StickPin Boards

A couple of weeks ago I was asked if there was a more 'fun' way for student groups to post digital messages for each other (something to do with pledging activity for ESDGC week towards the end of April). This would act as an alternative to a Moodle Forum (nothing wrong with Moodle Forums IMHO).

After a look around, the leading contender and some alternatives on the theme are previewed below.


 
Wallwisher (http://www.wallwisher.com)
From the sticky board websites I've seen, this is by far the easiest to use. The functionality is limited of course but sometimes this isn't a bad thing - perfect for the novice / poorly engaged user.

Creating a wall involves choosing an Image, Title, Background, some Permissions, a Background and the ending of the wall Web Address (eg http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/The-Friday-Feature). Note that the username is not included in the web address, handy for public use. You can then add and move digital sticky notes to a board and set permissions for private or public viewing or posting. If you allow anyone to post, you can choose to moderate all posts before they appear in public.

Wallwisher - demo play area

Sticky notes can contain 160 characters of text, a web link, an image or video. The wall has an RSS feed and web code to embed the wall into another web page. If you setup an account you can create and manage multiple walls. You can however play with a demo or build a wall without needing to login. I suspect you will create an account anyway because this solution is easy to use, enagaging and has a variety of uses even if you use other forms of group communication.

Lino (http://en.linoit.com/)

Although second on my list for the ESDGC task in April, this StickPin Board wins hands down for the range of functionality it provides. This is a serious solution for those who need to keep on top of their sticky note addiction and lead a useful and productive life.

Lino - demo play area

The demonstration leads you through the main functions of the stickies, the board (canvas) and the two floating menus. Because of the range of functionality, Lino does need a bit more attention and playing with before getting to grips with everything. There are a number ot of mouse-over icons and menus that eluded me to begin with but mostly things are quite intuitive and easy to use. Some of the main functions include:

• Easy to Post, Move Peel-off
• Customise note settings
• Rotate to a rakish angle
• Set due dates
• Receive email reminders
• Layout pictures
• Share with groups
• Attach files
• iPhone or iPad enabled

If you create an account, you get a 'Main' and a 'Someday' canvas setup automatically but you can create more boards with their own web address (eg http://linoit.com/users/richar1p/canvases/The-Friday-Feature). You can also create Groups of people and assign them to a board - ideal for project or deadline management. The only down side is the advertising that appears on your board (I have to say very discrete advertising however).

I think this solution is well worth a test run to see what it can do for you and your groups!

--o0o--

Just to round things off, a couple of other web sites and PC based software on the same theme....

Share Square (http://www.sharesquare.com/)
Described as a visual collaboration tool which allows users to organize and share information.
The site is in private beta at the moment and I've signed up for an invitation.

I mention this site becaus there is a free account for all ...@tudelft.nl email users (staff and students of the Delft University of Technology I assume - my Dutch is a little rusty). A great idea for engaging your learners.


Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com)
Pinterest is an online pinboard site where users can create theme based image collections of things they like or find interesting. Easy to use, a Pin It button lets you grab pictures of your favorite things as you browse the Web.

The site creator thinks that "a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people. With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests".

The result is a series of digital 'mood boards' used by interior designers and the advertising industry.
You can also add short comments and others can 'like', 're-pin' etc - a cross between Twitter and Flicker eg.

http://pinterest.com/serabee/bucket-list/

This US site was the fastest growing social networking site in 2011 with a the majority of users being female, more male-oriented pinboard sites have been created (eg Manteresting.com and Gentlemint.com).

There are some concerns in the US about how the site makes it easy to contravene copyright law by posting images without the approval of the image owner (see: 
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-02-28/tech/31106641_1_repinning-copyright-entire-image).

NB: The concept of 'Fair use' doesn't apply in the UK....

Great if you like that sort of social type thing.
I'm not sure my name of 'TwitPic' will catch on with users however :-)

I'm afraid I've run out of time this week so the PC based 'stickies' software will have to wait until next week - my apologies if that is what you have continued reading this far for - until next week then (it actually turned out to be 2 weeks) - (oh the suspense of it all) ....

TGIF