How does one keep up?

In response to the numerous ways in which technology almost instantaneously changes and new applications and tools are continually introduced to us, I have often found the words "How does one keep up?!" coming out of my mouth. And how have I kept up, you might ask? Well, I regularly use email as a means of communication, I use a variety of software programs (mostly for work purposes, and I'm very comfortable and competent with what I use...I would be lost at work without my computer!), and I utilize the net for things such as finding information on a particular topic, checking out what movies are playing and where, looking up addresses and phone numbers, as a dictionary source, hunting down recipes, and for buying and selling items on sites such as Kjiji. As for technology outside of the computer and the Internet, I've recently purchased a Wii, I use an electronic day planner (which I'm not overly happy with), after five years or so without cable I now have digital cable, a small flat screen t.v., and a DVR, I have only had my ipod for one year (love it!), I rarely use my cell phone, I sometimes use my digital camera, I've never had a video camera of any sort, and I don't own a GPS. So, besides at work, I'm currently a very minimal user of technology.

But alas, I feel this trend is about to change...although I try not to buy into the idea of keeping up with the Jones', I do need to keep up with the Twitters of the world! I'm suddenly feeling quite left behind. I have avoided tools such as Facebook and Twitter, sloughing them off as something trendy and full of hype, too risky and unsafe. But it's becoming more and more apparent to me that if I don't keep up with things even as simple as these, I'm going to be way too far out of the loop. Our daily conversations are filled with vocabulary such as podcasting, Skyping, blogging, downloading, and texting. Terms such as emoticons, YouTube, streaming videos and saving favourites are commonplace. And these are only to mention a very few! If we don't know what's being talked about, participation becomes a challenge! And as a teacher, I'm feeling that it's becoming more and more critical to know what it is our students are hooked into, what technology they use in their daily life (especially outside of school) and how we can use these very familiar tools to them, in the classroom. As I keep hearing, these are digital kids...how are we helping to prepare them for their digital future, whatever that might look like, if we don't integrate technology on a more regular basis into their education?

I have many more thoughts on this topic, but I'll leave it at that for now. I'm curious to know where others are in their digital journey, and what sorts of experiences they have had in embracing, or not, this world of ever-changing technology. I'm hoping that this blog can be a venue for sharing information about technologies that we like or don't like, a place where we can attempt to talk about ones we know nothing about but might like to, or where we can give suggestions for use that may be helpful to each other. This could be a place for Ah! Ha!s to be shared, or just comments in general to be made about encounters with technology in any given situation. I look forward to any help in Keeping up with the Twitters!