Diigo

In this activity we had to create an account on Diigo. Diigo is a social bookmarking website that allows us to share websites that we have found to be of interest. With this website we can bookmark, highlight and annotate the bookmarked pages, organize the bookmarks into lists and then share all of this with others. Creating the account on Diigo was simple. Once I created the account and edited my profile to the settings I liked, I found three web based resources and added them to my Diigo account. I chose sites on students transitioning from secondary school to post-secondary life, since this is where my interest lies. I then highlighted the URL for my Diigo page and added it to my link list gadget in my blog. Here it is My Diigo I also placed the Diigo applet on my Google browser. Everything worked. The video was a fast easy way to learn how to use this website.

In this lesson I learned about a great new website that I can use to share information from the web with both fellow teachers and students. This is the first time I have used a social bookmarking website, so everything about it was new information for me to learn. A social book marking site gives the user a repository for favorite places on the web that the person can then access from anywhere and on any device.  It also allows people to share information that they find important with others and collaborate on their opinions and ideas. This lesson was a good example of the difference between Web 2.0 and the web in the past. Originally the web was a place for the individual to gain information on a variety of topics, communicate through email, and share ideas on message boards. Now the web is a place where people socialize and share the information that they gather and the ideas that they have. Communities form of people with like interests, and these communities are not restricted by geography.  Gosh, when I first used the web it was Unix commands on a black screen! We have progressed quickly in this digital age.

My experience with web browser adds ons has been with the browser Firefox. A favorite in our household. (The add on for Google was just as easy to “add on” and is something I will use for my classes.) My favorite add on is Yoono. It allows me to have Facebook in my browser as I am doing other things. It is also a quick way to access You Tube. It is a Social Networking add on and there are other sites it links to. Another one that I like is ImTranslator. I do have family members and friends in South America and they post in Spanish. That is why this is a handy add on for me. Add ons enhance or add features to your browser that makes using the web easier.

How will I use all I have learned or talked about in this blog? I will use Diigo for my graduate classes and to share information with my fellow teachers. I do not think I will use this with students in what I do as a Transition teacher.

The ISTE NETS T standard that is applicable to me for this lesson is Engaging in Professional Growth and Leadership. This site will help me in evaluating current research and opinions on education and make it easier for me to share that information with others in my profession. This all supports student learning.