Can teachers keep up with technology?

 When I was a senior in high school, the coolest device a student could have was a sidekick.  The sidekick was revolutionary because it allowed the user so many unique opportunities to communicate with friends and surf the internet.  Anybody who was anybody had a sidekick.   Not even a year later the sidekick was considered a dying technology replaced by more affordable blackberries and eventually iphones. 

  Technology has been replaced by newer technologies too frequently in our culture.  Humanity is having a hard time keeping up with the newest devices economically and intellectually.  In education the same trend is occurring.  Teachers are required to integrate technology in the classroom because it enhances the students learning experience.  But the problem is can teachers keep up with the new advances in technology?  Thus far, from my experience I have seen a lot of teachers who keep up with technology fairly well but it still pains me to see how many teachers are falling behind in the great technological era we live in.  Economically, trying to purchase the newest devices is a huge burden.  '

 In 2006, i made a conscious effort to stop playing video games mainly because it was so time consuming.  Because of that decision i have no clue what consoles are popular and how games have changed.   My cousins seem to be getting new consoles every holiday in the year which surprises and depresses me.  Has technology become too much for humanity to handle?

 Today's teachers must teach the technologically geared students of this generation.  How does an english teacher expect a child to read To Kill a Mockingbird, when the answers are on sparknotes or wikipedia? What changes must teachers make in order to adapt to this technological world?

 A few suggestions:

1. Keep updated about new technology even if you never use it or want to use it
2. Study your students and the technology they utilize.  This will help get to know your students better and technology.
3. Purchase technology that will ONLY benefit the class and your teaching
4.  Utilize user friendly free resources on the web (youtube, brainpop etc)

This world is changing and we need good teachers who will be apart of that change.