After a long year of teaching, it's great to have summers off to refocus your energy. But while you're taking that much-needed time to relax, technology trends in education are still going full steam ahead. In order to keep up with new tech tools and trends over the summer, you have to strike the right balance between relaxation and information overload. Here are some suggestions on how to keep up on the latest technology trends.
Read Educational Blogs
The internet is an invaluable tool with an enormous amount of information. With that said, it's become increasingly hard to keep up with all of the educational technology trends because it seems like they change daily. Luckily, teachers, administrators, and technology enthusiasts share their knowledge and expertise through educational blogs. A go-to spots for gaining information are The Ed Tech Round Up, Free Technology for Teachers, and The Innovative Educator.
Subscribe to an E-Newsletter or RSS Feed
If you want to stay on top of technology trends in education, all you have to do is subscribe to an e-newsletter or an RSS feed. Instead of spending your summer days scouring the Internet, the relevant information is delivered right to your computer or smartphone. Try out the RSS feed of I Learn Technology, which gives you the latest information on how to integrate technology into your classroom. As far as e-newsletters go, try EdTech: Focus on K-12.
Read Relevant Social Media Pages
In today's mobile-centric world, many of us get our news from social media feeds—I know this is one of my favorite ways to gain knowledge! It's easy to just pick up your smartphone and scroll through your newsfeed to learn the latest trends in education. Just about every one of your favorite ed tech blogs or websites will have a Twitter or Facebook page, so follow them to ensure that relevant ed tech news will make it to your feed.
Access an Ed Tech Podcast
Podcasts are the latest way to stay up-to-date with current technology trends. Check out the Ed Tech Weekly podcast to hear about the latest ed tech blogs to follow or the future of ed tech. It's a fun and simple way to learn.
Explore Professional Development Options
By taking a few short courses over the summer months or attending a seminar that touches on ed tech and other trends in education, you can increase your knowledge and readiness so that by the fall you're able to integrate new methods into your curriculum. Your motivation to stay ahead of ed tech trends will help you be as effective an educator as possible.
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