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Staying Current With Technology and Ideas

 Staying current on relevant technology for classroom use takes time. Even with the best intentions, no one can be an expert on every new technology and how to integrate it into the classroom. That is where blogs, articles, conferences, expos, and annotated bibliographies help forward-thinking educators. This blog post is about annotated bibliographies and how they help educators stay at the forefront of emerging technology trends. Annotated bibliographies provide an overview of the topic and identify connections between the resources (Pope-Ruark et al., 2019.). One type of annotated bibliography provides connections to the real-world applications of the identified resources. That is the type of annotated bibliography we will discuss in this post.
An annotated bibliography includes a resource and provides a summary or evaluation of each resource. The annotated bibliography provided in this post includes the resource, the technology source presented in the article, what topic the source addresses, and how I would use that source in my classroom. Since this blog is dedicated to being a space for creative technology integration ideas, keeping current on emerging technologies is critical. To download a copy of my annotated bibliography, click this link: Vicki's Tech Hub Annotated Bibliography. I kept the summary to 100–150 words to make it less time-consuming to read. 

This video will help you keep apprised of new tech trends in 2023.
(FUTUREYAN, n.d,)

I enjoyed writing this weekly blog for my class. I think the hardest part about blogging is coming up with a topic to discuss. The weekly assignments allowed me the freedom to choose my topic, but they provided structure because I had to write about something we talked about in class. My favorite part about blogging is the creativity involved in creating a visual experience for the reader. I also enjoyed the time spent writing because I took the time to reflect on my learning for the week.

When creating each post, I enjoyed taking my own images, sharing the work I do within my district, and applying creative uses of technology to my writing. I found it incredibly cathartic to write about how to use technology creatively for elementary students. If I am being honest with myself, I will keep blogging, but the spacing between the posts might increase. I know that is not ideal for a blog, but I am in the dissertation writing phase of my doctorate and find myself incredibly busy! 

How can you use your voice to help others stay on top of emerging tech trends?

Resources
FUTUREYAN. (n.d.) 5 educational technology trends in 2023 [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMajRhCYCnQ&ab_channel=FUTUREYAN
Pop-Ruark, R., Moses, J., & Tham, J. (2019). Iterating the literature: An early annotated bibliography of design-thinking resources. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 33(4), 456–465.  
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