Curation+Tools

=Here are some suggested tools for collecting and curating websites and other information-creating your own library!=

Add your suggestions here, too.
Choose a tool to explore. Many of them have tutorials built into the product or you can find them in Youtube.

[|Livebinders] Livebinders tutorial Diigo Evernote Delicious Pinterest [|Scoopit!]

I am including information from Debbie Hansen's blog and Kristine Caldwell's on this topic. Thought we might to have them to look at later.

Deborah Ehler-HansenEDLI 272 Managing School Library Media Centers Judy Kaplan and Meg Allison Reflection on “Curation” Style Class #2 Assignment I’ve always been very organized, or at least I have always tried to be, even when “life” takes over and you just have to take things day by day. When I was young I used to organize and label the shelves of my mothers pantry! I wish I had time to do that now! So, when I reflect about how I organize and store information, I would say that personally - I still do it, as I always have. I prefer a three ring binder with dividers and organize my paperwork that way. On the computer I use “folders” and organize my documents that way. Then I was introduced to LiveBinders in this class. I have been working with it all week and I must say that I really like it a lot! It is a virtual three ring binder with tabs that act as my dividers! I can organize to my hearts content and I don’t have to punch holes through paper to file them! I //love// the ability to bookmark or “live binder it,” whereby, I do not have to actually go to the binder itself. To do this you just copy the “live binder it” link to your toolbar, where it is conveniently located for use at any time. The “live binder it” link is as follows: < [] >. LiveBinders, also, gives you access to a personal learning network. There are LiveBinder google hangouts and, I also, really like the “knowledge sharing webinar archives.” This is truly a place where we, librarians/educators, (not just the students) can “share and grow” which are both a part of the AASL 21st Century Learning Standards. I decided to search for other digital content curation tools and found this interesting link to an article that describes 55 different content curation tools. < [] > Here LiveBinders is described as “your 3-ring binder for the web.” Check this link out if you haven’t found the “right” curation tool yet! I did not realize that people were looking for and discovering so many different ways to collect, organize and share digital content. According to Nikki D. Robertson, “curation in the 21st-century is much the same as what librarians did in the past with vertical files. Essentially, librarians, students, and other educators gather resources from the Web and organize them in user-friendly, web-based formats." Popular online content curation tools include Pinterest, of which some librarians use for on their websites, Diigo, Delicious, Reddit, Storify, and Scoop.It! Robertson, however maintains, that content curation is not just for librarians and educators. It is a vital 21st-century skill that we should be teaching our students. “a learner that pulls in information from many different sources and media at once, reflects on the information, and then creates new content based on that information that is then shared with other learners in an interactive way that often allows learners to also learn and create.....” Jane Eyre, A Wondering Eyre (2011) This, again - to think, create, share, and grow are the actual AASL 21st Century Learning Standards. Diigo is very interesting, because you can highlight and annotate the information you find on the web, and you can join or follow other groups or users. Robertson asserts that Storify is “a great way to bring social media into the classroom for meaningful, educational use.” You can add your own narration to the story that you create from the information collected on the web. “The possibilities are endless, and the tool can be used in virtually any subject area.” I found this great check list to help decide what content curation tool is best for you! [|Choosing a Content Curation Tool V2 Oct 2012-1.doc] URL = [] > **Choosing a Content Curation Tool** There is a wide variety of content curation tools available and before you choose one it is important to think carefully about the purpose of your project, who is involved and exactly what you hope to accomplish. **Focus Questions:** **If you will be using this tool with students you may also want to consider:** **Checklist to Evaluate a Curation Tool**
 * 1) Who is my target audience?
 * 2) What is my content scope? Where is this content found?
 * 3) Who will be responsible for curation and upkeep?
 * 4) How long will this project continue? Is it for a specific time/unit or open-ended?
 * 5) Where will this project be displayed? How do I want others to access it?
 * 1) Is it easy (and free) for students to set up their own accounts?
 * 2) Can students add content/comments/notes on other students’ projects?
 * 3) Do I want students to use it individually or in groups?
 * 4) How much time will students be required to spend curating their projects? Will I give them time in class or expect them to do this at home?
 * || Yes || No || Comment/Notes ||
 * Is it free? If not, does it fit my budget? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Is it hosted online? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Are the instructions provided clear, organised and easy to access? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Is it easy to use and not intimidating to new users (including students)? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Does it allow multiple formats of information (images, WebPages, videos, etc.)? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Can I easily embed it into other platforms? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Is it searchable? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Can I organise information into folders/tabs/sub-tabs etc.? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Can I curate more than one topic with my account? How many? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Can it be shared easily with others? How? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Does it allow collaboration? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Can I automatically alert others when I add new content (e.g. through RSS feeds)? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Does it allow me to add comments and/or annotate content? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Does it allow others to leave comments and/or annotate content? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Does it suggest and bring in content for me to sort through and evaluate? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Am I able to bring in content that I find myself? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * How much ‘maintenance’ is required? How often will I (or my students) need to commit in order to use this tool effectively? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Does it create an attractive end-product that is clear and easy to negotiate (e.g. not a lot of scrolling)? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Does it show advertising? ||  ||   ||   ||

