Evernote: My Brain's Personal Data Backup

Need to be organized and on-the-go at all times?
Ever find yourself feeling scatterbrained, with an unmanageable number of ideas bouncing through your head??
Do you enjoy writing or reflecting on your thoughts?






Well, if you fit any of these broad categories--or honestly, even if you don't...but you still kept reading by accident ;-] -- I would like to suggest this free and useful productivity tool. Evernote is a cloud-based website and application, designed to make file storage, personal organization, and complex note-taking a simple and convenient experience.

To summarize, Evernote allows the user to create text, audio, and video "notes" and organize them into "notebooks". The user data is stored on the company's secure central servers, and is immediately accessible (remotely) from any of web-enabled device.

Applications are available for computers running Windows and Macintosh operating systems, and also through iPhone, Android, and Blackberry mobile platforms.

Below are a few ideas for incorporating the Evernote experience into the ELA classroom. Feel free to add any comments you may have regarding the app!

o  Compile complex notes, study guides, or lesson plans using different mediums of data--whether it is textual research, website screenshots, pictures, or YouTube videos/

o   Could be implemented in the classroom through quick-write activities--engages students with modern technology, allowing them to jot ideas down, brainstorm, outline, and organize research for larger assignments.

o   Potentially eliminates the need for “Note Card” style research techniques...which many students dread or find counterproductive.

o   They will have immediate access to all their notebooks from home, school, and abroad--and depending on their usage, they can add ideas for essays or projects on the go through mobile devices.

o   Because they may use Evernote through a cellular device, it feels more like texting than writing.

Captain's Log, StarDate 02012.2 : Entry One

I possess a certain degree of nerdiness that can be a bit...well...overwhelming for some (myself included, haha). Over the years, my fascination with the digital realm has driven me to conduct research and familiarize myself with a variety of emerging technologies.

As a Secondary English Education major, I am particularly interested in the fusion of ELA classrooms and modern hardware/applications. By implementing such technologies into the world of pedagogy, educators at any level can streamline the teaching process and provide vital lessons in digital literacy.

Throughout the next few years, technology and education will truly coalesce--shedding some of the more antiquated teaching methods along the way. With the help of pre-service, beginning, and veteran instructors, the transition to an updated digital classroom should be a smooth and enjoyable process.

I found this nifty little "infographic" while browsing Digg.com for stories regarding the aforementioned topic. It seems to provide a simple and holistic summary of the most common technologies being introduced into classrooms lately.

Let me know what you think!

Image courtesy of Horizon Report 2011.