Six Spruce-ups for an iGoogle PLE

spruceupigoogle

Jo Hart challenged us to find a way to create a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) for our PLN (Personal/Professional Learning Network). I’ve used iGoogle in the past, but not lately. I’ve spruced up iGoogle for all the new apps, sites, and connections now in my PLN.

1.  Personalize with Themes

Did you know that each tab (some people call them pages, but Google calls them tabs) can have it’s own theme. That’s nice to quickly grasp what tab you’re in.

changetheme Just above your content and below Google search on the right is the place to click Change Theme. There are many whimsical, artistic, and natural themes from which to choose. Have fun searching for those that fit your personality or the content of each tab.

themes

2. Organize with Tabs

Next, I considered the relationships within my PLN:

SREPLN

I translated each branch into a tab or perhaps more than one tab in iGoogle:

Organizing the PLN:

sreiGoogle

Creating the Tabs:

docsandgmail

3. Format the Start (Home) page Preferences and Content

In any browser you can set the preferences for iGoogle to be your homepage. All you need to do is log in:

igooglehomepage

Just enter: http://google.com/ig into the area for your Home Page Preferences.

Note that in my HOME tab, I have several gadgets. Jo Hart’s blog showed how to “Add Gadgets” from the right hand menu.  I included date/time, Google Docs (mine show when signed in), Google Mail (show when signed in), weather, and Picasa Web Albums (when signed in). I also added a simple sticky note for quick reminders to myself.

4. Add PLN feed gadgets.

I have two favorite gadgets.  Feeds in Tabs and Box of Links.

Feeds in Tabs allows me to add RSS feeds. Be sure your iGoogle is on the tab to which you want to add the gadget. Find and add the gadget. Then return to your tab.

additnow

Go to the page you to which you want to subscribe. In most browsers and on most blogs or pages are RSS subscribe buttons. In Firefox, I can subscribe from the browser. Click and copy the feed address:

subscribetofeed

copyfeedaddress

Return to the tab and the gadget. Go to the settings arrow (top right) of the gadget.

editgadgetsettings

Find the URL area and paste the feed you copied. Add the title to the matching numbered title area. I also change the Font size to 0.9em. (Note title area is missing in image.)

pastefeedinsettings

Repeat for four feeds. If you need more, just add another Feed Widget. Note that you can often subscribe to posts and comments ! Then I can track student blog comments as well right from iGoogle.

postsandcomments

5. Add website links.

Repeat this process for links instead of RSS feeds. Any website you frequent can be placed in thed Box of Links.  Remember to start in iGoogle with the tab open to where you want to place the link box. If you forget, just grab hold of the link box in iGoogle and drag it to the tab on which you want it to show.  It’s that easy.

addlinkscommonlinks

Do you have more than one gmail account?  I had already created all these links under a different gmail account, but don’t worry.  Go to that account and go to settings of each gadget you have already formatted — choose “share this gadget.”

sharethisgadget

Enter the email address and be sure to check the box to keep the formatting — “Send my settings for this gadget.”

sharesavesettings

I was easily able to add my gadgets to this account. Whew!

6. Continue organizing for your needs:

Here I am adding my Edublog Challenge Blogs to read:

ebshareRSS

So, to spruce-up your iGoogle to keep track of your PLN:

1. Add personality to each tab with different themes for easy ID as you flip through them.

2. Make iGoogle your homepage in each of your browsers.

3. Organize tabs according to your PLN needs, and remember your family and kids too.

4. Add RSS feeds for the blogs you need to read (PLN, Student, Your own). RSS comments as well.

5. Add Site feeds for quick links to your most frequently used sites (class pages, your blogs, family sites, Nings, etc.).

6. Keep your iGoogle current.

I hope this helps someone get started organizing their learning environment.  What else did you do?

Good Luck

cloverthemePhotos:

Screenshots from iGoogle

Charts created in Mind Node

8 Comments

on “Six Spruce-ups for an iGoogle PLE
8 Comments on “Six Spruce-ups for an iGoogle PLE
  1. Sherri,

    This is amazing! All your hard work has paid off! I like that you have a special tab for the blogs you want to follow. I also like the different themes. I would like to add my Picasa page, but because it’s not public, it doesn’t show…any thoughts how I could add it?

    Have a great day!
    Theresa

    • Theresa, None of your google info will show up until you log it. I always have two browsers open so I can have my igoogle and main google account open. So as soon as you login your Picassa albums should show up. I don’t know if the private ones show in the gadget; I think only the public ones even if you log in. I could be wrong about that. So go ahead and add the Picasa gadget. Sheri

  2. Hi Sheri

    This is terrific!

    I love your 6 steps approach, its a great way to keep the post to a manageable size. My main problem in writing the original post was that I could feel it getting longer and longer so I was a bit ruthless in limiting the content. I am so pleased that you have filled in some of the gaps.

    Making a diagram of my PLN web was really helpful for me in organising my iGoogle and its good to see that strategy is useful for others.

    Great to see the gadgets you are using – I am definitely going to be exploring some of those as several of them are new to me and it looks as though I might be able to access things that I currently can’t get onto my iGoogle page.

    Jo

    • Thanks, Jo, I really appreciated all the info you put into your blog. There’s always so much to explain in sharing strategies like this. If it weren’t for your blog, I would not have been current with my iGoogle, so thanks to you.

  3. OK, Sheri, it looks great from my end! This post and your sidebar seem to have all the images. I hope you had a good relaxing walk with the dog.

    You’ve added to the great post that Jo made, giving us even more information. I am going to go through your post slowly and do more of your suggestions. Right now, though, I’ve changed my theme on each tab so I can see which page I’m on quickly. Thanks for the good advice.

    Denise

    • Hi Denise — I think all is well. I did re-do one picture, but I think the system just needed time to readjust to the new theme. So Pooka and I enjoyed the walk on the beachless shore. The reservoir is at full capacity.

      If you find anymore tricks for iGoogle, let us know. Sheri

      • Wow, aren’t you glad you took a walk instead of redoing a bunch of photos that didn’t really need to be? That’s good for us to know for when we change themes too!

        • Hi Denise, I figured it was a “re-adjust” thing. It is disheartening at first, but the dog is always there to remind me, “Life is Ok.” Thanks again. Sheri

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