We are curating digital content to organize and share our information. Are there other reasons why we are doing this? Who are we going to share it with exactly? Joyce Valenza believes that curation of digital resources “can also promote and lead users back to valuable print materials” by digitally sharing content about print books, which is comparable to “face-out” shelving. She maintains that we (school librarians) should curate information, not only for ourselves, but for faculty, our administrators, parents, and students! Nancy White makes a great point in her blog “Understanding Content Curation” (2012). She created a graphic organizer (below) to help understand the difference between just collecting information and actually curating content. The five different criteria actually integrate the levels of “deeper thinking,” which are a part of Bloom’s Taxonomy. **Collecting vs. Curating Content** **Thinking Level** [|Bloom’s Taxonomy]  **<**[|**http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/Resources2/bloomstax.htm**]**>** This is all very positive information, but the learning initiative Educause (a non-profit organization) - stresses in their “Social Content Curation” article that curating is not always a good thing. There is the issue of copyright. They argue that the curation tools “encourage - or at least enable - more frequent violations of copyright” and that the “tools also tend to separate content from its context by pulling just an image, for example, rather than using a link to the website that hosts not only the image, but also, related information, including copyright notes or original source details." In conclusion, I see the value of curating information for, not just myself, but for students, colleagues, and administration. For now, for the class, I have chosen to work with LiveBinders. This is most similar to the three ring binder process that I have utilized for decades. For the library and my students I would like to try Pinterest, Storify, and Scoop.It! Last but not least, I will ensure that when I do use curation tools with my students, they will learn how to properly cite the information they have not just “collected” but “curated” from the web. **Works Cited:** American Association of School Librarians. “Standards for the 21st-Century Learner.” // American Library Association. // 2007. Web. 18 September 2013. URL = [] Bloom. 1956. Web. 18 September 2013. URL = < [] > “Content Curation.” //Services to Schools. National Library of New Zealand.// Web. 19 September 2013. URL = < [] > Robertson, Nikki D. “Content Curation and the School Librarian.” //Knowledge Quest. Personal Learning Networks - Online Exclusive.// Web. 19 September 2013. URL = < [] > “Things You Should Know About...Social Content Curation.” //Educause// 2012. Web. 19 September 2013. URL = < [] > Valenza, Joyce Kasman. “Curation.” //School Library Monthly.// Volume XXIX, Number 1. September-October 2012. Web. 19 September 2012. URL = < [] > White, Nancy. “Understanding Content Curation.” //Inovations in Education: Reflections on Learning.// 7 July 2012. Web. 18 September 2012. URL = < [] > Williams, Shirley. “Content Discovery, Curation Tools and Sites.” //TeachThought//. 21 April 2013. Web. 20 September 2013. URL = < [] >

==== Kristine Caldwell====


 * __Current Curation Method__**

I have been storing my notes and work in MS Word documents in folders on my hard drive. But, in order to answer these questions, I need to take a hard look at how I can update this.


 * __Past Research on Cloud Storage__**

This past winter, I started using Google Apps to store documents for my work as well as my UVM class. Toward March, I was interested in looking at alternatives and their pros and cons. I looked at a wide range of storage options trying to be especially mindful of the fine print of terms of use. One of the main themes I came across was looking at the fundamental difference between cloud computing and local control. Although I absolutely acknowledge the many benefits of cloud computing not the least of which is the ability to access your data from any device with internet access, I still felt that there are too many people who are sacrificing the right for privacy without really understanding how your data can be accessed in the cloud by individuals and organizations of which they are not aware. Disregarding my personal feelings on the issue, I know as a librarian I will have patrons that might have good questions about storing their information in the cloud and I want to be prepared with somewhat articulate answers.

