One of your social bookmarking options is the service Diigo, which has a handy group feature that we’ll use in this course. Here’s what the Math 216 group looks like as I write this:

(Click on the image to see a larger version.)

If you select Diigo as your social bookmarking tool, you’ll share your bookmarks with this group. You’ll also comment on your fellow students’ bookmarks here.

To get started, visit Diigo.com and click on “Join Diigo.”To create an account, you have two options. You can create one from scratch:Or you can use an existing Facebook, Twitter, Google, or Yahoo! account:If you’d rather not use your real, full name, you’re welcome to choose a pseudonym. In that case you’ll probably want to create an account from scratch so you can avoid using your real name. Please note that your bookmarks will be on the open Web, so there’s a chance a Google search on your full name will lead to your Diigo bookmarks. That might be a good thing as you establish your professional presence online, but you’re welcome to avoid that by choosing a pseudonym.

Once you’ve created your account and verified it via email, you’ll see a welcome message with options for adding Diigo tools to your Web browser:Diigo requires you to install one of these two browser tools to get started. I suggest you go with Option 2 (the “feature-rich Diigo toolbar”) since it makes it easy to save a bookmark to a Diigo group, which you’ll need to do in this course. You’re welcome, however, to use either option.

Once you’ve installed a browser tool, navigate your browser to some Web page and use your browser tool to bookmark it. You’ll get a pop-up window that looks something like this:Diigo loads the page title for you, and suggests some tags you might use. Tags are optional, but the more tags you use for a bookmark, the easier it will be to find later. Go ahead and save your bookmark.

Head back to Diigo.com and click on “Get Started Now!”, as seen here:That will take you to your Diigo library:This is your homebase within Diigo. From here you can view and edit your bookmarks. The navigation at the left is very useful for finding old bookmarks.

Next, you’ll need to join the Math 216 Diigo group. Visit the group page to see this:Click on the button that says “Apply to join this group.” I have this group set up so that I (the group owner) must approve any new members. This way I can keep out people who aren’t in our course. Go ahead and request to join the group.  Be sure to include a message to me so I know you’re a student in this course and not some passerby. I’ll approve your request as soon as I get the chance.

One last thing to know: When you bookmark something for this course, you need to add it to the Math 216 group so the rest of us can find it. To do so, click on “More Options” in the pop-up window you use to bookmark something:You’ll see a checkbox that reads “Share to a Group.” Click on this and select the Math 216 group before hitting save.

That’s it for now. If you have any questions about getting started with Diigo, please ask me or the TAs.