Just back from Monterey where the AASECT conference was held and energized by my wonderful colleagues and inspired by the sessions I attended. Thank you to everyone who came by our exhibition booth where we launched our continuing education opportunities.
Here’s just some of what I learned:
- We have a technology generation gap. “Digital natives” are the young generation who grew up with a computer of some sort in their hands from toddlerhood–perhaps a phone or game. “Digital immigrants” are those who came to use technology in their 30s or 40s. Even though I was an early adopter (I was a technical writer in my 20s for various computer companies), I can still remember my father using a slide rule for his engineering work, or a time when all business was conducted by snail mail. What this means is that we have to work to understand one another–and that largely “immigrants” must adapt to “natives,” and not the other way around.
- In the same vein, in person learning seems to be going the way of the dodo. This fact makes me a bit teary as I was an elementary school teacher for a decade (technical writing didn’t do it for me). All of my work with my students was very hands on, and I enjoyed the face to face interaction. I still do. Tonight I am going to begin teaching Sex Therapy to grad students at Alliant International University in a live classroom. In the fall, The Buehler Institute will commence a yearlong live training in sex therapy. But the writing is on the digital tablet. Online learning is picking up speed, and all indications are that it is as effective as in person instruction.
- To that end, I signed up for an online course (naturally!) in digital learning and I will adapt to our changing environment. The challenge will be to make online learning as engaging as in-person learning, and to teach in a sensitive way about a sensitive and often taboo topic. How will I get students talking about sex in an online environment? How will I know if students are understanding the nuances of any topic I teach? Fortunately, I learned quite a bit in a short time about translating live activities to online activities at the conference. I feel excited about taking my teaching skills in a new direction, into the future of learning online.
- Last, I learned anew about the passion of my colleagues, my “peeps” who are alongside me on this road in teaching about, learning about, and talking about sexuality and relationships. Most therapists as well as educators and counselors tend to work in some isolation. We don’t have someone in the next cubicle who can answer questions when we are stuck. When we gather together, there is a lot of excitement. We can speak freely about what we have observed in our work, and where we want to next take our work. That is the beauty of meeting together, face to face. Yet I have made and maintained great online and distance relationships thanks to technology, and will continue to do so until the next anticipated AASECT conference in Minneapolis, MN.
I’ll have more later in the week. I need to prep for teaching tonight and get ready to teach my intensive in two weeks. I love doing therapy with my clients and helping them learn and grow, but I feel very invigorated about teaching after the conference. I am looking forward to learning and growing, and to helping my colleagues do the same as The Buehler Institute moves forward with plans for continuing education and supervision opportunities.