Here are some interesting resources that compare cloud computing with local control of data:

An interesting blog: []

Although this article was written for financial planners, it offers some very good insight into pros and cons of cloud computing and, additionally, effectively compares Google Apps and MS Office 365. There is even an amusing example of co-authoring using Google Apps using Hall & Oats’s “Maneater” song. []


 * __Pros and Cons of Keeping Information Virtual__**

There are definitely situations when storing in the cloud is the best solution for data. Examples of when to choose cloud storage might include:

-collaboration – sharing ideas with others -mobility –accessing your data when you need to switch devices -scaling your storage needs up is easier in the cloud -security can be stronger

When an individual comes across a situation where working with cloud-based storage is really the best solution, it is vital to be aware of the fine print in user agreement contracts. Unfortunately, the language for these terms can sometimes be inaccessible for users. Some issues to be aware of include but are not limited to:

-Data ownership – does the cloud storage service assume ownership over part or all of your data? -transferability – can you take your data to another provider? -security – Although cloud computing maintains a high standard of security to protect consumers, your data can still be more vulnerable being stretched across several severs in a stranger’s facility. -offline access – can you still access your information if you loose access to the internet?


 * __Summary of Cloud Storage Services__**

Here are some services I have been investigating with some annotation about my favorites:


 * Bookmarking/Notetaking

Incredibly efficient way to store and organize virtual information || -Livebinders -Delicious -Diigo -Evernote (My favorite – the ability to store multiple types of formats and create organization that makes sense to me is wonderful. Not a choice to produce information to share, though as the visual interface can not be customized to the audience) ||
 * Wiki Sites

See below || -PBWiki -Wikispaces ||
 * Cloud storage

Google Apps is King of cloud storage because of the multiple ways you can store, organize and display information. Google uses your information and shares this with 3rd party entities (not so with Google Apps for Education) so I really strive to be Google-free when I can || -Google Apps -SkyDrive - Microsoft’s version of google apps - not as powerful as google apps but still fairly good. -UbuntuOne – Ubutnu is the open source operation system that is base on a variant of UNIX (Linux) that I love to support when I can. Ubuntu is reputably less of a hacking-target because malicious hackers are usually busy with Microsoft and Apple. I use UbuntuOne for cloud storage -OX Documents – Open source version of google apps. There is a Document application but that is it for now. I can‘t wait to see OX documents when it is up and running with spreadsheets and other web-based applications. I think it could be really competitive with Google apps. ||
 * Website production

I love websites because of how you can customize based on your audience. But having to set up the website in the beginning is not very efficient for storing information quickly like for this class. || -Weebly – I like weebly because I can download the sites. They are in html format and not the proprietary format that google sites has. -Wix -Google Sites – Very easy to use, fairly quick but the website building language is proprietary and you can’t bring your website anywhere else. ||
 * Blog production

I like blogs for displaying a diary-like blog over time. The customizability and visual look is similar to what I like about websites. || -Wordpress – I have just started with wordpress. I like that wordpress.org supports blog and website creators with an open source philosophy. -Blogster ||


 * __My Favorites__**

Just to highlight my favorite systems, the visual arrangement of information on a website makes sense to me. The ability to customize it to your audience is what makes websites a strong information tool. However, I predominately use the creation of websites to share information with the public and not so much for personal use. The time it takes to set up a website for personal use is not very efficient for storing class information for this class, as an example.

Wikis are probably the best tool for me to store information for this class. Wikis have most of the benefits of a website layout, some customizability, and they can be used efficiently. I have already been exploring wikis that can be used locally on a laptop or even a thumb drive to store information such as Tikiwiki and Wiki On A Stick. For me, the added benefit is the experience I am getting working with content management systems which are necessary for some complex but incredibly powerful websites that are based on languages such as Drupal or Joomla.

One important point to be aware of with wikis is security. I want to store some information just for me (like this class) but have the flexibility to display information without having to bring the information to a whole other format, like a website. When I started an account with Wikispaces this year, it was brought to my attention how popular Wikispaces and PBwiki are for hacking. I have been investigating wiki alternatives to these big brandnames that are maybe less of a target. However, with smaller organizations may come weaker security as well. It is a tradeoff.


 * __Curation For This Class__**

I will continue my search for just the right wiki, but in the meantime, I will probably stick with Wikispaces as I already have an account there.