OK, busy teachers here is a time-saving web 2.0 tool that is a hybrid of blogging and Twitter. Tap into Scoop it! and easily assemble a beautiful, visual magazine-format page devoted to one topic. Rather than spending time authoring posts or creating a list of links, you curate a topic with information gathered from the web.
Scoop it! makes this easier, yet. Algorithms search the web for tweets, videos, blogs and websites devoted to your topic; you then select the ones you wish to place on your page or you may simply use information you have previously collected. An additional feature on your Scoop it! page, social networking allows you to connect with other curators who collect similar topics.
How does this tool help educators? Well, it could be used to gather resources for more efficient student use such as the Scoop it curated by third grade teacher, Irene Kistler, Classroom Blogs: “Visit class blogs to learn how to be a better blogger!” Notice how Kistler asks her students a question to help them learn about blogs on her Scoop it! page, rather like an Internet scavenger hunt.
It could also be used to share a topic with other educators such as the Scoop it! on educational professional develop curated by scmorgan, Teaching and Sharing: “Learning in the Open Spaces”.
Steph Westwood writes in her blog, “Bits and Pieces” (August 14, 2011), a handy how-to-do-it post on Scoop it! that explains how she set up pages for 5 topics. Did I mention you can set up 5 Scoop it! topics for free?
Find out more on the Scoop it! website and the following short video.
Let me know how you use Scoop it! and I will share your ideas in a future post.
