Zotero - a great tool for research!

     I attended a training about Zotero. Zotero is a free and easy to use research tool. It helps you  collect, organize, store, and cite research articles and sources. It is extremely easy to grab materials and put them into your Zotero library. Zotero also helps you  to create a bibliography! It is a Mozilla Firefox plug in add on tool. You are able to install it on your computer or multiple computers for online access or articles. 
     This blog post will describe how to download and use Zotero, how to add items to your Zotero library, how to create a bibliography from Zotero, and some classroom applications for Zotero.

How to download and utilize Zotero:

1. Open Firefox
2. Go to Zotero - http://www.zotero.org/
3. Download Now button
4. Zotero for Firefox download
5. Restart Firefox
6. Create an account for Zotero
7. Then check your email for validation link
8. Click on validation link in your email
9. Log in to your Zotero account
10. You can sync Zotero from multiple computers by having an account, use green circular arrow (upper right hand corner)
11. You will see Zotero app on the bottom of your web browser screen, if you click on the word Zotero it will open the Zotero app. 
12. Click on the Zotero app
13. You will see a place to add new folders into your collection - folder with a green plus sign you can add folders for classes, projects, etc.
14. Once you have items in your library, you can easily search for sources by typing in author name or title on the search pane of the Zotero application.

How to add items to Zotero

1. Click new item - green plus sign - add information manually into Zotero - choose what type of resource it is (book, article, etc.) then enter the information in the fields
2. Also able to add items right from Amazon! 
3. Also able to add items from Google scholar - simply click on the icon that appears at the top of your screen (folder) and click on the items you want to add to Zotero
4. When your zotero app is open - click on the magic wand icon and it can add items in that way as well
5. When on a web page, open Zotero app, and click on blank page with plus sign (create new item from current page) it will take your page and put it in your library
6. Also upload PDF from computer by clicking on paperclip in the Zotero app

How to import information into bibliography

• Highlight an item in your Zotero library
• Right click on the item
• Click create bibliography from selected items
• Choose citation style
• Choose how you want the file to be saved
• I recommend clicking copy to clipboard then just paste into a word document
• Even able to add in cite citations, right into your word document! 

Classroom Applications for Zotero:

• Use for a high school research class
• Organize resources, tools, sites, for a research project
• Great for citing sources - also has a plug in for WORD!
• Able to share folders/resources with colleagues, classmates, or students

Please use this great tool, and happy researching!

Research tools and mobile learning apps

I attended an hour long Simple K12 webinar, regarding Mobile learning and research. This webinar was created by Shelly Terrell, a great leader in the education technology field. Here are my notes from this great and educational webinar:

We need to be lifelong researchers an learners
Develop new theories - open your mind to different ideas
Students should be able to take notes, research, cite, evaluate resources, question, have curiosity to learn more
Research is now a huge project - twitter, ipads, networking, collaborate with other professionals
In order to be a success in school, students need to know how to research properly
Teachers need to be facilitators of "good" researcher when using technology skills and apps
Apps and mobile learnign can easily be integrated with other tools and materials

Apps for research

Kindle - highlight tool and have access to books and magazines automatically
Google docs - great for collaborative note taking
Mind mapping app
Sticky notes app
Diigo social bookmarking app
Video
Photos/Pics
Notepad or inkpad
Audio recording
Internet access
Text and SMS apps
Podcasts - cliffnotes or topics that may be abstract to learners
Dictionary apps - great for ESL or SPLED students
Easy bib - citation app, scan the book barcode and it will automatically cite the book
Linolt - post a sticky note like wallwisher
Posterous - automatically blog with video and audio
Evernote - gather notes together and syncs with computer, take pics, newspaper clippings, etc.
Mindblowing - mind mapping app (say that 10x fast!)
Showme - screen cast what is done on the whiteboard
Dropbox - file sharing to anyone, anywhere
Ibooks - read pdf's offline
Wikitude - augmented reality
newsy - transcripts of videos and sources
Diigo
Google
Wikipedia
Read it later - bookmark something on twitter and websites available offline
Flipboard - see information and data
Project Magazine - see and multimedia in a magazine format

How to create a research rich environment
How do you research at home?

Provide a space for research
Music - let students listen to their music while researching
Pillows/comfy pieces
Areas for different research materials (ipad, computer, books, qr codes)
Provide snacks and drinks
Create an app for school or library