August 18, 2005, 8:56pm

We're in Rodney and Eileen's house this evening for dinner. They have a cat, a dog, a parrot and a baby parrot. This older parrot... he can say the cheers for the gators! The UF football team... Go Gators!!!

This afternoon I was in a TA workshop to learn about the media technology in the classroom. It's fascinating. Can't actually remember all the machine but let me try: a digital projector, an anologue projector, a computer screen that you can write on it (then what you write or draw shows in the big screen), a radio transmitter that students can have thir own remote controls to input their quiz answers and opinions (reports can be shown on the screen right away!), DVD/video...

Now, what am I going to do with all these technologies available? I don't know. I'm simply shocked.

When I first entered the lecture theater, I was thinking, how great, there're the sockets and plugs for a notebook and internet connection for each seat for the students. Then, I was introduced to all the other machines one by one.

Now, I'm having a cultural shock of education technology. I still remember the time when I taught my general psychology class in Tai Wai for the School of Continuing Studies, CUHK, that I had to book the TV for my classes (no TV if I didn't make the booking) and they had to have an officer to push me the TV set every time before classes...

It does pay to see the outer world, to see all kinds of possibilities.