Drowning in the Sea of Technology

For the past few weeks I have been trying to keep my head above water in the gigantic sea of technology that is available to teachers and students. It's almost more than I can handle. It is no surprise that many teachers get frustrated and don't want to make any changes to their daily routine by including technology. I have always been able to work through technology to figure things out, but I know there are those out there who hit the first stumbling block and give up. There is just so much available. It's information overload! I've taught technology workshops for our teachers and get the same comment, "when do we have time to do this?" 

I've decided the first thing we as educators have to do is forgot about us and think about them. All this new technology and cool tools should not be focused around how we the teacher can use it but how the student can use it. I think if teachers begin looking at it that way they will have a change of attitude about adding technology.

Another thing I've decided is that you can't do it all. If you try you will become overwhelmed and give up. So I am only going to implement a few things to begin with and then add as these first new toys become easier to use. I've started a wiki at wikispaces, I've learned to use globster, and I am looking for a place for my students to do podcasting. Even those three may be too  much to handle, but I am ambitious. 

The real secret is that the kids probably already know how to do all this stuff! Letting them take the lead will be of most benefit to them and me. Not that it will decrease the amount of work I have as a teacher, but it changes the paradigm of the classroom. We harp on engagement of students constantly. What better way to engage students the majority of the time than to offer them the technology they already know how to use. Their challenge will be that they will be using it for a different purpose. 

This school year will be a challenge, but I love a challenge