RSS Feeds 101 Todays Agenda RSS basics Aggregators

RSS Feeds 101

Today's Agenda RSS basics Aggregators and readers Ways to make use of RSS Demonstration using Google Reader Hands-on: It's your turn!

What is RSS? RSS = Really Simple Syndication A file format for delivering frequently updated information, such as news headlines, blog posts, and podcasts over the web. RSS Feeds Web Feeds http: //www. thinkartificial. org/web/how-to-make-the-most-of-rss-feeds-redux/

http: //www. deskshare. com/Resources/articles/rss. aspx

hmm. . . anything new today? http: //flickr. com/photos/glenshock/130800304/

new stuff delivered directly to you! http: //flickr. com/photos/wurges/2132738610/

So, How Does It Work? 1. Choose an aggregator. 2. Subscribe to RSS feeds. 3. Your aggregator gathers fresh content and delivers it to you. 4. Open or login to your aggregator and read everything all in one place! Synonymous: Aggregators and Readers

Different Types of Aggregators Web-based Accessible from any computer with internet connection; requires username and password. Desktop-based Requires downloading and installation of software applications on your computer. Browser-based The latest versions of many browsers include the ability to subscribe to and read RSS feeds directly in the browser.

Web-based Aggregators

Look for an RSS icon to see if a particular website offers feeds! http: //www. miguelsanchez. com/http: //www. flickr. com/photos/michaelsphotos/279280606/

Take Advantage of RSS! Subscribe and track. . . Favorite blogs Shopping deals News headlines Packages Job listings Real estate New library materials Events e. Bay listings Government info Traffic Updates Travel deals TV listings Tee times Flickr photos You. Tube videos Podcasts New i. Tunes music Search results Fun stuff

Demonstration of Google Reader

Time for some hands-on learning! http: //flickr. com/photos/jurvetson/489257240/

Google Reader http: //www. google. com/reader

Google Reader Sign in with free account Follow the steps on the screen Create a new account

RSS Feed: Subscribing 1. Find a feed. 2. Find the RSS link. 3. Copy the URL or link. 4. Go to Google Reader. Skip Steps 3 – 6 if the page has an automated feature 5. Click on Add Subscription. 6. Paste in the link. 7. Organize the new feed into your folders or subject structure. Manually Add a Subscription Automated Subscription

Step 1 - Find Webpage Google News Search

Step 2 - Find RSS Link Feed Button RSS Links

Step 3 - Copy Link Highlight the URL, ie http: //edublogs. org/campus Edit, Copy or Ctrl + C or

Step 4 - Go to Reader

Step 5 - Add Feed Click on Add subscription This expands to give you space to paste the URL.

Step 6 - Paste Link Paste the URL in the box, then click ADD.

Step 7 - Sort Feed The feed might look like this Manage subscriptions allow you to group feeds Manage Subscriptions

Step 7 - Sort Feed Choose a topic folder or create a new folder. TIP: When you view a folder, you see the newest items for the topic all integrated together.

Automated Subscribing Some pages offer buttons you can just click on to add a feed. This allows you to skip steps 2 -6!

Step 1 - Find Webpage Brush School District -- Document Manager

Step 2 - Find and click the RSS Link Scan the page for RSS links Click the RSS button

Step 3 – Subscribe Click Add to Google Reader Click Subscribe Now or Select Google in the Drop down box if necessary. Checking the Always use Google to subscribe to feeds box will eliminate this step.

Step 4 - Sort Feeds Shortcut to organize feeds The feed might look like this Manage subscriptions allow you to group feeds Manage Subscriptions

Step 4 - Sort Feeds Choose a topic folder or create a new folder. TIP: When you view a folder, you see the newest items for the topic all integrated together.

