I often find myself running into information overload, but I am as some would say a nerd and love technology. I don't just use it, I live it and breath it. My students dont use pencils, pens, or paper we use computers, google docs, and all sorts of techy things. How did I get here? I played a little game of search and find. I say played as I am speaking in the past tense, but this is a continuous game. I find myself up late at night (as I am now) exploring, and hopefully by the time I go to bed I have a plethora of new ideas to someday implement into my classroom. How do I find my information? I have it mapped out below just for you. I am not going to give you a formal training on any of these resources, just click around and figure it out, unless you want formal training I can probably come up with some sort of youtube video, like the ones on this document I created for the staff I work with.
1. Google
Do I really need to explain (or link) this one? We don't search for information anymore we Google it. Have a question? Google it. Need an answer? Google probably has it. Youtube is also a valuable resource but because Google owns it I didn't make it a separate number. I can't tell you how many times I have needed to figure something out and YouTube or Google has the answer waiting for me in the form of a "how to" video, blogs, websites. The information is out there and Google is always a great place to start.
2. Twitter/Facebook/Google+
Social networking...the possibilities are endless. Connect with educators and you will have a flood of information before you. Need help finding people, Google+ has communities you can join specific to certain topics, like this on EdTech. Connect with people from all over the world and see what they have to offer. People post interesting information and links that just might help you take that leap.
3. Pinterest
Whoa Pinterest is not just a site meant to waste time and focus on how great my house doesn't look, or great my baking isn't? Pinterest has a huge amount of resources for educators out there. Just click on the drop down tab for "categories" and find where it says "education" and there you have it, people just like you sharing information. Theres a lot more to Pinterest than DIY activities, cooking, and fashion.
4. Stumbleupon
Another time waster, but can be valuable as long as you know what your looking for or at least narrow your search down to a few topics rather than 40. This site directs to websites dealing with topics you predesignate that you probably would never find otherwise. Google is great, yes, but realistically how many times do you ever click on the second or third page of results? This site does it for you, without the inconvenience You can like or dislike certain sites that Stumbleupon directs you to and it will learn what you like and dislike. This one can be time consuming but can be addicting.
5. Scoop.it
Kind of like a pinterest, kind of like a blog, kind of pretty awesome. I just started this one a few weeks ago and I have a great time with it. You type in things you are interested in and the website brings up websites for you to sort through. If you like one, you can scoop.it or delete it. You can also scoop any website out there via the URL or Chrome extension (Using the Google Chrome Webstore). Heres a link to my scoop.it page: Education: Mainly Technology Related Stuff
It's all about exploration and time. This is just a start, and by no means a restriction. There is so much out there for you to explore, just go out and find it. As always if you have questions leave a comment or follow me on Google+.
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