Quick Notes

A new chrome app!  This note will save to your diigo account and allow you to be able to hold everything in one space.  It isn't meant for dissertation writing, although I bet you could brainstorm as you are waiting for the dentist ... or as my mind is going, I could jot a note (or quick grocery list) to myself and retrieve it anytime anywhere from any of my connected devices.

Read More - Diigo's Blog Post about Quick Note

Before you ask....yes, there are MANY different online note options for you.  This is just alternative and I'm not here to say it is the best, it just is an option.  You will have to try it and decide if you like it. If you don't, well...you might want to check out Google Keep - that is another very interesting option!

Why not weigh in at #lpsconnects and share the note-keeping app/program you like best!

Work Smarter NOT Harder!

Now that you are not going to lose any of your links again, consider using widgets to post your diigo content in a blog, website, etc. through the widget feature.  Remember, when your audience can get everything in a one-stop shop, that makes for a happy customer (and reduces confusion).  For the most part, you will want to isolate the embed code from one of the widgets and then add to your website.

On blogger, we pulled the embed code and then on the right side of the blog inserted an html widget and posted the code there - it appears on the side of the blog and updates as new items are saved.

A few widgets you can use from the diigo Tools site:

Add To Diigo Widget - you can add this to your blog or website and people can click to add your site to their diigo accounts.  This is another way for your visitors to always have a link to your webspace.

Diigo Tag Rolls - add your diigo tags to your website.

Enhanced Linkrolls - add your annotated titles/links to your website!

Calling a Guest Blogger - Did you know that diigo can also be blog posts?  I haven't tried this yet, but would love to have someone explore this option and blog about it for the group!  Any takers?  It will earn you a Guest Blogger Badge!

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Making a Connection....

Yes, once you make the connection, each time you hit "favorite" on a Tweet - it will be added to diigo! So say I'm on TweetDeck and I want to save this great tweet as an idea to use for the start of school:

I click on the star to favorite in Twitter and it will remain in favorites.  BUT I can also see it in my diigo bookmarks under the tags:  lpsconnects (because it has a hashtag in the Tweet) AND as tweet (because I set that tag up when making the connection):

Don't expect the save to happen immediately.  I have found what I favorite today, always shows up in my diigo account by tomorrow.

Are you ready to try it out?

If you prefer Written Instructions, you can the link from diigo Tools.  If you prefer Video Instructions, I have screencasted instructions on how to make the connection.

Is there a downside to connecting?  Not that I have found, but keep in mind, if you have a FREE account, you can only save about 20 tweets a day ... but then again, who favorites over 20 a day?  Sometimes you just have to let a few things go.

diigo ... it's not just for your computer!

Diigo can be used across most any platform that is connected to the Internet.

Today's goal - connect your other devices to your diigo account and start working smarter and not harder!

Go to THIS diigo Tools page, scroll down to "Mobile and Desktop Apps" locate your device(s) and follow their directions to connect.

I found the iDevices took me a couple of attempts as I wasn't reading the instructions close enough, so be sure to take your time.  Once you are connected, it works great!!!

Post any resources/tutorials you might find that helps others connect their devices at #lpsconnects!

diigo Lists - Who Knew!

I have to be honest in saying diigo lists are relatively new for me in my diigo use (gasp says those who

are tech savvy) ... BUT remember, this is NOT a race to check off all of the cool web 2.0 tools you have tried, but to find those tools that serve the purpose you need at the time.

For this class, I have been learning more about diigo and lists were high on my agenda to check out.  I like this short video (4:34) called "Diigo make, sort, & share lists" by Devon Adams.  Watch the video and/or find an article/resource about diigo lists and then add it to the Connected Educator group!  It is also a great idea to post your thoughts to #lpsconnects!

Have I mentioned how much I enjoy Twitter for learning in short snippits?  I hope you are enjoying this as well!

Diigo 101

Today is about you and social bookmarking with diigo!  Don't forget you can learn more by clicking on the diigo page in our blog navigation (on the right side of the blog)

After training district administrators this year, one principal put diigo in really great terms, "You mean diigo is like the bag of printed articles I keep walking around hoping that I will read and never get to?  I can now just keep them online instead of printing?  Now that is cool!"

If you are new to diigo and want a little more guidance, please check out their 'getting started' videos.

We need to make sure everyone has understands:

Group - a collaborative space where multiple users can share online resources with each other.

Lists - will organize your tags.  You can put items in a group and a list if you would like.

