This document provides an introduction to web 2.0 technologies like blogs and RSS feeds. It begins with information about the author and their initial experiences with blogs. It then discusses consuming blogs through RSS feeds and readers, highlighting benefits like efficiency, spam filtering, and outsourcing. The document asks questions about what blogs the reader likes and their questions about blogs/RSS. It provides steps on setting up an RSS feed and considers whether these technologies could be useful in a classroom.
Introduction: I am NOT an expert! I’ve just taken a few baby steps in the right direction. Goals for the session: this will probably not go right into your classroom. I’d suggest that you NOT use anything you learn in my session in your classes on Monday. You need to give yourself time to learn these tools before you use them with your students. Structure: ten minutes to explain the two key baby steps, a brief intro on RSS / blogs, then lots of time to “play” and set up your own reader. Towards the end of the session we’ll I’d encourage you to get your laptop up and running now, and to sit in buddies. Turn to the person next to you and introduce yourself. I hope that they can help you as much / more than I will help you. If you already know what RSS readers are and how to use them, this may feel a bit too slow. If that’s the case, I encourage you to do the following: +Spend the time that is meant for learning these new technologies pursuing your own questions about RSS. +Reflect with me as I try to present these technologies in a safe non-threatening way. How can we best teach our colleagues how to use these new technologies? +Reflect with me, how can we use this with students? Maybe upper level ones…
