Scoop it reviewed

1.   Name of the Tool

2.   URL of the Tool

http://www.scoop.it/

3.   Please select the one, primary category for this tool:

Creativity Tool

4.   Please describe this tool in your own words in about 150-250 words.

Scoop it can be used by many genres of internet users.  It is a unique tool to create a central location for internet topics the users find interesting or useful.  Scoop it allows the user to “bookmark” internet sites that he or she will later want to refer to or review.  The website keeps these bookmarked items in a central location based on the user’s settings and creates a visually appealing webpage with the catalogued items.  A user may have several topics of interest he or she is tracking and thus can have several scoop it pages to keep his or her bookmarked information separate and organized. 

The scoop it page can be shared on social media sites such as facebook or twitter.  It can also be embedded directly into a blog.  The sharing capabilities of Scoop it are quite numerous.  This allows the user to create scoop it sites that can be used and shared with friends, co-workers or students.  The internet supplies a vast wealth of information and no one person can read everything however scoop it allows for a user to create an easily readable webpage that can transfer the salient items related to a topic to multiple other readers.  This task is accomplished by users having the option to “follow” other scoop it pages as well as search for topics that users are interested in.

5.   What do you need to know before using this tool?

A user needs to know how to navigate the internet to first find scoop it.  A user will also want to have an idea of the topics he or she will want to use scoop it to organize.

6.   What do you need to have before using this tool?

Computer, with internet connection

7.   How do you use this tool?

1.   Go to www.scoopit.com

2.   Sign up for free using this button

3.   You will have to then confirm your email to become fully registered.

4.   You will then be taken to the “curate” page where you will title your first scoop it page.  This “getting started” view is below.

5.   After you title your scoop it page, you will be directed to describe your scoop it page

6.   Then, you are ready to start collecting articles and information!

7.   After registration, you may install scoop it bookmarklet so that you may scoop articles while browsing the internet.

8.   You may also use scoop it’s recommended articles that are provided based on your scoop it page description.  The following image shows how scoop it displays suggested articles for the user.  The user may then remove source, discard or scoop the article.

9.   You may also write blog posts without linking it to a url.

10.Your dashboard when you have completed working on a page will appear as follows.  You can then make new pages and they will be listed on your dashboard.

8.   If applicable, please create an example with this tool and either embed in your blog or submit the URL.

http://www.scoop.it/t/jenna-s-up-to-date-travel-tips

9.   Please describe a scenario of how you might use this tool in a teaching environment

Scoop it could be used in a grammar or high school to keep track of current events. Many classes such as social studies and government studies use current events as a teaching tool in class to discuss topics that are currently being studied as part of the class curriculum or to keep abreast of up to date information.  The instructor can keep a scoop it page of topics he or she finds appropriate to the discussion of the class.  This provides control to the instructor of the topics that the students can report on.  The instructor can then ask the students to subscribe to the page to choose the article from the curated scoop it page that they wish to report on in class.  Currents events is a well-known teaching tool however scoop it allows this traditional teaching forum to be updated to use online technology tools while still maintaining the value of the conventional current events assignment.

10.       What are the advantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?

The registration process is easy and free on scoop it.  Beginning to curate a scoop it page is also quite easy and the webpage created is organized an appealing to the eye.

11.       What are the disadvantages of using this tool in a teaching environment?

While the website it easy to navigate, there is no “home page” that gives an overall synopsis of the purpose of scoop it and how to use it generally.  For users like me who happen upon scoop it, a general reference page would be helpful.  The FAQ link on the page is quite extensive however the user must have a specific question in mind prior to visiting this page.  I think the easiest use of scoop it would therefore be to users who already knew how the webpage operated.