Organize and Collaborate with Pearltrees

Recently my friend, Ms. Lyon, told me about an awesome app that she uses with her grade 7 language arts class.  I just got around to taking it for a test drive today and it is definitely worthy of sharing.

Pearltrees is both an iPad App and a web-based app that allows for organizing and accessing files from anywhere.   How is this different than tools such as Google Drive or Evernote?  Well, let me tell you what this App can do!

Like other free bookmarking or file sharing tools, Pearltrees can store many different file types, websites, photos, links, and notes.  Pearltrees also allows for sharing of topics, or "pearltrees" with specific users or groups of users.

What really sets Pearltrees apart is the visual layout.  Information is stored in a tree-like format, rather than lists, which makes it easy to categorize, sub-categorize, and follow.  Each node or "pearl" can be simply dragged with one finger to re-categorize it.

Another amazing feature of this App is the ability to add content in a huge variety of ways.  Unlike any other iPad App I've seen, Pearltrees comes with a "Pearler Tool".  The "Pearler Tool" allows me to tap the Safari bookmark from within any website to immediately and automatically add that site to my Pearltrees.    I can even specify which tree I want it added to.  If you've ever "pinned" something to Pinterest from a website, you know how slick this is.  Other ways to add content are from within the App, using the "Open In" from other apps, and emailing add@pearltrees.com

The ability to "Team Up" on a Pearltree is pretty neat too.  Teaming up allows more than one user, or a team of users to contribute to the same tree in real time.

I asked Ms. Lyon what the learning curve was for her students.  She said that it was less than 12 minutes to download the app, create an account, log in, and locate her resources.  Once the credentials are entered into the App, students area logged in forever, unless they manually log out.

I did not find much in the way of drawbacks.  It is not possible with a free account to create private workspaces.  So, that would preclude this from being storage for personal content.  The free App has a 1GB storage limit, but that is pretty generous since it is mostly comprised of links.   Private messaging is allowed between users without teacher moderation, if that is a concern for you or your students.

Overall, this App is free, fun, very easy to use, visually appealing, collaborative, and extremely useful.   Besides simply organizing files, links, and other media, it could be used for webquests, to distribute materials to students, group projects, assessment links (google forms), collecting resources for a project, sharing bookmarks for any reason, and more!

Here is a summarized list of what Pearltrees can do:

• Organize resources in a visually friendly way
• Easy drop and drag management of resources
• Multiple resource types - Links, emails, documents, websites, photos, notes
• Multiple simple ways to add content:
•  +Add from within the App
• "Pearler Tool" (strait from web)
• Email
• "Open in" from other iPad Apps, including Explain Everything, Pages, and Keynote
• Camera
• Camera Roll
• Follow or add other people's related Pearltrees to your own
• Team Up to work on a tree collaboratively

Check it out for Mac, for iPad or Book Me for a quick demo of how it works!