Tags - should be used to help organize your items according to 'topic'

• I was at a PD session with @HeidiHayesJacob and she recommends teaching students tagging as a 21st Century Skill!  Here are two resources for better tagging.

Many new (and veteran) diigo users get confused between lists and tags.  I liked this help entry to keep my mind organized with the difference:

Our browser recommendation to you...CHROME.  Bookmarking in diigo is done using THIS

extension which you can add in the Chrome Store without any tech support.  This extension is super easy to set up - just logon with your diigo account and start highlighting and annotating most any online resource.  Sorry - no annotation option on a .pdf file.  You can tag and save - hopefully they will do something about pdfs soon!

Once you have set up your account, practice highlighting and annotating to your diigo doc.  Do you notice the "Share this Page" option where you can connect to Twitter?  Try it - and add to #lpsconnects

*Information Overload Checkpoint*
You may decide you want to stop here and practice highlighting and annotating for the day and pick back up here tomorrow!  Remember, this blog will be archived and you can come back as often as you might want.

When you are ready for a Badge Challenge... Diigo

We have created a shared diigo group called LPS Develops Connected Educators

1. Click on the link above and add yourself to the group
2. Find an online resource that relates to diigo
3. Annotate and/or add a sticky note
4. Add the resource to the group.  
5. Don't forget to tag the article so everyone can find it quickly - tags that are already used in the group will automatically show and you can pick those or add new.
6. Advanced Option - once you have added it to the group - it might be Tweet worthy - you can click on the diigo extension and "Share this page" / click on Twitter (sign-in if needed) and voila - you have posted to both the Connected Educator group AND tweeted to your followers!  

NICE WORK!

Badges - Signup and Get Started!

Badges are an interesting way to show mastery that is very much the rage in the gaming world.  If this is the first time you have heard of badges, check out our Connected Educator diigo site and click on the tag 'badges' or you can click HERE to read a few articles! (Spoiler Alert - you will learn more about diigo next week)

Read something Tweet-worthy about badges?  Make sure to tweet it with #lpsconnects.

Insider Notes

• Like an author's point of view?  Check to see if they are on Twitter!  Increase who you are following while you are learning.
• Read something that isn't on the diigo site that should be shared?  Tweet the link!
• You can 'mention' the author by using the @ sign.  For instance... if you like what I have said in this post, you might tweet something like:
  
  Thanks @lpstechmentors for the information on badges - definitely something I will want to explore for students this year! #lpsconnects  

There are many sites that use badge systems, one interesting social media site for students is Edmodo.  We highly recommend you check out this site as an option for your social web presence with students!  We have used it in a pilot this summer and it worked out great, let me know if you want any additional information about Edmodo as it is beyond the scope of this month's session.

Getting Down to Business

We will be using an online badge system to help organize our records and we have chosen "ClassBadges" http://classbadges.com/ as the site to use.  I have uploaded the class roster and have used your @student.liberty.k12.mo.us as the email so you will appear as students.  If you want to use this site with your own students, you would want to create a teacher account.  If for some reason this interferes with that process, I can delete your student accounts at the end of the month.

Please keep in mind, this is a work in progress so we will be using your session as the trial to ensure this system works well.  With every new adventure comes some challenges...so please bear with us!

To get started:

1. Go to http://classbadges.com/ and use your student gmail to logon.
2. You should have received an email to your student gmail account with the logon information.  The user names are strange, so use your student email as your logon name and the given password.  You should have an option to change your password once you are in the site.
3. Use Class Badges as a way to monitor your progress toward the four badges needed in order to receive credit and payment for completion of this professional development opportunity!

What badges can be earned this week?

You can earn one or two Twitter badges this month - it depends on how much time you want to use exploring and learning with Twitter!  

Become a "Twitter Consumer"

Level 1: Create an account, add your photo, develop your bio, familiarize yourself with Twitter
Level 2: Find people to follow, develop an understanding of Twitter Language (#, @), explore who others are following
Level 3: Tweet, search,  create a Tweetdeck, and join our conversation at #lpsconnects 

Become a "Twitter Producer"

Level 1: Create an account, add your photo, develop your bio, familiarize yourself with Twitter
Level 2: Find people to follow, develop an understanding of Twitter Language (#, @), explore who others are following
Level 3: Tweet, search,  create a Tweetdeck, and join our conversation at #lpsconnects 
Level 4: Create a magazine or collages of your tweets - see the last two rows in our Symbaloo webmix for some ideas you might want to explore.  

Find something new and exciting to share with the group?  Don't keep it to yourself!  Tweet it #lpsconnects and we will add to Symbaloo for future Connected Educator classes!!!