In your first Diigo Group post, please summarize your understanding of the Discussion Board and discuss how you could use this in your classroom to deepen learning.

A discussion board enhances communication within a group typically in an online class and is used for sharing ideas on a particular topic and discussing different points of view. Sometimes after one reads other students' posts, readers discover ways to accomplish things in education that they may have never thought of. Because the discussion board is online, it is available at all times which makes it easy for posting even for students that work. With a discussion board, no certain person necessarily stands out from another. Each person has the ability to speak their mind unlike in a classroom setting where some people may be afraid to raise their hand. When using a discussion board, students may read over their work before posting to ensure that is sounds intelligent and to make sure all words are spelled correctly. There is also time to discuss their thoughts with others if students are unsure of themselves. In the event that there was a need, two groups of students could be merged in order to discuss topics together which would give an ever more vast amount of knowledge base contributed to the board. Students can share resources, ask questions, share skills, give advice, etc. In order for a discussion board to be effective, rules such as proper internet etiquette need to be established up front. Extrinsic motivation such as a grade tied to the discussion may be needed in order to get all students to participate. The teacher needs to make sure all students understand the process of logging in and posting and what is expected in each post. The questions that are asked need to be diverse with no specific answer. In other words, they do not need to be "Googlable." Students need to be able to add some of their previous knowledge in with the answer.

I like the idea of Diigo. I personally do not like reading on the internet and still order real paper or hardback books because I write in my books. With Diigo, it is much easier to read online because I can go back to the important points more easily. I doubt my students have nearly as much trouble reading online because they have grown up in a society of most things being online.

Do you hear that groaning sound? Oh, that is the sound of my high school students if I ask them to read an article. They rarely read directions, but an article, Mrs. Parrish? That is just too much work. So, the way I would use Diigo in my classroom is in an unit that I call, "Is that a real website?" I have a list of sites that students go to and based on previously learned skills, students must decide whether or not the site is real. I will have them add sticky notes (shared only with me, not the class) in places on the sites that demonstrate that the site is real or not real. I will also have students use Diigo as just a place to bookmark. This will be so they can make a Resources page when doing research. If they choose to make highlights, that is their choice. It will be a lot easier to find those sites later especially since we have a program that wipes everything off the computers everyday (including the history).