Summary of last Thursday evening’s #ttq10 – Thursday Tech Question at 10pm (17/11/2014) – conversation. (Any omissions are mine – I know I lost a tweet from @donenda with the name of the film that inspired him!)
To mark Thanksgiving, we answered a question with a ‘thanks giving’ answer – who would you thank for inspiring/enabling tech in your life?
Answers on a tweetcard please…
Thanks to all who shared their experiences and images. We ranged from age 16 to age *cough cough*. The mixture of 26 answers quoted below declares our thanks to parents (take a bow, Dads!), teachers, code magazine publishers, home computer makers, friends, adult mentors, CESI, tech disruptors, each other (and whomsoever Ann O’Dea adds in after mulling).
@magsamond
In 1980, just before I left uni, a woman – for shame I can’t recall a name – gave BASIC classes. She had me at “input A”. I thank her. In 2012, discovering Neil Fraser’s Blockly rewired my brain and reconfigured the way I teach CS. I thank him. neil.fraser.name/news/2012 And in my voluntary tech life I must also thank ALL @cesitweets tribe and @CoderDojoCavan mentor team for making good things happen. Mega thanks to @_conorgalvin, @tektweets @johnmayo and @ewanmcintosh who all played directly or indirectly in bringing TeachMeet here. Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone. Do keep paying it forward. And before we take the candle to head to bed, let’s thank @laurenboyletech for teaching @EndaKennyTD to program a zombie today!
@saorog
My first owned computer was a Commodore Vic-20, my parents let me take a ‘loan’ from the Credit Union to buy it. My first ‘coding’ teacher was Michael Halton and we used LOGO written by Brian Silverman, I got to meet Brian at MIT . Yep, parents always supported, even when teachers didn’t understand. A serious case could be made (tried to make it last week to @jhegarty & co) that we lost a lot when the code magazines died. There were great magazines for Atari, Commodore, Sinclair Spectrum, Amstrad and other 8-bit micros (most had BASIC). Ms still have BASIC: SmallBASIC smallbasic.com but I prefer Project Spark
@catherinecronin
I thank you Mags & many women in tech. we walk the road together. @marloft @pamelaaobrien @gravesle @pammoran @kimxtom. Thx Mary! so happy to have this PLN – #ttq10 #edchatie @cesitweets #ITwomen @pamelaaobrien @gravesle @pammoran @kimxtom @magsamond
@evelynoconnor and you’ve inspired & encouraged so many more, Evelyn… love how it goes. @gillianconnolly thanks G! loved how @marloft & @CoderDojo connected us. I thank you Mags & many women in tech. we walk the road together. @marloft @pamelaaobrien @gravesle @pammoran @kimxtom
@marloft
So, my first Thanksgiving answer has to be my Dad 🙂 flickr.com/photos/marloft…
Commodore 64 – Dad bought it for us kids – no storage – so LOTS of typing code from magazines
Thankful for primary families who encouraged our tinkering and later our own families who put up with hours of ‘problem solving’
@gillianconnolly
Aunt had electronic typewriter (1st I’d seen) & that was that! pic.twitter.com/BcoGS5iyq2
+1 typing code from magazines! Struggling to remember what it was on tho, Amstrad methinks
bbcbasic.co.uk/bbcbasic.html. Huge thanks to @caramcginley who got me involved in #coderdojo here changed the way I viewed my computer use forever
@ffarry1
Brought my (own) first computer into my classroom around 2000 & then principal encouraged me to apply for NCTE tutor training. My aunt bought me an atari, with pac man, defenders and other games, which I was addicted to as a child.
@evelynoconnor
Thanks def go to my live in technician (and husband!) @jhnolan for inspiring/enabling my embrace of technology! Also all the folks @cesitweets particularly @donenda and @catherinecronin encouraged me to keep going on the edtech path! Standing on the shoulders of giants! -ish! pic.twitter.com/QSYuGPbX1E. I did argue vehemently against family computer for Christmas in 1990 because I wanted a snooker table instead.
@jhegarty
BBC Basic and a tape recorder – luxury
@ciarancannon
Reminiscing about first encounter with technology. 80’s In Pres. Athenry we had to queue up for the one PC which had Basic, basically. Billy Silke, who begged, stole, borrowed to get first PC in Pres. Athenry. Gifted prophetic man.
@MaggieMGreen
From a non professional point of view my first tech encounter was a BBC computer & a floppy disc with pacman on it..then commodore64; to all the #edchatie educators who have taught me so much about tech in ed and to @LYIT for helping me pursue further tech in ed; I am thankful to @HiberniaCollege for introducing me to tech in ed & @mhallissy for developing it & #cesicon for nurturing it.
@caramcdermott
I thank my parents – allowed independent thinking, giving me the freedom to make my own choices … Always. Thanks to #cesi
@bnighrogain
Thanks @magsamond for encouraging me to do my first pres, @tsweeney1 for introducing me to @cesitweets, @seaoneill for encouragement, @pamelaaobrien for letting me do my 1st pres; my first computer was an Atari ST520 😀 brought by Santa.
People who have inspired me – @dughall @TimRylands @catherinecronin @gravesle @mres @saorog @jhegarty @dcuartielles @magsamond
@fboss
Spectrum 48k of super computer power
@RoseNiDhubhda
I’d have to thank mom for secretly registering me HDip CompSc-discovered 2 loves: tech & @conor_macken. Thanks to #cesi” ditto+u +@sharonlflynn
@donenda
“@fboss: Spectrum 48k of super computer power” – me too! Good ol’ rubber keys and all; tbh more influenced by films watched than by specific person
@LorraineHealy3
looking at this with our maths teacher as first years, and waiting to be told which button to hit next pic.twitter.com/QyyhFLtBlC
@irasocol
I learned to program with no course or help on an IBM AT. 1987. I just searched and copied
@stulawntweets
If anyone saw my #geekdad standup routine @DojoCon2014 they’ll know it was my dad who got me hooked on this techlifestyle!
@mushforbrains
1982. BBC Micro. Dad taught us BASIC + LOGO but we secretly played Chuckie Egg. Thnks Dad!
@CoderDojoCavan
We have to thank you @magsamond for your enthusiastic contribution & drive
@domaho
First (impressive) encounter with technology: a dot matrix printer in action pic.twitter.com/lw4eWdSzYr
@cfoxcavan
thank you Mags & @caramcdermott @cesitweets for inspiring my interest in tech, #edtech &
for good & fun friendship
@pamelaaobrien
I’m thankful to be travelling this road with you all @catherinecronin @magsamond @marloft @gravesle @pammoran @kimxtom
@CiaraFudgyJudgy
my teachers, parents, siblings & those I’ve met along the way: @AnnODeaSR @EithneHarley @BTYSTE @ciarancannon, Love @AnCosanTallaght
@EithneHarley
most recently @LwatersAC @LwatersAC @SineadKelly113 as ed tech disruptors, also @NiamhBushnell who will make a real difference to Dublin
@AnnODeaSR
My gosh, where to start! So many Mags. Let me mull that over…
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