Scoop.It vs. Diigo

It is always important, when collecting information, to stay organized. In an electronic classroom this becomes the crux of teaching. As I have collected many ESL teaching resources and activities I tested out two social bookmarking programs. Diigo and Scoop.it are the two sites I signed up for to test out.

For my preference, I liked Diigo better. It allows you to follow people with similar interests and makes it very simple to collect your bookmarks.  It seems to be more of a professional resource. The aesthetic look of the site isn’t that pleasing and you can’t personalize it as much as the Scoop.it site allows.

With Scoop.it I was able to create different threads for different topics for Scoop.it. Also, what was the coolest feature, I could sign up through Facebook or Twitter. This makes it increasingly possible to share. As with Diigo, you can follow topics.

With Diigo, you can preview what the bookmarked site looks like without having to open the link. This makes it convenient to navigate through for someone who has a visual memory.

What it comes down to is preference. Both sites offer plenty of benefits.

If You Can't Beat 'Em...

While watching two interesting videos on the past and present states of the education paradigm often made me reflect on my own experiences during my time in different public education systems. Reflecting on the memories I can still remember vividly; most of them have a common thread: some form of technology. I most often remember the videos that were played in class. The whispering rumor about the "Miracle of Life" video that would be played in our next health class. Or the first time I was introduced to computers (outside of playing Solitaire) to learn and identify the geography of the USA.

It was while watching Changing Education Paradigms it dawned on me that while I was a kid in elementary school I searched for a different way to learn about the new culture I was immersed in while learning the proper grammatical features of my L2. The documentary covers the emergence of public education and the state in which it is now. With our society being so heavily reliant on social media and the technology that ties us to it we have begun to exclude the very things that hold our interest from our classrooms. It is notable that the documentary elaborates on the growing rate of stimuli children are confronted with on a daily basis and the direct correlation to the growing rate to ADHD diagnosis.

"We already live in a time of disconnect, where the classroom has stopped reflecting the world outside its walls." Educational Change Challange confronts the great debate on why all students grouped in the same age are supposed to be on the same learning level and are supposed to learn the same way. Incorporating technology in our classrooms and our lessons will help not only make our students excited to learn but also to incorporate what they so often use at home for an educational purpose. Instead of fighting to keep technology outside of our classrooms we need to begin an emphasis on incorporating it. As both documentaries point out; the purpose of an education is to prepare our students for the world outside of it. If the world outside includes many facets of technology, why aren't we incorporating them inside our classrooms?

Technology in an ESL classroom

Having technology in a classroom has many benefits but in an ESL classroom those benefits are multiplied since the students are able to practice what they learn in the classroom. For an ESL student this class initiated blog could provide an outlet for sharing their experiences with a community that is unique to them and to also explore what else it out there in the new culture they are immersed in. It provides a voyeuristic point of view into the new culture they are exposed to by reading the opinions and experiences of others outside of their community and possibly interacting with them through responses to these blogs.

Students who engage in a blog can help meet many of the ACTFL standards. Primarily, the communication standard 1.1: "Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions." This is easier for an ESL student who is usually shy in a traditional classroom since the blog setting provides some anonymity aspect. This can aid the student to write a little more freely about themselves and their views as well as learn about others without feeling awkward or overwhelmed.


Another standard that is directly met is the communities standard 5.1: "Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting." Blogging helps to reinforce what they are learning in the classroom. By participating in a blog they are connecting to a community they are getting comfortable with. Making a blog a requirement of a class provides the student to connect and to practice what they are learning.

Most of all a blog provides the outlet to express and to connect with others. It also chronicles progress made by the student by keeping a running record of all of their work. It is something they can look back on and be proud of.


As a graduate student this is what I hope to take away from this experience.