In class this week we discussed and learned how to use cloud computing tools such as Google Docs and social bookmarking sites like Delicious. Cloud computing refers to data access, computation and storage services that do not require the user to have any knowledge of where the configuration of the system in which the information came from. Cloud Computing is the ability to use a server-based application rather than being tied to a specific platform or place on a machine; a person can access his or her information anywhere on any computer. Sites like Google Doc allow users to share, collaborate and change in “real time” documents, presentations or spreadsheets with others. Sites like Delicious that have social bookmarking tools that allow users to organize, store and manage bookmarks for resources online; this is a great organizational tool.
As a future educator, cloud computing sites such as Google Docs and Delicious are tools that can definitely be useful. Through cloud computing sites teachers can share documents, presentations or spreadsheets with other teachers and administrators. This is also a great way to communicate and share information with students as well. For example, students could easily view a presentation online or collaborate with other students in the class on group projects or class assignments. Social bookmarking is also a great tool that teachers can use in their classroom. Through sites like Delicious, teachers can share annotated bookmarks with a class to help research a given topic. In addition, students can perform their own research and share useful websites with the class. These are just some of the many ways in which cloud computing tools can be useful for educators.
I linked this website because I found it to be useful and relevant to the topic that was covered this week in class. This webpage article talks about the social bookmarking site Diigo and how it can be used by educators in the classroom. Diigo, in addition to bookmarking sites, allows users to highlight text or pictures and add sticky notes in a variety of colors to a bookmarked page. In addition, Diigo lets you take screenshots of bookmarked pages and archive the pages so that if the content is ever changed or removed, you will always have the original page. Communication with this site is limited to the teachers and students only, which is important for safety. Bookmarking sites like these can be used by teachers so that they can share research sites with students, allow students to have online discussions over a topic or have bookmarking sites be useful for group projects or class activities. Sites like Diigo, have a lot of potential for teacher use and they give the opportunity for students to collaborate and further their knowledge. This site not only introduced me to a new social bookmarking tool that I could consider as a future educator, but it also discussed the site’s relevance and useful benefits for educators.
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