pageflakes

=Create a Custom Start Page Using Pageflakes=

Yet another "theme" of Web 2.0 is user customization. Pageflakes is a "custom start page" application that allows users to customize web content by adding and organizing any number of **links**, **RSS feeds**, **podcasts**, **search tools**, and useful **embeddable objects** (also known as widgets, gadgets, and, in this instance "flakes"), such as **calendars**, **notepads**, **to-do lists, videos** and **calculators**, each in its own container (uh, "flake"). Each "flake" can be dragged and dropped around the page for ultimate customization. Thus, unlike a "typical" RSS reader or podcatcher, Pageflakes stores each feed or subscription inside its own customized container on the page, then allows the user to mix in all sorts of other goodies.
 * [[image:http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/357779131_02832d1aae_m.jpg caption="image by nebarnix" link="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nebarnix/357779131/"]] ||
 * image by nebarnix ||

While there are a number of custom start page options, such as [|Netvibes], Protopage or or [|iGoogle], the extended value of Pageflakes is that it's **sharable**. A user can share a Pageflakes page with "the world," with selected individuals (such as parents, students or colleagues), or keep it completely private. These "Pagecasts" can be customized to support specific topics and themes. Additionally, the "anything flake" allows users to __embed__ virtually anything, such as a particular photo album, podcast, slide presentation or video clip. (Update: Netvibes now allows for public pages).

**¤ NOTE:** Please use **Pageflakes Teacher Edition** ([|http://teacher.pageflakes.com]) for this activity. It has the **identical function** of regular Pageflakes but removes the "Random Pagecast" link from your page if you decide to make it public for your students to use.

You may want to read: [|Using Pageflakes as a Student Portal] (Please read it).

Check out a few sample education-themed **Pagecasts**. Spend a couple minutes looking at each of the Pagecasts below. Each demonstrates some of the potentially valuable "flakes" one can assemble and customize to support classroom learning.


 * [|Crisis in Darfur] (via Will Richardson)
 * [|World Around Us] (Science resources)
 * [|Miss Tyler's Third Grade] (sample I created)
 * [|Elementary China Webquest] (very innovative use of Pageflakes to organize a student project)
 * [|NKO Math Clusters] - (Elementary student math enrichment/practice organized by grade level and skill area)
 * [|Voicethread in Education] (collection of Voicethread projects across the curriculum, organized in flakes)
 * [|A. P. European History] (presents each unit of study on a separate tab)
 * [|A.P. Economics] (sample I created)
 * [|PJ's Smartboard Resources] (Smartboard links for teachers)
 * [|Hamlet Research Paper Pathfinder]
 * [|Ms. Regan's Global History and Geography]
 * [|Tarrytown Curriculum Start Pages] (Primary School portal)
 * [|Election 2008 Resources] (middle and high school resources from the unquiet library)
 * [|Biology Current Events] (middle and high school resources from the unquiet library)
 * [|Music Education & Technology]
 * [|Creekview High School Library]
 * [|HSMC Library] (Health Services Management Center Library at University of Birmingham)

**Consider some potential uses for Pageflakes in education** (name of flake or embeddable tool included in parentheses):

 * Share links (Bookmarks; Delicious Bookmarks)
 * Post homework, class assignments, reminders (Sticky Note or NotePad)
 * Custom research/reference portal (Google, Google News, Google Research, Wikipedia, Rollyo, Dictionary, Technorati)
 * Class Calendar (Calendar, Google Calendar, 30boxes)
 * Post Links to Class Documents (Box.net)
 * Have a group discussion (Message Board)
 * Post instructional videos (TeacherTube,YouTube, embed a specific video using the Anything Flake)
 * Post class pictures or photo albums (Picasa, Flickr, embed a specific Bubbleshare or RockYou album using the Anything Flake)
 * Post pictures from a specific topic or theme (Flickr)
 * Post PowerPoint presentations (embed a specific SlideShare or Google Presentation using the Anything Flake)
 * Share current events or topical items (add any RSS feed by clicking Add RSS feed and pasting the feed URL).
 * Share podcasts (add the "Mother of all podcast Feeds" flake, then click edit to change the feed URL to ANY podcast you want)