I had actually learned quite a bit about RSS feeds in my library tech class this past summer. In it, we even had a chance to sit down and subscribe to feeds on Google Reader. We discussed how this could be used in education.
For teachers, we can subscribe to an RSS feeder requesting information on only one topic. Example: we can subscribe to cnn.com and request only feeds that have "Iraq" or "Al Qaeda". That way, we don't get every single item that comes across the CNN site, just the ones having to do with specific topics. This kind of selective feed is very helpful for current events. If a government teacher wants to focus on the elections this spring, he/she can subscribe to certain feeds that will only give him/her information on the topic of choice. This eliminates sifting.
However, this also eliminates other information that might have been found on other topics that the person didn't even know he/she might be interested in.
For students, this can be used in similar ways to help with reports/research. However, this is a live feed and it won't back-date the feed information. So if they start the feed today, they won't get yesterday's articles. For some, this could be a problem.
Now people can use this as a "gadget" in iGoogle. So, since iGoogle is my home page on my internet explorer at home, every time I go online, I immediately see my reader. This has simplified my reader anymore, since I no longer have to log on to Google and then go to Google Reader. It's right there on the front page.
If students use this option, they can see this the moment they log on to iGoogle. They can also use Google Docs here as well, so now they can have information at their fingertips and then immediately put it in their notes/research for any assignment that they may be completing.
Streamlining information and getting it where it needs to go even faster.... wow!
For teachers, we can subscribe to an RSS feeder requesting information on only one topic. Example: we can subscribe to cnn.com and request only feeds that have "Iraq" or "Al Qaeda". That way, we don't get every single item that comes across the CNN site, just the ones having to do with specific topics. This kind of selective feed is very helpful for current events. If a government teacher wants to focus on the elections this spring, he/she can subscribe to certain feeds that will only give him/her information on the topic of choice. This eliminates sifting.
However, this also eliminates other information that might have been found on other topics that the person didn't even know he/she might be interested in.
For students, this can be used in similar ways to help with reports/research. However, this is a live feed and it won't back-date the feed information. So if they start the feed today, they won't get yesterday's articles. For some, this could be a problem.
Now people can use this as a "gadget" in iGoogle. So, since iGoogle is my home page on my internet explorer at home, every time I go online, I immediately see my reader. This has simplified my reader anymore, since I no longer have to log on to Google and then go to Google Reader. It's right there on the front page.
If students use this option, they can see this the moment they log on to iGoogle. They can also use Google Docs here as well, so now they can have information at their fingertips and then immediately put it in their notes/research for any assignment that they may be completing.
Streamlining information and getting it where it needs to go even faster.... wow!
1 comment:
Hi and Happy New Year!
Great suggestions about RSS feeds. I too like Google Reader on my Google homepage and that is how I am keeping up with my peer cheering, along with the other stuff I want to read.
I can see the value of using RSS or Google Reader with students for reports, but I haven't found a way to tackle this with the large number of students we have at our school. I think maybe it would need to be tied to a specific assignment in collaboration with a teacher who would make it part of the process for completing the assignment. Have you happened to read of anyone's experience with using RSS or Google Reader in a middle or high school?
I like your comment about streamlining information and getting it there faster.
Librarymum of PageSpace
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