Getting Organized

[Peter Wilhelm]

I am a member of Dr. Barbour's IT 6230 class this semester.  We are learning about Web 2.0 tools and their applications in the classroom.  In order to make use of the many resources out there we have had to, and will have to, create many user accounts.  I'm beginning to feel a little overwhelmed with all of the information we're being asked to provide and keep track of.  I see the very real value of all of these tools, but it feels like there's no time to "stop and smell the roses."  I pride myself on being well organized but am feeling a bit disorganized with the huge influx of information.  Slow, deep breathing aside, does anyone have advice for organizing all of this information and making it manageable and meaningful?   

[Penny Hildinger]

Hi!

That sounds like a great class!

I know what you mean about keeping stuff organized.

I have a little book from Barnes and Noble called" "Internet Address Organizer".  It is just like a little address book.  In fact, some people do use a little address book.  You put in the web sites and your passwords and a short description to help you get back to the site when you need it.

My tip, if you get this book, is not to put your entire password.  If you are like me, you have a mixture of 3 or 4 passwords you use for everything.  In the password space of the book, I just put the first letter and the last.  For example, if my password is "kitchen", I would put "k...n" in the password area.

That way if you set the book down for any period of time, any peekers won't get your password.

Thanks to Marilyn Western for sharing this great idea with me.

Hope that helps.  Penny

[Penny Hildinger]

Hi again,

I just had another thought...

If you use online bookmarking sites like Delicious or Diigo, you can save your passwords there. 

When you save a bookmark, just type your password into the description box. 

Just be sure to keep your links with passwords private, not public...

Good luck!

Penny

[Shereese Thomas]

Hello Penny,

Thanks for the suggestions on Peter's post.  I've been looking into Delicious and it looks like a great solution for managing our accounts.  Especially for IT 6230 where we are required to stay on top of social networking for several accounts.  Do you ever worry about the security of your accounts with this solution?

[Penny Hildinger]

I haven't worried about it.

As long as I indicate that I want a bookmark to be private, nobody else will see it.

You do have to remember to make the link private, the default is for it to be public.

If your link is private, you will see a small lock icon next to it on your list.

I know there are online password managing sites, but I have never tried one.

Good Luck!  Penny

[Kelly Walmsley]

Thank you for this post, Peter, as I was feeling the same way.

 

And thank you, Penny, for the suggestion.  Using elicious is actually part of our assignment due this week.  I did not think to use it in that way!  Great suggestion!

[Dr. Julia VanderMolen]

Actually yes there is and here is a great link to review.  I have toying with the idea of using WizIQ and presenting the idea.  Take a look at this link, http://www.usi.edu/distance/bdt.htm or view this Prezi, http://prezi.com/gxgypkp67mka/blooms-digital-taxonomy-and-web-2-tools/.  

Julia

[Penny Hildinger]

Wow, great stuff!  It's a lot of information, which one is the password keeper?

Thanks, Penny