LiveBinders

I love organizing. Because of that, three-ring binders have played a huge part in my life ever since elementary school. Binders were {and still are} a great way to organize tons of paper.

But with the push toward paperless classrooms and storage in the cloud, the traditional three-ring binder is becoming obsolete as we eliminate paper from our lives.

However, we still need a good way to organize files. I've talked before about my love affair with Dropbox {shameless plug: use my referral link to sign up, and we'll both get more free space!} and how much it has helped me store and organize my digital files. But there are times when a prettier visual and more than just file storage is needed. This is where LiveBinders comes in.

Logo from the Live Binder website

How It Works

1. Create a virtual "binder" via the LiveBinders website. 
2. Add tabs and subtabs to organize your binder. 
3. Upload files, import links from around the web, or type directly into the binder. 
4. Make multiple binders and organize them on virtual shelves for easy access. 
5. Share your binder(s) with others or keep them private. 
6. Make copies of others' public binders and edit them to your liking. 

Ways to Use Live Binder in Your Class

1. Have students create ePortfolios using LiveBinders.
2. Create a tab for each student in your class. Use subtabs to upload files you would keep on those students -- RtI information, assessments, examples of work, etc. 
3. Create a "back to school parent binder." Upload all the information you would normally print for "meet the teacher" day at school, and pass out the link, instead. 
4. Store lesson plans and their corresponding materials online and share them with your team, across the district, and/or with teachers from around the world.
5. Create a substitute binder where you've pre-loaded information about your classroom procedures, schedule, and even emergency lesson plans. When you're sick, the sub just has to pull up the link to your binder, and you can go back to bed and rest. 
6. Create a professional portfolio for yourself if you're job hunting.
7. Create a binder full of common links students will need to visit in a digital classroom. {Here's an example.}
8. Create a binder full of instructions for accessing classroom websites, navigating classroom digital tools, etc. 
9. Have students turn in work via LiveBinders -- you just need access to their binder. Then you can grade it and not have to print anything at all. 
10. Not sure what to do with all the links and files you get from professional development? Upload them to a binder

Here's a binder about how teachers are using this site in their classroom:

                

    

How Teachers are Using LiveBinders

Cool Features

• Go paperless! Stop trying to keep up with pages of paper. Scan things in to your computer and file them away in LiveBinders. It's a three-ring binder for your computer!
• Add others' public binders to your shelf so you can access their information quickly and easily. 
• Link to your LiveBinders and/or embed them into your classroom website.

There are even free apps so you can access binders via your tablet or smartphone.

Click here to visit the iTunes store to download this app

Other Helpful Info

• Click here for a good tutorial about how to use LiveBinders
• Here are some tutorials directly from the LiveBinders website.  
• Here's a LiveBinders tutorial:

               

   

LiveBinders Tutorial

• Live Binder tips and tricks:

               

   

LiveBinders Tips and Tricks