Organizing Myself Online (Extra Post)

Booooy am I ever going to have to write a lot of blog posts in the next few weeks (there are soooo many extra ones, due to the Tech Tasks). SO I will keep these extras short and sweet (highly unlike my usual style of blogging)


Topics for today:

1. Digital curation as a necessary skill in today's world
2. Some things I do to organize my life online
3. Some things I will have my students use in the classroom

1. DIGITAL CURATION AS A NECESSARY SKILL IN TODAY'S WORLD

Since there are so many digital curation tools available to us, I think we would be crazy not to spend the few minutes it would take to familiarize ourselves with a few of them. Digital curation allows us to organize ourselves in an environmentally-friendly, accessible, (physical) space-free, non-messy, low-fuss kind of way. It also provides us with a hassle-free way to continuously update our lives, and the lists that go with them. Rather than cart around physical binders, folders, and lists, we can keep track of virtually everything online! Because of this simplicity, I do believe that is an absolute necessity in the lives of both teachers and students.

2. SOME THINGS I DO TO ORGANIZE MY LIFE ONLINE

I have really enjoyed becoming familiarized with some digital curation tools through both ICT and I4Ed, although I do not use many of the tools that I acquired in these classes, simply because it would be overwhelming, and many of them have the same functions. The tools that I currently make the most use of are:

1. My Google Chrome Bookmark List (It is quick, comprehensive, and highly organizable. I have all of my websites sorted into separate folders, and subfolders and they are all right there at the top of my browser, where I need them. Because of this, I just haven't been able to get into Diigo)
2. Wunderlist (This is a quick, simple little app that allows its user to create multiple "to-do" lists with descriptions of tasks, sub-tasks, and due dates. I really, really like its ease of use)
3. Dropbox (I am new to Dropbox, but so far I am really enjoying it. It makes storing, organizing, and sharing files very easy - and it removes the issue of me forgetting my flashdrive)

Though this is a fairly limited list, there are several different digital curation tools I hope to familiarize myself with in the future (when I have more time, which will realistically be never), including Diigo (since it has really neat highlighting and clipping tools), Evernote, and Symbaloo.

3. SOME THINGS I WILL HAVE MY STUDENTS USE IN THE CLASSROOM

I can see myself encouraging my students to use Dropbox so that they, too, cannot use the excuse of a forgotten flashdrive to get out of work. Also, it would make handing their assignments (at least those done digitally) in to me very simple. I also like the idea of using Evernote to keep track of students' grades, coursework, and my own observations of their progress. Students could also use this tool, especially in gathering notes for research projects, or studying for tests. I also really liked what Kiersten (sp?) did with Symbaloo on her classroom website! Having quick links to both necessary and extra online resources for each subject available to each student in such an accessible and organized way is brilliant. I will be sure to look into that for my future classroom.