COOL TOOLS for READING, LEARNING & TEACHING

One of the most useful and powerful browser based utilities I’ve been using for the past year or more and one I really wouldn't want to be without is called Instapaper. If you’ve not had a chance to try this yet I recommend you do. It is an example of the power of simplicity as “all” Instapaper does is add a “Read Later” button in your browser and with one click Instapaper saves any web page so you can read it later. It’s one of the best forms of a personalized digital newspaper I’ve used.

Handy enough, but Instapaper does a bit more than that because when it saves the page it uses an additional bit of technology called “Readability” (which you can use by itself if you like) which automatically strips out all the superfluous web page info, ads, etc. and just saves the clean text and images. Even better, it saves all this locally, as well as a record online and enables you to keep multiple devices in synch with all the “Read Later” items you have clicked on. Therefore you can both save and read your Instapaper “library” on your phone, iPad, laptop, and Kindle, and you can do it online or off. For me, having all these articles and pages I’ve saved with the Read Later button ready and waiting on my Kindle and iPod has been a true gift and helped me discover and read some excellent articles I would have otherwise missed. There are even more options and abilities you can explore for yourself when you do some experiential learning with this very cool tool.

I’ve found a lot of people are still unaware of these cool tools so wanted to put them in this post to help more discover them, and the other reason for writing this up today is that I’ve come across a new extension of this power called LongForm which works very well for longer articles, which are still my most preferred form. Kevin Kelly recently wrote up a good overview and some of his thoughts on Long Form on his Cool Tools blog. Kevin also rightly points you to Instapaper's sister site, Give Me Something To Read, which like Long Form, makes reader selections of the best magazine articles which you can then hit the “Read Later” button and add to your collection. My experience also matches Kevin’s in that I find these two services help me serendipitously discover some of the best magazine and other articles out there and which I would have otherwise missed.

While I’m no longer actively teaching, at least not in any traditional sense, I would think that the combination of Instapaper, Longform and Give-me-something-to-read, proved very powerful and useful tools for teachers and trainers or anyone wanting to easily capture and share articles with others. To me this is a form of quick and easy publishing that enables anyone to create very customized collections of articles from almost any source. The ease and speed by which you can grab just what you want and compile these clippings into a unique new collection that is so eminently readable and easily distributed and synchronized across a wide range of “screens” easily earns my vote as Cool Tools for learning.

Hope you get as much out of them as I do and please let me know your impressions and use these Cool Tools and if you find better ones.

Wayne
Masie Fellow and person of no fixed address

Comments

[replica designer handbags]

I have recently started using the blogengine.net and I having some problems here? in your blog you stated that we need to enable write permissions on

[Mac Keylogger]

It’s always my pleasure to read this type of stuff. I am very much interested in these types of topics and it’s my habit to read this. Thank you for taking the time to share with it, and this blog is very useful for me. Have a nice day!

[pizza dough mixer]

This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading your posts. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that cover the same subjects? know more information please contact me (Michael Ling ) http://www.marklinecatering.com or http://www.chinacateringequipment.com or
http://www.marklinecatering.com/pizza-dough-mixer/

[Los Angeles Lakers Hats]

Received them, they think of the feeling, the opportunities that matter to know and love. I'm fascinated by your stories. It can be great and I will donate. It is much more to gain. There is an old one that you throw. . I have found useful.

[new york house cleaning]

Before intensely cleaning a room, it’s a good idea to start with that room's quick 15 Minute Cleanup.

[Basketball Sneakers]

So amazing post,I am wondering where you get your info, but good post.Keep it up I enjoy reading them.

[jerseys cheap]

Happened to read this blog, is really a kind of fate ah, the leisure time to see your article very interesting, I'll give it covered up, look forward to your updates.