I have to admit I wasn't all that excited about this at first. I just thought it was going to be something else I had to check on a regular basis, but one thing I've realized from this class is that the things we are learning are actually quite simple to integrate if you find ways to do it that coincide with your daily routine. Really Simple Syndication is actually very simple; I wonder where they got the name? LOL. Anyway, I've been using my Google Reader for a couple of weeks now and it has supplied me with lots of information that would have normally been bypassed.
I have noticed that the majority of the feeds I subscribed to update on a regular basis. There were only a select few that minimally added new content. I think NPR is really cool because they're constantly updating with global, newsworthy information. I also really like Edutopia. They are consistently updating with content across the board. I really enjoy the fact that they focus quite a bit on project based instruction. They also seem to have lots of tips for new teachers. I also subscribed to Free Technology for Teachers. They post new resources every single day. The resources are very useful; they are primarily free online applications to use in the classroom.
I do have to say that I added some "entertainment" feeds as well. This is sort of how I integrated Google Reader into my daily routine. I noticed that I always checked the Huffington Post app and the TMZ app on my phone on a daily basis to catch up with gossip, but I had to log into each one separately. I subscribed to both of those in my Google Reader; I know I know not the most educational feeds, but entertaining none the less. I then thought to check my Android Market for Google Reader (I should have figured they had an app). I was able to download the Google Reader app for my phone. What's the result? I have all of my educational feeds and entertainment feeds synced directly to the Google Reader app on my phone. Everything I need is now in ONE place!
I'm so glad that I have this reader because I feel constantly up to date with these resources. The Internet and other technologies are changing all the time, I was worried that as an educator I wouldn't stay as up to date as I should. This is one way to prevent that from happening. I think an RSS feeder would be an awesome tool for students to use in the classroom as well. They can change their feeds based on the classes they are taking in school and use them for resources. They can also use it to help manage themselves on the web by subscribing to all of their favorite websites. One thing that is extremely important for students today is to stay current with what is happening in the world. It is so important as an educator to connect real world knowledge with what we are teaching in our classrooms. I think using a RSS feeder is a great way to get started.
I never thought I wanted a feed either. It just didn't make sense to me when I saw a friend use his. He had one that ran like a ticker tape along the bottom of his screen. That was too much of a distraction to me. I would never get anything done. Just spend the day reading all the feeds. But with a more realistic feed like Google Homepage feeds, you are right. Everything in one place even the fun stuff.
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