I've been exploring a resource called Pearltrees, which is rather fun. It's partly a mind-mapping resource, part guided tour, part collaborative tool. I've done a quick video about it that you might care to watch, or if you prefer, just read on below!
This is a tool that would be great to use in a training group or brainstorming session. Simply set up the Pearltree, get ideas, site details and so on from other people, pop them into the tree as appropriate and create the resource. This could then be embedded somewhere else for future reference, and people could comment on the resources included in the tree. Alternatively, you could create a resource that was more along the idea of a guided tour - a Pearltree on history for example could have pearls linked off from it that in turn linked to different time periods, aspects of a subject and so on.
Alternatively, use a Pearltree as a site map. Quick and easy to create, embed it onto a page and it's a perfect navigation aid that can be changed in next to no time. Want to include links in an article that you've posted to the web? Add in a Pearltree as a perhaps more interesting and useful way of presenting that data. Collaboration is easy, since Pearltrees emails you if someone else produces a pearl that includes links from your own trees. You can then take a look at the work that they've done and be better informed.
Assess the content of something that you're creating. If you're writing an article and creating a Pearltree to supplement it, the size of the tree, the number of branches off from it and so on will provide very visual feedback on exactly what you're talking about.
In an education field you could have great fun - get each child/student to create a tree for a subject and then compare them on screen.
Use a Pearltree as a presentation aid - instead of the stack of Powerpoint slides, group the links/screens by subject and use that as a much more interesting way of going through a subject.
Then there's bookmarks - Pearltrees will import delicious bookmarks for you which is another interesting way to visualise what particularly interests you.
I'd love to see how this would work in a touchscreen environment - I can just imagine touching a Pearl and watching it expand as I do - great fun.
Those are just a few of the ways in which I can think that this resource could be used. Any more?
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