BP4_2009102_Social Bookmarking

Now that educators often use the web daily to find information required for their classes, bookmarking useful sites must be organized or all of the bookmarked sites will become overwhelming to find or simply not be used again. Social bookmarking was designed for users to tag and share useful web sites. "Social bookmarking creates a true web of resources and connections, one that is not limited to individuals and their folders but represents the interests and judgments of a community of users." (Lomas, 2005)

Instructors can also incorporate collaboration using social bookmarking. As a class or a group of students performs research on the web, these sites can easily be shared with the rest of class or group. This sharing multiplies the findings that can assist the students learn about the topic of study. "... a group can establish a unique tag and tag all group-related links with it." (Hedreen, 2005)

Just as students can collaborate, so can educators. Smart teachers share resources with their peers. Finding a new tool that assists teaching is helpful, but sharing that resource so another educator can improve their instruction makes the find twice as nice. "Say you want to share your bookmarked sites on Edgar Allen Poe with other teachers?" " The answer to that question is to consider using social bookmarking." (Jackson, 2009)

Although I am brand new to social bookmarking, I am excited to try this web 2.0 tool for myself.

References

[computer]. Retrieved October 11, 2009, from: Stock.xchng: http://www.sxc.hu/

Hedreen, R. (2005, February 3). Social Bookmarking in Education. Message posted to Frequently Answered Question: http://frequanq.blogspot.com/2005/02/social-bookmarking-in-education.html

Jackson, L. (2009, June 5). Sites to See: Social Bookmarking. Retrieved from: http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/sites/sites080.shtml

Lomas, C. (2005, May). 7 things you should know about? Social Bookmarking.
Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7001.pdf