Diigo - The Ultimate Organizational Tool

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Diigo Use in the Classroom

Diigo is a great bookmarking tool which has made it possible to gather and collect information from a variety of sources that may be shared with students who are completing research on specific topics.  This cloud -based organizational instrument allows users to access information from a variety of mobile devices from anywhere.  

As teachers, it becomes increasingly more difficult and time consuming to develop a list of approved databases and internet sites that students may use when conducting research on a specific topic. When using school library databases, students on campus have access the school’s server in order to retrieve information. When off campus however, it becomes more difficult to access the same information as passwords are needed to open many of these sites. In this day and age of instant gratification, many students become frustrated with wait time or searching for a username and password for accessibility to specific data. Some students often give up and either develop excuses for not completing the work or “Google it” from an unapproved source where copyright may be infringed and proper citation or reference information cannot be formed. With Diigo, teachers can have have more control over the flow and accessibility of information by forming groups in order to share libraries of approved sites. And, better still, students can begin to research information from approved databases and share this information using Diigo bookmarks for everyone’s use. As the class continues with the process, research can become more specialized allowing students to create and use distinctive search terms in order to access specific topics in the bookmarked sites. Students can even highlight specific pieces of information that they find particularly useful or meaningful from the article that others may peruse and choose to use.

Organization of Research Information

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In social studies, we have recently completed a project where students had to sell the Byzantine Empire as a major travel destination in 1000 C.E. to feudal Europeans. Even though the librarian, the technology coach, and myself researched and developed a list of approved resources for students to use, the above mentioned problems ensued because of lack of access to library databases from off campus. With Diigo, students can access all information in the group setting by selecting their topic or subtopics as it were from anywhere with internet access. In addition, as students bookmark sites, they can write a few sentences relaying what they found interesting or important from the site that they found and that may be useful to others who are completing the same task. Students sharing information with their peers can be a more effective way of hooking reluctant participants in individual and group activities! Here, the bank grows and students share information more readily developing their skills using Diigo to keep information organized for themselves and others.

Initially, the process of getting students familiar with this bookmarking tool may take some time, but the rewards of collecting and organizing information are worth the effort. Creating group bookmarks which can be edited and updated over time will also help to keep units of study current and cut down on extra preparation before the unit begins. I look forward to developing information banks with my students in our next unit on the European renaissance and hope to continue to develop and use this tool with future with my colleagues and students in the upcoming school year.


Reference Citation
Cooper, Alicia, Dr. "What Do Students Learn by Using Social Bookmarking Site Diigo." Web log post. Freshmancomp.com. N.p., 22 Jan. 2013. Web. 
http://freshmancomp.com/2013/01/22/what-do-students-learn-by-using-social-bookmarking-site-diigo/

Images Citations
Computer Artwork Of Internet Communication. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 26 Apr 2014. http://quest.eb.com/images/132_1305177

Man Using A Laptop Computer By A Campfire. Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 26 Apr 2014. http://quest.eb.com/images/132_1311668