Extra! Extra! Read All About it!

That term is taking on a whole new meaning with the introduction of Real Simple Syndication or RSS feeds.

I must admit, I never really have time to read a newspaper. I would love to spend the morning sitting with a cup of coffee and a paper to find out what is happening in the world. Unfortunately, I’m lucky to just get the coffee and ten minutes of local weather. The paper became more useful for packing items for storage than anything else. I do take the time to check sites like Masslive.com and School Library Journal when I get the chance at the end of the day. However, there is such a vast amount of information pertinent to my job, my goals, and my family that I would have to be on the computer constantly in order to read all the websites I like.

Enter aggregators or feed collectors, a type of software that allows you to collect all the latest information from your favorite websites. It’s the little newsboy of the 21^st century who yells out the latest news to catch your interest. Here’s basically how it works. Using the description from Will Richardson’s Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, “Weblogs generate a behind-the-scenes code in a language similar to HTML called XML.” This code gives readers access to the weblog’s information through “feeds”. In case that description is still too confusing, click on the link below for a Common Craft explanation of RSS feeds.

How has aggregators changed my life? Instead of spending hours searching all my favorites for the latest information, I link to their RSS feed or XML link, send it to my Google Reader account and… Viola! Instant information consolidated into one location. One-stop shopping! If I don’t find the information relevant, I just cancel the link. I can see it's applications in the classroom setting. Instead of students searching for information on projects, the information comes straight to them It’s amazing how technology has changed our world.

My choices for Google Reader include: Kathy Schrock's Kaffeeklatsch Blog, PBS Teachers “Learning Now” and “Media Shift”, the Library Advocate blog, Library Technology Guide, School Library Journal –Gadget News, Tools and Trends news and Professional Development News, and Wiki’s in Education to name a few . If I had to look at each of these sites individually, I would probably give up after the first week of enthusiasm. But aggregators like Googlereader allow me to see the latest news from each site in one location.

Let me give you some examples of items I’ve found through my Google Reader. RSS is just the beginning of further innovations like the article I found when reading PBS Media Shift on my Google Reader http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2009/02/washington-posts-web-ninjas-build-map-timeline-combo047.html

Here is an article from School Library Journal about using Tabbloid as an RSS reader. http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6632445.html?nid=4660

This article discussed how Journalism Students used Twitter to report on the Australian Elections. http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2009/02/how-journalism-students-used-twitter-to-report-on-australian-elections034.html

Does that mean I'll never pick up a newspaper again? No...not at all. I long for those school vacations when I can spoil myself by sitting in my fluffy bathrobe and over-sized slippers, sipping coffee and browsing the newspaper. Aggregators have just freed up more time to spend with my family. Any innovation that can do that is worth keeping.