Everchanging Technology

This week I have come to the realization that no matter how much I learn about technology, there will always be more to learn. Things change so rapidly, you have to constantly be searching out the next new thing. When I found out that we were discussing social bookmarking this week, I thought that, at least this portion, would be easy for me. Then I sat down to begin the work... I have been using Delicious and Diigo for a little over 2 years now and I love them both. I try to convert everyone that I can, because it has made my life as a student and an educator much easier. However, I had never heard of Diig, Furl or Stumbleupon.
I began using Dropbox about a year ago to share larger files with my classmates and pictures with my family, but I was unfamiliar with Evernote and I had absolutely no idea what FERPA was.

It's easy to see why some of our colleagues get set in their ways. They find the constant change of technology frustrating and unsettling. I try hard to remember my absolute sense of panic and hysteria when I began this journey 2 years ago so that I can be more understanding when I try to talk about the next new thing that I want my staff to try.

I started this blog last year for a class in instructional technology. As you can see, we were required to create three posts for the class. Obviously I haven't kept it up since the class ended. I'm not very comfortable with writing a blog. I guess that I haven't felt that I have anything to say that rates putting it out in cyberspace. I don't know why, since I have absolutely no problems rambling about anything and everything to the people around me. Don't get me wrong. I love the blog format, and follow a number of fantastic educators. I'm continually grateful that they choose to share their experiences and expertise, and I have benefited often. I just always think that I should leave cyberspace to the "experts".

I have been working on changing this view, and hopefully keeping this blog up more regularly will help. I am a new Library Media Specialist and many of the information literacy standards have to do with creating information for others to use. We are supposed to be teaching our students to not only use the Internet to gather information, but to participate in the culture of learning. I guess it's time to practice what I preach.

I just finished my coursework for my Library/Media Certification this past summer. After a whirlwind of learning about new technology that was available, I was excited to put my learning into practice. Although I am familiar with many of the recent innovations, I am not naive enough to think that I know it all. I am continually reminded of this fact as teachers come to me with questions that I cannot answer. As the only technology person in my building, I am trying to increase my knowledge base even more so that these humbling experiences become fewer and farther between.

I am lucky to work with a group of teachers that are also excited about the possibilities that technology brings to the classroom. We have already completed many fabulous projects this year using google earth, glogster, my big campus (a cheaper alternative to Moodle), photostory and pixton. As we move forward, I hope to find even more tools and ideas to bring back to my teachers.