Using RSS in Education Pedagogy and Research

Why use RSS in education? • RSS has transformed the way that content is distributed, accessed, and processed • 21 st century students are no longer faced with the challenge of “finding” enough information – rather, they are faced with an avalanche of information • RSS is one way for students to locate information more efficiently • Of course, they still need to be taught how to process, analyze, and evaluate

Why use RSS in education? • It is also a way to leverage the talent of millions of individuals to identify truly useful information in the tidal wave of data the internet has become. – Mary Harrsch, “RSS: The Next Killer App for Education” • http: //technologysource. org/article/rss/

Using RSS is Research-Based • Dr. Henry Jenkins – Director of the Comparative Media Studies Program at MIT – “Confronting the Challenges of a Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21 st Century” • Participatory culture and its implications for learning in the 21 st century (RSS is all about participation, networking, and community) • 21 st century skills and literacies (applied skills students need to be school, work, and life ready)

21 st Century Participatory Culture • Relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement • Strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations with others • Some type of informal mentorship whereby what is known by the most experienced is passed along to novices Confronting the Challenges of a Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21 st Century

21 st Century Participatory Culture • Members believe that their contributions matter • Members feel some degree of social connection with one another (at the least they care what other people think about what they have created) Confronting the Challenges of a Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21 st Century

Implications • A growing body of scholarship suggests potential benefits of these forms of participatory culture, including: – opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, – a changed attitude toward intellectual property, – the diversification of cultural expression, – the development of skills valued in the modern workplace, and a more empowered conception of citizenship. Confronting the Challenges of a Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21 st Century

RSS for Teaching and Learning Practical Applications

Professional Learning Communities • Educators are professionals who, by nature, are always learning • Through RSS feed readers and personalized home pages educators can create their own learning network and learn from other educators

Classroom Applications for RSS • Have students subscribe to each other’s blogs and/or the teacher’s blog • Have students and parents subscribe to your blog, podcast, or wiki feed to keep abreast of what is going on in class

Classroom Applications for RSS Feeds for News, Blog, and Website Searches – Create a feed for what’s in the daily news about a particular topic, you can make a syndicated feed of search results of Google News – Aggregate targeted news feeds with a shared (published) feed reader (Pageflakes, Google, etc. ) – This basically creates a constantly updating targeted “current events” text for students

Targeted News Feeds

Classroom Applications for RSS Feeds for Bookmarks – Teachers can create a social bookmarking account and publish the list for their students (instant hotlists) – Teachers can create a class account and all students can add to the content – Students can create accounts to collaborate with group members and share resources more effectively All the feeds can be aggregated with the same feed readers used for blogs, podcasts, news, and other media sites

Classroom Applications for RSS Feeds for Bookmarks • The following social bookmarking applications allow for publishing Internet bookmarks through RSS feeds: – http: //del. icio. us/ – http: //www. diigo. com/ – http: //www. furl. net/ – http: //www. blinklist. com/

Classroom Blog • Ready to build your own Classroom Blog – Edublogs - http: //www. edublogs. org

More Explanations of RSS HOW TO: Getting Started with RSS http: //paulstamatiou. com/2005/11/13/how-to-getting-started-with-rss What is RSS? http: //rss. softwaregarden. com/aboutrss. html Wikipedia Article on RSS http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/RSS_(file_format) How to Explain RSS the Oprah Way http: //www. backinskinnyjeans. com/2006/09/how_to_explain_. html RSS Feeds 101 – credit for presentation http: //docs. google. com/Present? docid=dfvx 2 r 6 j_52 cvp 94 tfb&skipauth=true What is RSS and Why Should I Care? A Presentation for Educators and School Administrators http: //www. slideshare. net/lcstephenson/what-is-rss-and-why-should-i-care-a-presentationfor-educators-and-school-administrators

References • RSS Feeds 101 - Google Docs – http: //docs. google. com/Present? docid=dfvx 2 r 6 j_ 52 cvp 94 tfb&skipauth=true • Britt Watwood, VCU • “Using RSS Personally and Professionally” Patricia F. Anderson, U. Mich • “RSS Demystified” Perter Bromberg, SJRLC