DIIGO vs. Scoop.it!

After signing up for two separate 'social bookmarking' or 'curating' sites, Scoop.it! and DIIGO, and then playing around with their various features, I was seriously blown away! I have always been that person the bookmarks EVERYTHING, and then when it comes time to reference a bookmark, I am either away from my computer or I've forgotten what I filed it under in the first place. Thankfully, these two sites will make life much easier for me!

So, to compare these two sites, I want to start with the basics. First, both sites were quick to create an account and easily navigable, although I prefer the layout of Scoop.it! because it is more eye catching that DIIGO.  Both sites walked me through the set-up process, step-by-step, so that I understood exactly how to post, save, and comment on articles.

Both Scoop,it! and DIIGO have some of the same features, however as far as unique or special features, the sites differ in their ability to preform certain tasks. For example, DIIGO allows the user to search for topics related to a certain subject area of interest and then pulls up related sites and articles from the web, and Scoop.it! requires the user to locate articles/websites on their own externally (on the web or search though different users or groups) and then save them to the user account library. Both sites allow users to create 'lists' or 'topics' that categorize the saved articles or websites, make comments and add multiple tags to the articles, and network with other users to share materials, ideas, and comments. On the other hand, DIIGO gives its users the opportunity to be more interactive with texts by annotating: adding sticky notes and highlighting. Scoop.it allows for communication with other users by commenting on the article or by sharing on social media networks.

I found that using both Scoop.it! and DIIGO has advantages and disadvantages for bookmarking or curating information from the web. As a teacher, or someone who comes across educational information often, I would use a site like DIIGO where I could easily click a button on my tool bar and save it to my account for later reading and use in the classroom. However, if I am searching for a certain topic, for example SmartBoard activities for the classroom, I would use Scoop.it! because it filters through these topics on the internet and other users' pages and pulls up any and all information related to my topic.