The Ups and Downs of Learning New Technologies

Learning a new technology can be both frustrating and exhilarating. Setting up classroom blogs has eaten up so much time these last two weeks that I am behind on my other writing goals/activities. Looking back on the process, I am frustrated that it took so long. It's so easy to do in hindsight. I feel exhilarated that I have accomplished my task; it's like giving birth - one forgets the pain after the child is born.
Last semester I learned Dreamweaver, another frustrating, but exhilarating, experience. I spent hours transforming a text-rich paper on Nathaniel Hawthorne to an engaging webpage. Finding pictures and outside links added to the look of the page; chunking the text so it was easier to read made the text feel not so overwhelming. Once I was done with the task (and had figured out how to effectively use the program), I was excited about the results. I can see the value of having a webpage for my classes. I can link outside sources and readings, add photos and videos that inspire, and organize the class schedule, syllabi, and discussions. Having my own webpage would be a great communication tool for my students.
When I started graduate school in the fall of 2007, I had never used D2L before. It took me awhile to get used to looking for classwork, news, discussion, dropbox, and even grades online. This fall when I started teaching 191, I spent time learning how to format the content and discussions on D2L. It was well worth my time as D2L was one of my main avenues to disseminate information to my students. I did not have time to work through the gradebook system. It looked too complicated to attempt on my own. I am aware of help and training sessions, but I just did not have time to take advantage of them. (Actually I rarely use training or help, as I prefer to figure out new programs and technologies on my own.)
I do like to play with technologies, but I know I learn the best when I have a reason or purpose for learning it. I have had some training on Adobe Photoshop, but I have not had a reason to spend the time to learn how to utilize it well. When I get frustrated with that program, I just give up and return to my old Print Shop program. I would probably have less frustration with learning new technologies if I would get some training when I needed to learn the technology. On the other hand, I would not feel such exhilaration when I break through my obstacle and achieve my objective. Learning new technologies certainly has its ups and downs.