OneTab Chrome Extension for Teachers

I learned about a new chrome extension (also available for firefox) on the House of EdTech podcast.  It has been such a game changer for me and my work flows that I just had to share it with you.

It's called OneTab:  www.one-tab.com.

Simply put, OneTab combines your multiple tabs into one tab.  Sounds simple, and it is, but what it does for you as an educator is anything but simple.

As a library media specialist I always have a gazillion tabs open.  I have ten or eleven that I keep open by default because I use them so much it isn't worth closing them, and then I'm always opening more all the time.  Especially if I'm doing research!  It's very easy to get lost in the tab shuffle.  Whenever the phone rings or a students asks for a pass I sometimes forget which tab I was working on, or worse, I have so many tabs open that my browser or computer crashes under the strain.

With OneTab, you can combine multiple tabs into one tab that then lists the previously opened tabs as a list.  This list can be given a name, locked into place, and even bookmarked so you can access it again and again.  I've started one that I call Daily Grind that looks something like this:

Every time I use my computer at school, I use these same websites.  Instead of opening them individually every morning, I instead just open this one tab.  All of my favorite sites are accessible here, kind of like a make-your-own vertical bookmarks bar.

And it gets better.  You can also share your OneTab.  Most people will probably use this so they can bookmark their OneTab, but as a librarian, I'm going to use it for curation and dissemination!  How many times do students or teachers ask you for a group of resources they would like?  Sure I use keeeb for the brunt of my curation, but sometimes it's a special project that you only need for a short time or that you need to keep private.  With OneTab you can quickly and easily open tabs for content that is pertinent to your research, save them all together, lock and name them, and then share them with whomever needs them.

OneTab is also great for proprietary student data.  As a library media specialist, everyone and anyone is always walking around and behind my desk.  Sometimes I have sensitive student data up on my screen and I don't always have the chance to change tabs and/or lock it down.  With OneTab, those proprietary screens can stay at your fingertips, without being visible at all times.

Another way you can use OneTab is as a checklist.  If you DON'T lock your OneTab list, the sites disappear from the list after they are clicked.  You can use it for Do Nows, checking up on your social media, or even attendance.

And finally, OneTab is a great memory saver.  Like I said previously, a ton of tabs can crash your browser or computer, and who needs that hassle?  OneTab uses far less memory, making the rest of your computer experience faster and less stressful.

Give OneTab a try and tell me what you think!