I’ve always been looking for a free and hosted database which I can use to do ad-hoc SQL queries for practice, learning as well as for random projects at work. So when I heard of a chrome extension which does not need a database I was intrigued. The extension is SQAnything with overview/instructions available and […]
I have a ton of paper pictures, with slides, that I would love to digitized, but it’s not worth paying someone to do it nor buying a device and spending bunch of time to do it myself. But I think if I could make my own device like this one, I would be much more […]
Every so often in my professional career, someone asks me how to easily and cheaply create screen recordings for information, training, or just getting a point across. There are a handful of options out there. Recently I found a free, web based recording system which seems pretty slick as not only can it record, but […]
A co-worker of mine has been reading a SCRUM book and asked my opinion about which project management methodology is better, Agile or Waterfall. First I had to think hard about and really define SCRUM as a process of working rather than a methodology. But as we were talking I told him that I believe […]
A philosophy I developed years ago which is explained in my post Meetings are Effective, If Everyone Gets What They Want I believe that going into a meeting, everyone wants something and a successful leader/moderator understands that and does his/her best to provide that. Just like meetings, my philosophy applies to presentations and trainings. Participants […]
I got into Mechanical Engineering because: My Father was a Mechanical Engineer I like building stuff and taking things apart trying to figure out how they work I enjoy problem solving; hearing from someone “I need something that does X” and being able to find a solution for them But after working as a Mechanical […]
Many years ago I read a book called Presentation Zen and I fell in love with the concept, the idea that people remembered stories much more than facts and figures. Unfortunately at the time I was doing technology training and felt that the concept couldn’t be applied to training so I really didn’t apply the […]
One of the big differences between teaching in person vs online is the perceived separation.. Because of this separation many people are more comfortable not talking and just listening. I call that phenomenon crickets referring to when the teacher asks a question and nobody responds. There are several ways to reduce the crickets phenomenon: Ask […]
The first part of modifying your teaching material is to ensure all of your content is digitized and available in an online environment. This means any videos you play with a DVD or VHS tape for your students, you will need to find it online in a video sharing service such as YouTube. It also […]
Now that you have been in and out of a few sessions and are comfortable with the software, the next step is to create an optimum space from which to teach. Things to consider are: A comfortable chair and desk with ample space for your keyboard and mouse as well as your notes for class. […]