What I learned from my hideous EndNote class

OK, so I bitched & moaned about the evilness of the class I had to teach this morning. It was primarily evil because the technology was of the suck. But I was also very nervous about teaching EndNote because I'm not a big user of it myself. I try. And in theory I can see that it's a great concept. But in reality? Bugs, bugs and more workarounds for the bugs.

But that's not what I want to talk about. Instead, I want to do some positive reflection.

What I learned from this EndNote class was:

• I can teach even when the technology fails me - even on a platform as reliant on the technology as EndNote
• The use of other (old school) media like a white board, can really save you when technology fails :-)
• having a handout with even a very basic layout of what you're going to teach is invaluable
  
• Being forced away from the computer and out from behind the podium can really enhance your teaching - you engage more with the class and can show them individually how to get to things HOWEVER the downside is this can be very time consuming
  
• EndNote really isn't intuitive. File - New doesn't give you a new reference. It's References - New Reference. Which you don't know if it's not in front of you and you're not an EndNotePhile.
  
• I know EndNote better than I thought I did
• I know EndNote better than the students learning it from me
  
• MPOW has EXCELLENT EndNote resources
• my colleagues are very supportive

Also, I think I'm going to do a Cert IV in Training. That is all. I have to go to the gym. And get skinni.