Overwhlemed....

Sugata Gupta 's video explains his experiment in different areas around the world.  The overall theme in all the countries is presenting a foreign idea to young students.  He offers the students a computer to find the information.  In each case, the student do find the information.  Interestingly, the students were able to find the information on the computer without the direction  of an adult teacher or facilitator.  Another point of interest, the students were able to retain the information.

So, why when faced with the sheer amount of tools and application of the tools available in the web2.0  do I feel completely overwhelmed.  Is it because they think differently? This is possibly the reason.  During the course, we have been asked to examine and learn about various web2.0 tools.  I struggle with the innate need to find out the all the information about each tool and every application.  I have found this to be an impossibility.  The other frustrating part learning about the tools is the life span of the tools.  The amount of time the tool is available is not set in stone.

Even looking at the tool Prezi, a presentation model, there are at minimum 17 ways of using this tool in the classroom.  While I was able to find some ideas I would like to try in the classroom, I had a struggle with the 9 other tools we examined.  I struggled because I was overwhelmed withe sheer amount of information available.

I believe the key to keeping sanity when examining the uses of technology in the classroom is to find a small way to initially use the technology in the classroom and become proficient at it.  Following this, move on to another technology.  Do not try to use multiple tools in multiple ways at once.  While we are teaching the students of the future, we still learn as students in the past.  We have to learn to be proficient in technology without giving up.