An Evaluation/Comparison of 2 Social Bookmarking Sites

Alison TopperEDIT 5395

Spring 2011Assignment 3

February 12, 2011

Essential Questions:

•What are Social Bookmarking Sites?

•Why would one Utilize a SocialBookmarking Site?

Answers to the Essential Questions:

•What are Social Bookmarking Sites?

•Social Bookmarking Sites are websites that allow the user to store internet site urls “in the cloud” for easy retrieval from any computer with internet access.

Answers to the Essential Questions:•Why would one Utilize a SocialBookmarking Site?

•Unlike bookmarking your favorites on your own computer, you have access to your favorite websites from any internet connected computer or device such as a mobile smart phone or ipad like device.

•The Websites are organized by “tags” or labels, and can be shared with others in the user’s “network”

Comparison between 2 Popular Social Bookmarking Sites:

www.delicious.com

www.diigo.com

Features Shared by both Tools:

Technical Requirements: Device with internet access (can be PC, Mac, tablet computer, smartphone)

Software Category: Research, social networking

Curricular Standards Addressed:

TEKS for all subjects include a research/collaboration standard, both of these sites will enhance application

Technology (iste/nets) Standards Addressed:

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Instructional Goals: 1. Enhance ease of teacher and student research through use of groups, networks, and specifically suject related “tags”

2. Develop a repository of appropriate and pertinent web resources to ehance scholarship and leadership

Characteristics:

Delicious Diigo

Initial Set up is easy agree Strongly agree

Easy to start and exit the program

Agree agree

Easy to exit and resume tool

Agree Agree

Functions as claimed

Agree Agree

Basic tasks intuitive and easily learned

Agree Strongly agree

Advanced Features intuitive and easily learned

Agree agree

Tutorials included in program

No yes

Graphic elements meaningful and appropriate

n/a yes

Summary of Experience of UseDIIGO DELICIOUS

The site has a downloadable tool bar which allows ease of bookmarking, highlighting, applying interactive sticky notes to websites

Site allows organization of websites by content specific, user defined “tags”

Searches can be done via “tags” of all websites

Users can set up groups with similar interests, receive alerts , share tagged websites, from others in their group or community

Site has a very user friendly video tutorial which explains features

Has both a “free” and paid version. Educational version available

This site also has a downloadable tool bar to allow ease of bookmarking and tagging sites

This site does NOT have the functionality of highlighting and interactive sticky notes

Favored websites are organized by user defined “tags”

Searches can be done via “tags”of all web sites

Users can set up and join networks of users with similar interests, sharing tags and websites from others in their groups/networks

Easy to use, but no embedded tutorial

Software is completely free Owned by Yahoo, rumor has it

service will be discontinued

Final Thoughts:•This type of social bookmarking software is very useful in the classroom.

•A teacher can set up an account, share bookmarks with students via tags, Example: http://www.delicious.com/alisontopper/genetics

By tagging, a teacherCan guide students To appropriate websites For projects

Final Thoughts:•Diigo, with it’s highlighting, interactive sticky notes, screenshot capability,•Is more functional than Delicious.

•Diigo also allows easy exporting of bookmarks/tags to Delicious

•I’ve been a long time Delicious user, but am now switching to Diigo.

•I’ve set up a school Diigo account, as well as a personal one.

•I will share the school Diigo link with all the teachers at my school.

•Of course, I’ll share contacts between the 2!

One Last Site to Check Out:

This site is not part of the software evaluation/review, but I want to shareThe link:

www.appolicious.com

This is a social bookmarking site specifically tailored to apps for ipod and Android devices. It is similar to both Diigo and Delicious.

Sources:

Frazier, Max. the technology coordinator's handbook. 1st. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education, 2004. Print.

http://www.delicious.com

http://www.diigo.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_bookmarking