Working with RSS Feeds

Introduction

            This paper defines RSS (Really Simple Syndication) technology and explores its potential to support and enhance learning. More specifically this paper analyzes the appropriateness of RSS technology in addressing the needs and challenges of online students. As a precursor to this project an RSS account was opened and subscriptions made to use this technology. The following essay summarizes the experience of initially setting up a new RSS feed, subscribing to sites, and using the technology.

What is RSS Technology?

            RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Weblogs and many other sites “generate a behind-the-scenes code in a language similar to HTML called XML. This code, usually referred to as a ‘feed,’ as in “news feed,” makes it possible for readers to “subscribe” to the content that is created on a particular weblog so they no longer have to visit the blog itself to get it (Richardson, 2010). Essentially, RSS acts as an aggregator that opens different sites you have subscribed to in the same window with a simple click on the related index item. Most of these aggregators allow you to create categories for your feeds to keep the feeds logically organized and easily accessible. RSS is a direct feed so when the content on the subscribed site is updated, so is the RSS feed.

RSS for Online Learning

            RSS technology can be a great tool used for online learning for the administrators and students. For administrators and instructors, they can assign their students homework in the form of blogs, and then subscribe to each blog thereby gaining the advantage of having instant access to all his or her students in one aggregator interface. This same strategy works to the advantage of the students as they can feed assignments and other relevant online school information into one RSS aggregator to have a common interface for all information. RSS has the capabilities to create different named folders to organize feeds so students can also manage and sort references used for school studies and projects. RSS is being used more and more in colleges and universities as “RSS allows schools to effectively disseminate important information to all students, regardless of individual schedules or how students prefer to receive it” (Glotzbach, Mordkovich, & Radwan, 2008). RSS feeds in universities can also be used for job openings, computer security alerts, calendar events, and much more. The RSS role in online learning is increasing as the growing amount of information on the web is making it difficult to manage in a classroom without it.

Setting up RSS

            Richardson’s book suggested Google Reader as a good RSS tool to use (Richardson, 2010, p. 73), but Google Reader is no longer in service; this was reportedly due to low usage. I did some web searches to compare free alternative RSS readers and to my delight there were plenty. Doing an online comparison revealed that some RSS tools are more complex to learn with varying capabilities, while others with simpler formats are better for first time users. Feedreader appeared to be the best RSS for this project as it was high rated and appeared to be the best fit. I was able to log in to Feedreader using my google account and had instant access to the interface. Since I have not had training on this tool I explored the settings and other navigation buttons to get a feel for set up and then started to add some feeds. Internet explorer 11 started crashing after adding two feeds, but when I switched to Firefox it stopped; at first, there is a considerable lag in loading each page in Firefox. I created a category called Instructional Design and then added 5 new feeds to it. The simplicity and ease to switch from one feed to another is amazing and handy. Feedreader has different user levels with varying prices starting from free to social, standard, and highest price professional at 59 dollars a year (Feedreader, 2015).

Summary

This paper described RSS (Really Simple Syndication) technology and explored its potential to support and enhance learning by addressing the needs and challenges of online students. This essay also summarized the experience of initially setting up a new RSS feed, subscribing to sites, and using the technology.

References

(2015). Retrieved from Feedreader: http://feedreader.com/

Glotzbach, R. J., Mordkovich, D. A., & Radwan, J. E. (2008). Syndicated RSS Feeds for Course Information Distribution. (C. Cope, Ed.) Journal of Information Technology Education, 7, 165.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. (Third, Ed.) San Bernardino, California, United States: Corwin.

Challenges in Building Online Communities

Richardson provides many instances of how social networking increases social learning (Richardson, 2010, pp. 63-69). However, in order for this online networking strategy to work, it must strategically set up and proactively run by a facilitator who inspires his or her students to participate and logically inserts his or her own comments to keep all students attached and active. Wikis and Blogs are both great interactive web tools that encourage student participation. Wikis have proven themselves as a tool that users take ownership of to ensure accuracy and participation. Facilitators can start a wiki and then promote it as a classroom-learning tool where student will get credit for active participation. With the high percentage of people fixated on social networking pretty much all the while they are awake, we cannot miss this a grand opportunity to get people to use it for learning. The important factor for adolescents using social networking in a school environment is to maintain a measure of control to ensure they students are being productive and not participating in non-learning online activities.

References

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. (Third, Ed.) San Bernardino, California, United States: Corwin.

Reflections on Course Insights

I have learned that computer technology has evolved more in the last two decades than any time in history. This technology has influenced the education world to re-evaluate learning strategies to use technology to the advantage of the course designer, developer, instructor, and student. Because of this rapidly evolving technology and the attraction of distance education, the industry has embraced many forms of computer technology to facilitate online learning. The flexibility of the available tools make customization to meet individual learner needs possible. Students with different learning styles and disabilities are able to have the same learning opportunities as others.

Here are a few of the different uses of a variety of tools. These along with others can be viewed in a previous blog entitled ‘Online Learning’:

• Video: Allows the instruction the advantage of using the student's visual channel to view animations or connect with the expression of an instructor or speaker who is presenting material.
• Breakout sessions: Allow the facilitators to group learners in a synchronous environment into work groups so they can discuss and work their tasks in groups; the instructor can present or talk to these individual groups
• Polling: Allows the instructor to question, assess, poll, and request responses that will ensure engagement and give a measurement of participation and learning retention to the instructor so he or she can adjust strategies if necessary.

Learning management systems (LMS) are used to manage and deliver learning solutions. LMSs host the learning solutions and then provide permission based access and delivery to the students. Once the student has completed their training the LMS stores data about the event for future reference such as student credit for training, test scores, and level 1 survey data. If a student starts a course and doesn’t finish it, the LMS will take them to the place they left off when they return.

Brian G.