BP05_2009102_Social_Bookmarking

Searching through folder after folder, reminiscent of the overstuffed filing cabinets of years past, Internet bookmarks become lost in hierarchical layers, misplaced, mislabeled, and often only found by re-searching the web from which they came. Like a set of cars keys, saved resource links are only useful if they can be found when needed.

The common method of saving and organizing web site addresses on a local computer’s hard drive is inadequate when compared to the potential offerings of the World Wide Web. Traditional bookmarks and favorites folders have limited capabilities for organizing, accessing, and sharing Internet resource links (Fryer, 2007).


Web-based social bookmarking tools simultaneously organize and categorize links by allowing users to add sortable, searchable, descriptive tags. For the individual, this equates to easy organization, quick retrieval, and expanded access from any Internet accessible device, and through websites such as Del.icio.us and Digg.com the ability to share and discover online resource treasures (Gordon-Murnane, 2006). For the educator, the social aspect provides a collection of resources, a means of collaboration, and access to a community of subject specific experts (Etches-Johnson, 2006).


In the classroom, teachers can easily share a collection of web links for course projects and allow students to collect and share resources with team members. Cannata (2009) noted that adapting the tagging/folksonomy approach found in social bookmarking and other web 2.0 strengthened essential elements such as collaboration, gratification, and ownership and take advantage of adaptability, connectivity, and pluralism.


Social bookmarking tools provide an efficient method for organizing web-based resources and making them widely accessible. The social aspect provides a large collection of resource gems and expertise that expedites lesson planning and student activities.

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References

Cannata, C. (2009). Folksonomy, tagging and taxonomy for effective learning: Perspectives of learning 2.0 in the XXI century. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 4(2), 26-32.

Etches-Johnson, A. (2006). The brave new world of social bookmarking: Everything you always wanted to know but were too afraid to ask. Feliciter, 52(2), 56-58.

Fryer, W. (2007). Social bookmarks 101. TechEdge, 27(1), 22-23.

Gordon-Murnane, L. (2006). Social bookmarking, folksonomies, and web 2.0 tools. Searcher, 14(6), 26-38.