Pinterest website
Resource Review
Description
A USA-based site, Pinterest was established in 2010 as a virtual pin board. Members can organize and share images from the internet or their own computers by pinning them on to their boards. They can browse other people's pin boards, follow a user whose taste they admire or specific pin boards based on a theme they are interested in, and can leave comments about items. [Each internet 'pin' links back to the site it first came from, no matter how often it is repinned].
Curriculum / Qualifications links
Students can use Pinterest to organise information they have found doing internet research, which helps them with their planning for practice.
Content
The site is filled with pin boards – users can search by theme or look at the boards of people they know.
Ease of use
Anyone unfamiliar with social networking sites might find all the pin boards and comments on the front page a bit confusing at first glance. However, there are very clear explanations and easy-to-follow instructions on what the site is about and how to use it, and a video tutorial on how to install 'pin it'. Members can opt to keep their account hidden from internet search engines, and can deactivate the account at any time (this will delete all their boards and pins).
Rating
Pinterest 's value for the classroom is in providing an easy way for students to manage the results of their internet research. Rather than saving things and then having to organize them, they can put images and links to blogs, YouTube clips and websites directly on to their own designated pin boards. And anyone who has ever lost their Favorites or Bookmarks after a computer malfunction will appreciate being able to access their information online.
Wellington High School Technology Teacher Maiken Calkoen (Design and Visual Communication) uses Pinterest – she can quickly access good resources for teaching DVC, and by following her students can share anything she has pinned to her board whether at school or home. Colleague Kylie Merrick (Fashion and Textiles) has also joined Pinterest and saves information such as YouTube clips on sewing machines, other people's blogs on creative sewing techniques and websites about designers, architects, etc.
Accessibility
Membership is by invitation only – from another member or by clicking on the Request an Invite button at the top of the page. After receiving an invitation, users must register through their Facebook or Twitter account.
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