LiveBinder as a Tool for Students and Teachers

 LiveBinder “Is a quick and easy way for teachers and students to create a virtual binder of any topic. Teachers can use LiveBinders to direct students to specific content or websites to study a certain topic. Student can create a digital collection of material or content for a project in a subject and share this virtual binder with the rest of the class.

Use the following links to explore more about LiveBinders and the opportunities for using this application in the classroom” (Teaching-through-Technology)

Livebinders for Teachers:

Source: livebinders for teachers. Retrieved from youtube, 2009

“PDFs, images, videos and websites can be combined with active links within a binder. Links and documents can be organized into tabs and subtabs. LiveBinders are easy to share from the LiveBinder website, on desktops, or embedded in blogs or other websites” (Livebinders Blog)

  

Has the title of this post mention Livebinders can be used by students and teachers. Both users can do different things with the same instrument:

·       Digital portfolios for student projects

·       Organize information and resources

·       Use a LiveBinder to submit a completed project and include all notes, sources

·       Collaborate in peers to share information for group projects

·       A "social bookmarking" tool for sharing favorite web links

This tool has free access and have he following limitations:

• “file size up to 5 MB per file.
• Total upload storage for free is 100 MB per account”

In the Classroom

“Once an account is created, add the bookmarklet to your browser bar for quick access. Check with your IT department to have the ability to download bookmarklets on your computer. Knowledge of embed codes are required to manage Livebinders in other sites. To get a better idea of Livebinder basics, watch the 90 second video tour before you "play." (TeachersFirst, Livebinders. 2012)

10 Ways to use LiveBinders by Teachers:

1. “ePortfolios ;
2. Computer Lab - Are you always finding more sites that you want to share in the computer lab? If you keep them in a LiveBinder, the students will always have access to your latest finds;
3. Administration - Sometimes there is an event at school (like state testing) where the information changes constantly. In this case, it is helpful to have all relevant information in one place, where everybody can access it.
4. Library;
5. Student Assignments 
6. Collecting things to read - How do you organize all those great links from tweets so that you can find them later when you need them? 
7. Preparing for lessons 
8. Posting course materials
9. Sharing resources
10. Best resources on a subject 
11. Fun “

(Livebinders Blog, 2012).

Nowadays we all resorted to the internet as our real libraries, sources of information and quick searches. At the same time there is over load of information, selection to be done on what is relevant and we do not have a place online where the information can be organized the way it is easier for a particular subject / area / discipline / project. This tool appears as a really excellent support to the work of a teacher or a student in this case.

For more information’s about this tool please follow the links below:

Livebinders: http://livebinders.wordpress.com

Detailed presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/ellenc808/livebinders-tutorial

 

References:

-  (http://blogs.ksbe.edu/elcordei/2012/02/01/livebinders-in-the-classroom/)

- Teaching-through-Technology (2012). Retrieved from http://teaching-through-technology.wikispaces.com/Web+2.0+LiveBinders

- Tallent, B. (2009). Livebinder for Teachers. Youtube videos. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdG56uSubx0

- Livebinders Blog (2012). 10 Great Ways that Educators are Using LiveBinders. Retrieved from

http://livebinders.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/10-great-ways-that-educators-are-using-livebinders/

- TeachersFirst (2012). Livebinders website. Retrieved from http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=10479