Getting started...First step isn't always a doosy

Overwhelmed by all that is out there? You're not alone. We all feel that way at times with juggling teaching, grading, creating new ideas and trying to learn to use emerging technologies that change so rapidly. Having the opportunity to get an elementary school started with technology integration has been a tremendous opportunity as we pave the way or better said, stumble, fall and get up to start again. For the district, we may be the pioneers. In the world view, where have we been that we are so behind???

Regardless of where you are, and we are all in different stages of learning, there is something for everyone. For those who are just getting started and are totally new to today's emerging technologies, I want to recommend a couple of new reads. In case you are wondering, they are both free, in true Web 2.0 technology style.

1) The Amazing Web 2.0 Projects Book edited by Terry Freedman contains 87 project suggestions. If you aren't sure what you want to do to get started using the web this is a great book of ideas. It is organized nicely by age of the students for each project described which helps to narrow your ideas to age appropriate options.

2) Twelve Essentials for Technology Integration by Richard Byrne is an online document for some suggested web tools to get you started. The tools chosen all have free options for educators. It's a quick easy read. Although it doesn't go in depth into examples for use, it does describe what each tool can do and offers some brief suggestions for their use.

Feeling overwhelmed is a common theme for those who are first getting started with emerging technologies. There is so much information and so many options it becomes difficult to narrow that down and know where to get started. While my primary focus is on technology tools for learning, I  struggle to keep up with the newest, latest, and greatest. It takes time, of which none of us have enough.

So here is my short list of what I use to keep up:

1. Twitter, my PLN (professional learning network) is the key to discovering new tools, staying on top of the latest articles and research, and a great place to get instant feedback on any questions I have.
2. Netvibes helps me to keep up with all the blogs I want to follow. I make it my home page so when I open a browser I see all the news I most want to read. It does take scheduling time to read it though.
3. Social Bookmarking with diigo has been crucial to my ability to return to the tools and ideas that I learn from my PLN. In addition I joined a group of educators on diigo and receive regular suggestions from that group for other sites and information of interest to me. For research diigo allows me to annotate and highlight content in any online article I read. As an added bonus any items I bookmark also go straight to my delicious feed.

I would love to know what others are using to make the technology in their world manageable. How do you keep up and what are your favorite tools?