Thing5

=Thing 5 (Week 3): Getting Started with RSS=

**What is RSS?**
==
 * RSS** is a special type of computer code that allows users to know automatically when new "stuff" is added to their favorite websites. An **RSS feed**, which looks like a scary piece of computer code is an incredibly powerful, amazingly useful piece of Web 2.0 technology that is not actually scary at all (honest!). **RSS**, which stands for **Rich Site Summary**, or **Really Simple Syndication**, allows web users to **subscribe** to multiple websites and have new content **delivered to them automatically in one location**, called an **RSS reader** or aggregator. Instead of visiting each website to check for new information, the user simply **checks his or her reader**, which has **collected and organized all of the new content using RSS**. In short, when you set up an RSS reader and subscribe to the content (feeds) you choose, it's just like creating a customized newspaper or magazine containing **only** the stories, media and information you **want to read**, delivered "fresh" to you every day - spam-free, ad-free, and just-plain free!

**Why is it called a feed?**
Essentially, you (via your RSS reader) are **being __fed__ new content** (news, blog posts, journal articles, book and movie reviews, images, podcasts, etc). You don't have to go out and get it. It just comes to you.

**What do I need to take advantage of this wonderful RSS stuff?**
There are two basic parts to using RSS - first is the **feed**, which will be available as a link or icon on the website or blog you want to subscribe to, and second is the **reader** (or aggregator), which is the container that manages all of your subscriptions (or feeds). There are a number of different readers available. For this course, we will use Google Reader, a free, simple, browser-based reader. Basically, it's like this : **You visit a website you like**, **click the RSS feed/subscription link and add or paste the URL into your** **reader**. Then, you visit your reader anytime you want to see what's new at **all of the sites** you have subscribed to.

**How can RSS help educators?**
Educators can use RSS feeds to **keep up-to-date with news items, favorite blogs, journal articles, book reviews or updated items from any area of interest, keep current in educational trends, track student blog posts or changes to a class wiki site, and share news or media items (such as podcasts, images or videos) with students, colleagues and parents**. For a list of fantastic ideas for using RSS in your classroom, check out [|Ten Tips for Using Web Feeds in the Classroom] from Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson.

**RSS in Plain English** (3:45)
Watch the following short video in which our friends at CommonCraft explain the essence of RSS.

If you have trouble viewing the video above, try: [] or []

A couple more **RSS explanations** that may be helpful (not required): = =
 * [|It Really is Really Simple: RSS for Educators]: - Blog post by Mark Wagner
 * [|The ABC's of RSS] - Article by Will Richardson
 * [|Blogging Basics] - Explanation of blogs and RSS by Technorati

Discovery Exercise: Set Up your Google Reader and Subscribe to Some Feeds
For this course, you will use [|Google Reader] as your **RSS aggregator**.
 * [[image:http://www.rssboard.org/images/rss-icon-collection.gif caption="Just some of the possible RSS subscription icons" link="http://http//www.masternewmedia.org/content_delivery_and_distribution/RSS/what-is-RSS-really-simple-syndication-explained-20070426.htm"]] ||
 * Just some of the possible RSS subscription icons ||

To get started, **everyone will subscribe to the same 5 feeds**. (In Thing 6 you will learn how to begin finding and subscribing your own preferred feeds).

Different sites present their feeds using **different icons and links** (though there is a current push for [|standardization]). Most commonly, you will see an **orange icon**, or a link that says **Subscribe** or **Syndicate**, **RSS**, **XML** or **ATOM**. With a little practice, you can learn to easily locate and use the various subscription icons and links - I promise!


 * To subscribe to a feed**, you simply **click the icon or link** for the feed and **you will then see** either a **button to click** to add the feed to your Google Reader, or a page of "scary code" from which you **copy the URL and paste it** into the **Subscription** field of your Google Reader.


 * To set up your Google Reader,** simply visit [|http://reader.google.com] and **log in with your Google Account**. (The first time you log in, you will see a welcome screen containing a brief introductory video).

Then, in __**another browser tab or window**__, visit the following sites and subscribe to the feed.


 * ‡ HELP Page ****:** Step-by-step instructions for subscribing to each site

(In the **Task** below, you will find instructions for "what to do" with the feeds after you have successfully subscribed).

**Five Required Feeds** (please subscribe to all)
> A group blog "designed to help teachers and students thrive in the 21st century." Rotating posts by eight authors. Updated about twice a month. > From LEARN NC. "Instructify is where teachers can stock their toolboxes with practical, time-saving classroom ideas and cutting edge methods of instruction. It’s where to find useful, free technology to utilize in the classroom. And it’s a fun place to spend your planning period." > A round-up of "what's new and noteworthy in educator blogs," from Education Week's //Teacher Magazine//. > A blog co-authored by several high school students who are interested in the future of education. Though infrequently updated, the posts and comments are impressive. > 27-year veteran classroom teacher Pat Hensley (a.k.a //loonyhiker//) offers "strategies and tips for successful teaching." Her blog embodies the Web 2.0 spirit of sharing.
 * **Infinite Thinking Machine** -[|http://www.infinitethinking.org]
 * **Instructify** - []
 * **Blogboard** - []
 * **Students 2oh** - [| http://students2oh.org]
 * **Successful Teaching** - []
 * ‡ HELP Page ****:** Step-by-step instructions for subscribing to each site

Two Stretch Feeds - Go Beyond Blogs...
(Optional, but really good to know). Your Google Reader can read __any__ kind of RSS-syndicated content, such as news stories, images, video clips, bookmarks and podcasts. Try adding a **news feed** and a **podcast feed** to your reader. It works the same as adding a blog feed.

> Subscribe to __any area of interest__, such as education, books, music, health, top stories. > Subscribe to __any of 616 podcast offerings__ in a wide variety of categories. (**TIP**: Note __duration__ of podcast before subscribing.)
 * **New York Times** - []
 * **NPR Podcasts** - []


 * ‡ HELP Page: **Step-by-step instructions for subscribing to the five required and two stretch feeds.


 * Google Reader Official Help:** [|Getting Started with Google Reader]

Task

 * PART 1:** Get comfortable using your Google Reader. Read through the "new items" from the above subscription feeds in your Google Reader. This [|brief video] shows you how. **You are not expected to read every item thoroughly**, but rather to __scan and skim all items__ and read those that seem relevant, thought-provoking or interesting. You will need to click the **blue title** of an item to go to the actual site and read any **comments**. Be sure to **star** any items you want to save for later reference.

**¤ IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT YOUR GOOGLE READER:** The content in your reader can be overwhelming because it will continue to "pile up" endlessly. BUT -- it's not actually there -- it hurts NOTHING for you to skim and skip items and mark them as "read" just by scrolling past them. You aren't actually deleting anything. In fact, learning to quickly scan and process a lot of news items is an essential part of RSS literacy and information management -- the important ideas will always come back around, and you will also learn to pare down your subscriptions as you go. If you feel compelled to thoroughly read every item, you will remain completely overwhelmed and quickly "quit" your reader. Keep trying -- it gets easier!


 * PART 2:** //After you have checked your Google Reader for a few days//, write a reflective blog post telling about an item of interest from your reader. Provide a direct link (permalink) to the item within your blog post. **NOTE:** You will need to __visit the actual blog or website__ to get the direct link -- your Google Reader is just "pulling in" the content -- like a radio pulling in a signal. The "real" show is being "broadcast" from a remote location. See the  21classes Help page for instructions on adding links to a blog post). Be sure to include "Thing 5" in your post title.


 * ‡ HELP Video: ** [|Using Google Reader to Read Your Feeds]