Use of RSS in a Course Management System

Using RSS Feeds to Keep Informed : 

Using RSS Feeds to Keep Informed Kathleen Cercone PT, PhD

Do you want to save time? : 

Do you want to save time? Do your students ask you about an email you sent several days ago? Do you post the same information to 2 of the same courses during a term? Do you ever hunt in your email for THAT ONE email with the information you need?

You will learn in this session: : 

You will learn in this session: Set up a Blog Use the RSS feed from the Blog Convert the feed into usable form Develop a Feed Widget Create the Embed Code Put the code into the Announcements Section Now you just need to use it!

RSS or Real Simple Syndication : 

RSS or Real Simple Syndication Format for delivering regularly changing web content. A simple and effective means of communicating No invasion of privacy

RSS - a Web 2.0 tool : 

RSS - a Web 2.0 tool Also called Feeds RSS channel NewsFeeds, Web Feed Subscribe to a web site that updates its contents and provides RSS Get updates instantly with all of the new content The news comes to you!

What is syndication? : 

What is syndication? In the “real” publishing world, syndication means: Arrangements were made so that another source could publish the same article Popular newspaper comic strips, for example, are usually syndicated. IN OTHER WORDS CONTENT IS REPUBLISHED

Many sites are publishers of RSS Feeds : 

Many sites are publishers of RSS Feeds CNN is a producer or publisher of RSS feeds You are a consumer of RSS feeds based on your interest. You subscribe to get updated information using a feed reader or aggregator

Feed Readers = Aggregators : 

Feed Readers = Aggregators An aggregator subscribes to websites, and automatically downloads the updates so that the reader can review them when they have time. Web-based feed readers: Bloglines Google Reader Newsgator Online Desktop-based feed readers: Feed Demon  (Windows) Mozilla Thunderbird  (Mac or Windows) NetNewsWire  (Mac)

Get the Blog First! : 

Get the Blog First! Create a blog!!!! Use Google Blogger RSS feed created automatically Easy to set up Topic of the Blog is your course Create a new one for each course/each term Here is a step by step tutorial for starting a Google blog: http://weblogs.about.com/od/creatingablog/ss/BloggerTutorial.htm

Blogs: How they work : 

Blogs: How they work Chronological : Newest post on the Top Based on a Template Comments by others can be allowed or not. Blog owner controls settings http://www.blogger.com/tour_start.g Has a tour about “blogging” Here are 2 of my Course Blogs (you can see them as they are public: http://0905biology.blogspot.com/ http://sc300.blogspot.com/

Blogger Feed Settings need to be on : 

Blogger Feed Settings need to be on

Feedburner: 0905 Biology : 

Feedburner: 0905 Biology

Set up E-mail Subscription: Explore Options : 

Set up E-mail Subscription: Explore Options

Embed is Automatic- just select the blog : 

Embed is Automatic- just select the blog

Biology Blog : 

Biology Blog

Get Your Blog Feed : 

Get Your Blog Feed

Create the Widget : 

Create the Widget

Copy Embed Code : 

Copy Embed Code

Add to Announcement Section : 

Add to Announcement Section

Announcement Feed Done! : 

Announcement Feed Done!

On the Move!!!!! : 

On the Move!!!!! http://www.google.com/mobile/products/more.html#blogger

Cell Phone Updates: Other Services : 

Cell Phone Updates: Other Services http://www.cellspin.net/ GREAT FREE service that allows you to post where you want. With CellSpin Mobile Application and SMS/MMS/Email service you no longer have to wait to get to your computers to post Audio, Video, Photos, Text to your favorite websites simultaneously like Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, YouTube, Picasa, Flickr, Live Journal and Live Spaces, with others to follow. You can use SMS (text messaging) so you do not need a SmartPhone to send a message to your blog

Personal Start Pages: Another tool : 

Personal Start Pages: Another tool Netvibes http://www.netvibes.com Pageflakes http://www.pageflakes.com/ Microsoft's Live.com http://home.live.com/ iGoogle http://www.google.com/ig Netvibes and PageFlakes both have the ability to develop public pages http://www.netvibes.com/kcercone#Home (see next slide)

Netvibes: My Public Page : 

Netvibes: My Public Page

Buttons allow posting and sharing : 

Buttons allow posting and sharing

Collecting Student "Blogwork” : 

Collecting Student "Blogwork” Instead of checking out 25 or more of your students' blogs every day, collect their work in your aggregator using their RSS feeds. You can scan through class content in one place, make sure it's all appropriate, and click through to particular posts to make comments.

Firefox Add-in : 

Firefox Add-in

Targeted Searching : 

Targeted Searching The idea of creating RSS feeds for search terms is especially interesting. Say you have a student that is doing a project or a paper on global warming. That student could actually create an RSS feed that would bring any news about global warming to his aggregator as soon as it was published. 4. Bookmarking Through different websites such as and Delicious- you can save, annotate, rate, organize and share the best links you find on the internet. You can share them with students and they can share with you.

Collaborating on Documents : 

Collaborating on Documents Using RSS you can track collaboration and team work to ensure that the activity is being done correctly. You can also identify the written portion of contributions by group members to the project. Google Docs: Great resource and when a student makes a change to a document, you will know. Each RSS feed lists recent changes to documents appearing on your Active Documents list.

Multiple Sections of the Same Course : 

Multiple Sections of the Same Course If you teach multiple sections of the same course, you can use the blog as a method to update both sections. One blog will update with the same information all courses shortly after your post If students ask the same question each term, you can be prepared term to term. You can reuse the information if you teach the same course in another term.

Additional uses for RSS : 

Additional uses for RSS Obtain professional development notifications. Get updated information in content area. Maintain course web pages with current and relevant information Add videos, YouTube videos, slideshows that other users have allowed for educational purposes Create and track comments to specific issues with aggregator Photo sharing

RSS Connections : 

RSS Connections

Want more? : 

Want more? My Sites: PLEASE CONTRIBUTE ! MY Blog: http://iculearn.com/wp/ RSS Tutorial on my Website at: http://iculearn.com/wp/rss-2/ NetVibes: http://www.netvibes.com/kcercone#General Twitter: #Kaprss (use this hashtag to Tweet us) Tutorial: http://rssgov.com/rssworkshop.html http://www.faganfinder.com/ RSS based search engine

Graphic email and an AvatarBoth good to have : 

Graphic email and an AvatarBoth good to have GRAVATAR: http://en.gravatar.com/ http://services.nexodyne.com/email/index.php

Good Bye!!! : 

Good Bye!!! I hope you learned something today. Please contact me!!! kapdocc@gmail.com