Day 52: More zoom
Remember when you were a kid and the word “zoom” meant you were going really fast, lightning speed on your tricycle down the sidewalk in front of the house or maybe running at full-tilt down a grassy hill? Usually it meant there was some kind of fun taking place, and your imagination was running wild.
Today, the meaning of Zoom has taken on a new definition for most of us, as we use it to congregate with groups of any size, hold meetings for business or fun (I’ve seen an awful lot of Girl’s Night In posts going around, and I know Kevin takes part in some Poker Nights with the guys here and there).
Students are using it to connect with their classmates and teachers for brief check-ins or maybe even a bit of a lesson.
Despite the new context of the word “zoom,” its implications haven’t changed all that much: we’re still using it to go really fast (when’s the last time you could travel to a meeting or home from a wine night in less than five seconds?), and though it may not always be fun-filled, it’s definitely packing an imaginative punch.
Using the app essentially asks users to insert themselves into a virtual situation with their group, and whether that’s a boring grown-up meeting or a light-hearted junior high visit, we have to be present in this make-believe board room or classroom and try to imagine we’re sitting right next to those classmates, co-workers or friends as we engage over the Internet.
This morning, Hannah had her first opportunity to Zoom with her kindergarten class and listen to Mrs. Edwards read a story – live this time, rather than a pre-recorded video. They got to answer their teacher’s questions about the main character of the story and even had Sharing Circle time.
It was almost more exciting than Christmas – almost. Hannah had a hard time falling asleep last night and checked three times to make sure her tablet was plugged in before bed so it would be charged and ready for 10 a.m.
Her smile was contagious as she connected with the friends she’s missed seeing two days per week. It got even wider when she was told this was going to be a weekly occurrence. I wonder when the countdown to “Zoom Day” will start?
At the same time as Hannah was on her call, I was also watching the Foothills County council meeting, which they run over Zoom and stream live through their website, and simultaneously tuning into a Zoom meeting of my own (when else can you be "in" two meetings at once while helping to administer another?).
It’s become a useful tool around here – I mean, we even used it to celebrate a birthday with family last week and I’m looking forward to hosting a parent council meeting with it next week, as well as attending my monthly Kinette meeting on the app the week after that.
That’s not to say we all can’t wait until we can stop using our computers or phones and get to see our friends, family, teachers and colleagues in “real life.”
But until that time comes, let’s hear it for good Wi-Fi, adaptability, and high-test imagination.
Krista Conrad, OkotoksToday.ca
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