This week is the Explore MTBoS challenge #6 is about Borrowing and Regrouping. How am I going to organize the information I find so it is useful. So I can find it. (Wish I was at school right now so I could insert a picture of my disorganized desk to punctuate the point of needing organization.) My need for organization is great. I struggle with all things real. Papers multiply on my desk over the course of the day and I don't know how to stop them. I would love to go electronic for everything. Get myself a good tablet that is versatile and eliminate my need for most things paper. (Someday when I have $) So for a person that struggles with keeping organized and keeping track of things here are a few things that I have tried some that work and others not quite/
1. I got feedly for an RSS reader. Problem is I don't often use it. I still go around to blogs randomly. I would like to use the feeder better but all the blogs I want to read I have not added. I struggle with the organization etc.. of it. So for me the jury is out on a feeder. I am not sure how to access it other than my computer (honestly I am usually more computer saavy than this.) Its on my to do list to learn more.
2. I started reading blogs a year ago and have been recording ideas in my Dropbox. I love Dropbox I do. I no longer forget my jump drive at home or work with the lesson I am working on/teaching. I keep all in my Dropbox and it is right at my finger tips where ever I am. The problem is that I do not have it organized as I should. I originally put a folder called blog stuff which I keep adding to with no inside organization. I really need to move the blog stuff to the different folders I am making by content strands. I have downloaded activities and cannot find the website from which it came and that frustrates me. I have evolved in my usage. If I find something I want to use and the blogger allows readers to download the material I always save the blog address onto the material I download. This way I can go back to where I found it and share, ask questions, thank the blogger etc... Dropbox is a keeper for me.
3. Pinterest works great too. When I am at home and I see something I like I just pin it so I can come back to it. Pinterest is my version of a virtual file cabinet. Itt is easy to pin and easy to find some great things to use. Yes I get frustrated with all the TpT stuff there. But there is also a lot of great free materials and blogs that are pinned. If more of us pin the great free materials the people that don't know any better won't have to resort to TpT instead they might find the MTBoS like I did. (Did I mention I found the blogs and MTBoS through Pinterest?)
When I was first setting up Google reader, I would open it in one tab and any blogs I wanted to add in new tabs; then, I copied and pasted the blog URL into the reader's add feature. You may find yourself using Feedly more once you've gotten the blogs you like all set up. It's worth the work in the beginning because then updates will all be automated! Besides your computer, how else would you like to access it?
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on both Dropbox and Pinterest! They're both great tools.
Welcome to the MTBoS!
Thanks Mathinate, I will work on adding the blogs I like to read regularly. You're right probably worth the time. I would like to access it from my work computer occasionally but its not really a necessity mainly I will be reading them on my home computer.
DeleteThanks for sharing, I have enjoyed reading your blog :-) I'm a little behind so I've spent today catching up with the missions! I haven't looked at pinterest before but have heard some colleagues mention it - your positive comment has made me wanna have a look at it - thanks :-)
ReplyDelete