Here are my reflections on unit 2 “Bringing it all together”. I have left the questions in to give the reader (and myself) some idea as to where my ramblings have come from.
- What are your current techniques for keeping your work organised, keeping track of resources and sharing these resources with others? How do you imagine the tools covered in this unit will change your workflow?
Currently I manage my work through my e-mail accounts, a massive bookmarks toolbar, Word documents and a large assortment of windows files and folders. If I need to share my work with others, it is usually done by e-mailing/printing the relevant document and sending it to my colleagues. Even when I am compiling our work Blog I usually draft my ideas in a Word document first and then share it with colleagues via e-mail. I find they usually print it out to proofread and send it back, although some of us use “markup” to correct each others work. My greatest limitation has been my lack of mobility. If I want to take work home, or move to another desk for a short time, I need to backup my work to a memory stick. Even then I don’t have the same flexibility of my work computer, as I don’t have the same bookmarks on my home computer. This is despite having already signed up to Diigo and Delicious (another bookmarking site).
It never occurred to me to use these sites for organising my work, I had just used them to share sites with different groups. Evernote will be a great benefit to me, as long as I don’t let it take away my leisure time. The ability to access work from anywhere must be managed, so that the workaholic in us doesn’t overindulge. The Web Clipper is a great idea, I usually use the snipping tool and then paste to a Word doc, this will make researching much simpler.
- Is teaching workflow and organisation techniques to students an important task? What have you noticed about the workflow and organisational strategies of students?
It is extremely important. I believe adults put far too much faith in so-called “common sense”, and believe that students will be learn organisational skills through some form of osmosis during their school life. If the student has parents who are organised and willing to help their children learn the necessary skills, then school life is just one long frustrating ordeal that must be endured. Organisational skills can make life easier and more pleasurable, and we all know that doing something we enjoy will increase our motivation to keep going.
- How have digital technologies and internet access changed the way we organise ourselves?
Yes, of course. I still read books, sometimes even for research. But I find looking up the same sources in a digital format much easier. Especially if I wish to use a quote, or remember where a piece of information has come from. Now that I have portability of my information, I can use my time more efficiently when researching or communicating. On this point, the ability to communicate with like minded individuals from anywhere in the world, at any time I chose, gives me access to a great deal of expertise and knowledge when I need it.
My link to Evernote
The Inspiratorium 
Thanks for your post Peter. I’m glad that the unit will go some way to helping you stay organised across a number of devices, and you make a good point about the danger of this convenience leading us to being workaholics (mobile devices in particular cause these problems).
Thanks for some interesting reflections also on the strategies employed by students. The tool is less important than the concept, so in some ways we can disregard the tool and focus on the concept. We might not know if Diigo will be here in 5 years, but at least if students know how to organise, tag and share then they will be able to use whatever comes along next.