Dipity Timelines for Class Projects

Hi! I'm Pete Ramsey, one of the Reference and Instruction librarians at Langsdale Library, and I also teach the Information Literacy (IDIS 110) course in first-year student learning communities.

For your consideration: Dipity.com

In my non-librarian role as a professor, I'm always looking for new and intriguing online tools for student projects. Dipity.com is one very interesting tool that recently came to my attention.

What is Dipity?

A dipity timeline with Seattle Times news articles on the Boeing 787

Dipity is a timeline building tool that is free online (or you can pay for a premium account). A user can find sources from around the internet and import them into Dipity. Links show up on a timeline with an attractive picture and short title. Once posted, each link can be annotated as desired. Once a timeline has been created a user can share it with others, either publicly or with a select group via email. When sharing, viewers can be given permission to contribute, making this a powerful collaborative tool.

How might Dipity be used for a class?

I could see students building a Dipity timeline--either as an individual or team project--for any topic that can be arranged chronologically. The import tools are powerful and intuitive, and the final display is easy on the eyes. For kicks (or for an in-class presentation), a user can click the tab just above the timeline to display in "Flipbook" style, with each event on the timeline showing up one-by-one.

Looking at a few Dipity timelines during student presentations would certainly be easier on the eyes than the usual "Death by PowerPoint." Try it, you'll like it!