Raise your hand if you know what a Listserv is. According to Google, "a listserv is an email-based mailing list. When you send a message to one shared email address, the system automatically duplicates and distributes that message to all subscribed members". By today's standards, it's a pretty antiquated system, but it works and despite all the other options available for communication, listservs are still used across the globe.
I mention this because I myself am a member of a listserv. I have been for close to 25 years now and it's safe to say that listserv is just as active today as it was when I first joined all those years ago. Perhaps even more active. The listserv is comprised of education technology professionals from across the state where I work. It started off as just top level members of the technology team, but it as since expanded to all levels of user including general techs and classroom coaches.
Despite that, we still call it the "tech directors listserv".
The funny thing is, we have a Discord server too, but that is relatively dead compared to the amount of interaction that takes place via email on the listserv.
It's funny because technology is so expansive. Even though I know a little bit about a lot of things, there is still so much I don't know about a lot of things. You might find a rare person who seems to know a lot about a lot, but as I said, those people are rare, so pay attention when you come across them.
I feel like I post on the tech listserv a lot. I also feel a lot of times that the questions I have are stupid. Well, I used to more than I do now. I'm starting to change my attitude on it and accept the fact that I know what I don't know, and that is okay. I have a feeling a lot of times when I post on the listserv people see my name and they say "oh man, not this guy again". There are a lot of times my questions get virtually no replies.
I still haven't figured out if that's because it's a dumb question, or it's just so obscure that nobody actually knows the answer.
In the past, I might have let stuff like that bug me (okay, it still bugs me a bit), but then I have experiences like I did this past fall, and I don't feel so bad. I've mentioned before that every Autumn, I head to a conference in northern Michigan. It's a two to three day event where all the education technology professionals from across the state meet up and learn new things together.
Yes, there are vendors there, but we also have peer led sessions that teach us about cool tips, tricks, applications, and software that we may have not known about before. While I have group of people that I generally hang out with, it never fails that you end up talking to people you have never met before as well.
Not something I am strong at.
However, this past year, I can't remember how many new people may have not known my face, but as soon as they saw my name they were like oh "Bozz from the tech listserv". I still haven't figured out if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but they seemed to indicate it was a good thing.
Of course, maybe they were just being nice.
Like I said though, I had several people say something to the effect that they appreciate the honest questions that I ask on the tech listserv sometimes. They always say there is no such thing as a dumb question, and while I don't necessarily agree with that (I've heard some really dumb questions in my lifetime), I also have occasions where I don't mind being the dummy to ask them.
My thinking is, there is likely someone else who is struggling with the same concept. While it might be fairly easy to some people, it will never be easy for me if I don't ask. In these days of Google, and AI, it might seem like resources like this are less necessary, but I feel there is something special about getting the answer from one of my colleagues. Perhaps it's just the way they explain it, or more likely it's something more emotional.
It's that solidarity you get with groups like this saying "we are in this together", or "you are not alone". You don't outright say it, but the process of posting to the listserv and getting replies speaks for itself.
Long story short (TL:DR), never be afraid to ask those simple questions. You might just become infamous for them.
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