“You can’t know everything, but you can be open to the unknown and relaxed in the face of mystery” ~Metz (1994)
The use and application of technology in our world today is increasing how we as professionals deliver services. Technology is expanding so fast that it is hard to keep up with at times. Throughout my education, field experience, and through various jobs I have created several different things and worked on projects that demonstrate my proficiency with technology and my commitment to continually learn how to adapt and integrate new technologies with my work.
I have learned more about Microsoft Excel over the last few years than anything else. I believe this to be an essential program in the use of non-profits. While interning for the Opportunity Council through Field Work (HSP 341 & 440) I was asked to create an excel spreadsheet to help with their Early Learning and Family Services (ELAFS) recruiting efforts. Within this project I had to create and link eleven different groups to each other with the use of the spread sheets. I had to find housing units, grocery stores, and Laundromats within each Head Start location throughout the county to promote and distribute recruiting materials. This required me calling each housing complex, finding out the number of units, and recording that data on the spreadsheet for all of Whatcom County. The database listed the name of the complex or grocery center, along with the address, number of units, and specified how many brochures, fliers, and/or door hangers were needed in English, Spanish, and Russian.
In Non-profit Management (HSP 435) I also learned how to create a budget using Excel (see Appendix L). This was the first time I ever had to do this and I ended up loving how to learn the steps of coding a budget and linking the formulas from one page to another. My budget was based off of a hypothetical non-profit, however I made sure that it was all plausible by finding real grants for the programs and services offered. The budget that I created demonstrates my ability to successfully use this program in the future. This will become an important skill within the non-profit world as I will likely be developing budgets at some point down the line.
I have made several brochures over the course of my time at Western. In Interpersonal Systems (HSP 303) I created a brochure to support our presentation on sex addiction (see Appendix M). I explored different programs to create this and ended up using a template from Microsoft Publisher.I was able to provide information and resources in a quick and easy way with this method. I also created a brochure in Diversity and Social Justice (HSP 455) on cultural competency (see Appendix N). This brochure was used in correlation with our presentation which I created through PowerPoint.I have found PowerPoint to be a great tool to use to enhance a presentation, though I do believe that too much of it can consume a project. These two handouts provide yet another example of how I have used technology to support my learning and delivery of information. This form of knowledge and technical skill has enhanced my resume and will continue to help me as I continue to be of service.
In Case Management (HSP 345) I was able to use several forms of technology to complete projects including Publisher, Word, Microsoft Excel, Adobe, and PowerPoint. Throughout the quarter we formed one agency and forms for that agency. I was the primary one responsible in creating these forms and found word and publisher extremely helpful in completing these tasks. Our agency was the Western Family Center and there are two forms that I would like to mention. The first is the intake form (see Appendix G), this form was designed to receive vital information and the urgency of the individuals visit. The form is very professional and asks direct questions to determine a client’s need. The next form was created in Publisher. This form, Client Plan (see Appendix I), was created to be used by a case manager and client to create goals and objectives. These two forms are similar to those that you would find in several agencies around our community.
I was also able to work with a video camera in Interviewing (HSP 325) to record two different interviews over the course of the quarter. After uploading them to the computer I was able to look back to compare and contrast how my interviewing skills had enhanced over the quarter. This tool was great to use because I was able to easily reflect what I had done while paying particular attention to my non-verbal’s. It was a great learning process to asses where to put the camera to maximize the quality of the video. This may include changing the setting or room around entirely and setting up an area where you and the interviewee(s) are included in the frame. I learned that it is imperative to know your camera while doing this, especially if you are planning to meet somewhere you have not been before (someone’s office for example). Due to confidentiality purposes these videos will not be supplied in the portfolio.
While interning at the Teaching-Learning Academy (TLA) I was able to create brochures, fliers, certificates, and surveys using different forms of technology. During my time here I was responsible for planning the TLA’s annual event and created all of the certificates (see Appendix O). In this process I learned a lot about copyright as we wanted to include a poem reflecting our work over the year on the back of the certificate. This was a whole new learning experience for me as I worked with the copyright service center at Western and e-mailed the author directly asking for permission. I found that itwas more in depth than I thought as the layout of the certificate looked better when I altered the poem (align left, instead of center). I had to get back in touch with the author to ask for her approval to re-align her poem on our certificates.
While I greatly appreciate several of the technologies that we have today, (including this web tool), we must not allow it to consume our lives. Technology should be embraced, but not without caution. While attending to research the professional must be aware at the ease one could use the internet maliciously and seek the Truth with a capital T.
References
Metz, P.K. (1994). TheTao of learning: Lao Tsu’s Tao te ching adapted for a new age. Atlanta, GA: Humanics.