RSS Feeds How to Automatically Get or Distribute Content

What is an RSS Feed? - What does RSS stand for? - What does RSS stand for? It actually applies to a several different standards but the commonly accepted answer is "really simple syndicate“ It actually applies to a several different standards but the commonly accepted answer is "really simple syndicate“ Definition from Wikipedia: Definition from Wikipedia: "RSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content such as blog entries, news headlines or podcasts. An RSS document, which is called a "feed," "web feed," or "channel," contains either a summary of content from an associated web site or the full text. RSS makes it possible for people to keep up with their favorite web sites in an automated manner that's easier than checking them manually." feedblogpodcasts Bottom-line - RSS is a way to automate getting/giving information. If you are generating content, it is a way to automatically disperse it. If you are consuming content, then it is a way to automatically get content.

Why should you care about RSS as a teacher? RSS has helped some technologies become a lot more popular - Blogs and Podcasts to name two - because it allows people to be fed new information on some topic without having to seek it out every time something new comes out. This has three obvious implications for education: RSS has helped some technologies become a lot more popular - Blogs and Podcasts to name two - because it allows people to be fed new information on some topic without having to seek it out every time something new comes out. This has three obvious implications for education: 1)It allows teachers to put real live information at the fingertips of students without the teacher having to constantly seek out each bit of info 2)It allows teachers to automatically get information that might apply to their classes or profession without constantly needing to seek it out. 3)It allows students to automatically get content for your class or for school.

1)It allows teachers to put real live information at the fingertips of students without the teacher having to constantly seek out each bit of info The first implication can be huge or it might have relatively minor implications for your class depending on the subject. To use the obvious example, if you have a current events class you can use an RSS feed to automatically put current news from CNN, The New York Times... on your class site and it is automatically updated. The first implication can be huge or it might have relatively minor implications for your class depending on the subject. To use the obvious example, if you have a current events class you can use an RSS feed to automatically put current news from CNN, The New York Times... on your class site and it is automatically updated. A great example of this is Katy’s class home page - A great example of this is Katy’s class home page As teachers we are telling our kids all the time how our class ties in with the rest of life. Using an RSS feed to pipe the latest current information about a subject can be a great way to keep students tied into the relevance of your subject. As teachers we are telling our kids all the time how our class ties in with the rest of life. Using an RSS feed to pipe the latest current information about a subject can be a great way to keep students tied into the relevance of your subject.

1) Continued While I mentioned the obvious example - current events - don't be too quick to write off RSS feeds for other subjects. There are tons of people out there creating lots of content that might be applicable to your situation. While I mentioned the obvious example - current events - don't be too quick to write off RSS feeds for other subjects. There are tons of people out there creating lots of content that might be applicable to your situation. One of the podcast I subscribe to is Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. It is a daily audio clip that is less then five minutes long on some sort of grammar topic. One of the podcast I subscribe to is Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. It is a daily audio clip that is less then five minutes long on some sort of grammar topic.Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better WritingGrammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing While I have only listened to it a few times Math Mutation is a "short podcast for people of all ages, where we explore fun, interesting, or just plain weird corners of mathematics that you probably didn't hear in school." While I have only listened to it a few times Math Mutation is a "short podcast for people of all ages, where we explore fun, interesting, or just plain weird corners of mathematics that you probably didn't hear in school."Math MutationMath Mutation No matter what your subject is, there is interesting sources you can subscribe to in order to get material you can use with your students. No matter what your subject is, there is interesting sources you can subscribe to in order to get material you can use with your students.

2)It allows teachers to automatically get information that might apply to their classes or profession without constantly needing to seek it out. This is great for teachers because it can be REALLY hard to find time to hunt out good resources to help you teach. With an RSS feed if you find a content source that has promise, subscribe to it and you don't have to hunt it out every time you want an update - it comes to you! The content you subscribe to could be about your teaching subject, about teaching techniques or about the latest political developments in education at the State or Federal level. It doesn't matter what you want to get info about, there is probably a good source you can subscribe to. This is great for teachers because it can be REALLY hard to find time to hunt out good resources to help you teach. With an RSS feed if you find a content source that has promise, subscribe to it and you don't have to hunt it out every time you want an update - it comes to you! The content you subscribe to could be about your teaching subject, about teaching techniques or about the latest political developments in education at the State or Federal level. It doesn't matter what you want to get info about, there is probably a good source you can subscribe to.

3)It allows students to automatically get content for your class or for school This last implication is more techie because it puts the teacher or school in the role of creating content and pushing it out to others but at the same time allows you to do what you do best - create educational content for others. This requires creating an RSS feed and some other tasks that (depending on the situation) might be less user-friendly to generate. Never the less, there are starting to be more and more programs that will allow you to easily generate content and help you to setup all of the techie parts without you knowing anything about it. This last implication is more techie because it puts the teacher or school in the role of creating content and pushing it out to others but at the same time allows you to do what you do best - create educational content for others. This requires creating an RSS feed and some other tasks that (depending on the situation) might be less user-friendly to generate. Never the less, there are starting to be more and more programs that will allow you to easily generate content and help you to setup all of the techie parts without you knowing anything about it.

How can you tell if a site has an RSS feed? Luckily, it is really easy to tell if a site has an RSS feed. There are four ways to tell: 1) This is the universal “icon” for RSS feeds. If you see it, you can subscribe to it. 2) This is another common icon for RSS feeds. 3) This is the third common icon for RSS feeds. 3) Lastly, sometimes a site doesn’t list either of the two above icons but Internet Explorer 7 (the latest version) is set to detect if a site has an RSS feed. There is an icon in the upper right of the toolbar that will turn orange when a site has an RSS feed. Site has RSS feedSite doesn’t have RSS feed

Additional Resources Wikipedia’s entry on RSS Wikipedia’s entry on RSS Wikipedia’s entry on RSS Wikipedia’s entry on RSS RSS: A Quick Start Guide for Educators RSS: The Next Killer App For Education RSS: The Next Killer App For Education RSS: The Next Killer App For Education RSS: The Next Killer App For Education Sample RSS News feeds for Educators Sample RSS News feeds for Educators Sample RSS News feeds for Educators Sample RSS News feeds for Educators RSS Feeds for Teachers RSS Feeds for Teachers RSS Feeds for Teachers RSS Feeds for Teachers RSS Feeds from PBS RSS Feeds from PBS RSS Feeds from PBS RSS Feeds from PBS