conduct research, find answers, and educate yourself are higher-order skills that improve your performance for day-to-day tasks and responsibilities. And experimenting with new tools and strategies is one of the best ways to build those higher-order skills.