How Can Teachers Use It?
You might encourage teens to think about traditional methods of organizing school or social activities and compare them to Springpad, or to think about the ways an interest, like interior design, could be furthered using Springpad. Discussion might include ways in which technology like Facebook and Springpad have been used to accomplish goals beyond basic sharing.
Read More Read Less
What's It Like?
Editor's Note: Springpad has closed and is no longer available.
Springpad is a robust app that's Facebook, Amazon, Pinterest, and Google (somewhat) all rolled into one. Users "spring" –- that is, add Web-based items to notebooks via category-restricted searches or exploration of public notebooks. Teens can learn about concepts of presentation and organization –- using productivity functions like note, map, audio, event, photo, place, link, and tasks –- and produce their own content, perhaps to manage a school club, present a research project, or keep in touch with teachers. The app mines the current location if enabled. Users must create an account with an email for sharing and synchronization; they can also sign in via Facebook, Twitter, Google, or Yahoo.
At the My Notebooks page, users select the plus symbol to add an item or a new notebook, choosing title, background, color, and public or private setting. Users add items from a menu of 12 categories, a third or so being productivity-oriented. The browser-based version synchronizes perfectly with the app, though functionality is slightly different.
Read More Read Less
Is It Good For Learning?
For ease, depth, and sophistication, this app is top-notch, although it occasionally crashes when users return to the app from retail sites. Users are asked to "Spring it!" to add items (not release them), which is, concept-wise, a bit confusing. It would be nice if "springs," or items listed in All My Stuff, linked to notebooks that included them. Small potatoes in the grand scheme of things.
Safety notes: Public notebooks can be cloud-shared easily, but only a double warning stands between you and sharing a private notebook. Aslo, Springpad is aimed at adult users but allows teens 13 or older to have an account. Because of potential access to mature commercial content, however, 16 is a safer age.
Read More Read Less
Main menu with a sneak peek at one notebook at right.
When adding a new item, users see productivity categories as well as lifestyle/commercial categories.
All "sprung" items are included in All My Stuff, where users can add to a notebook, add reminders or tags, and rate.
Users can explore existing notebooks and “springs” to follow or add items to their own notebooks.
Within the private (see lock icon) "Inspiring Movies" notebook, this Android user can choose to see notebook activity (Notifications), share with others (Collaboration), or filter the list by those liked or bookmarked.
