RSS

=RSS feeds in education=

Author(s): Roisin Kelly-Laubscher

2012 Author: Juliana Willemse

**Introduction to RSS** (**R**ich **S**ite **S**ummary, **R**DF **S**ite **S**ummary & **R**eally **S**imple **S**yndication) Source: []...



As an introduction to RSS, please view the The following u tube video (Just click on the link below):

@http://youtu.be/0klgLsSxGsU

1. What is RSS?
RSS has been around since the late 1990’s and the original prototype was developed by Netscape. However, at the time it was not very successful. RSS for example is used by news websites, weblogs, podcasting and by journals as illustrated below. RSS feeds provide web content, or summaries of web content, together with links to the full versions of the content. It delivers information as an XML file called an RSS feed, webfeed, RSS stream, or RSS channel. RSS feeds allow a website's frequent readers to track updates on the site as soon as the person managing the site using an aggregator. The aggregator provides a consolidated view of the content in a single browser display or desktop application. Such aggregators or applications are also referred to as RSS readers, feed readers, feed aggregators or news readers ([]).

RSS is thus a format for delivering regularly changing web content allowing the reader to keep up to date with their favourite websites. It thus allows one to easily stay informed and save time.


 * 2. The advantages of RSS feeds **

You decide where you want information to come from (websites). Your RSS reader will indicate whenever you have unread information available. You choose when to look at the RSS feeds (a convenient time) and they don't clog up your email inbox ([]).

The following will link you to health related published articles:

[|Current issue only]

[|Recent issues]

[|OnlineFirst Articles]

[|Most Frequently Read Articles]

[|Most Frequently Cited Articles]

For more information on RSS visit:

[]

**4.1 Get a feed reader**
One needs a feed reader or news aggregator software to grab RSS feeds from various sites and display them for you to read and use. Most of the readers listed below are free; however this means that some of them have a lot of advertising. There are three types of RSS readers; ** 1//.// **__ //Desktop news aggregators// __
 * ===== [|Feedreader] (windows) =====
 * ===== [|amphetadesk](Windows, Linux, Mac) =====
 * ===== [|Newsgator] (Windows- Integrates with outlook, Mac) =====
 * [|sharpreader]

**2**. //__ Web-based feed readers __// :

 * ===== [|My Yahoo] =====
 * ===== [|Google Reader]: if you already have a gmail account, the google reader tab is in the top left corner of the screen =====

**// 3. //**//__ Mobile phone RSS apps __//
· Some smartphones now have built in RSS readers
 * ===== [|litefeeds] =====
 * [|netomat HUB] ( might not be free)
 * [|feed2mobile] adapts web based RSS feeds for mobile
 * [|XPRSS]
 * [|RSS Guru] (not free)
 * Newsgator for iPhone (not free). [|Newsgator]

**4.2 Find sites that syndicate content **
A website with one or more RSS feeds is said to be syndicated. Directory of syndicated sites:
 * [|Syndic8]
 * Googlereader also has a search feature

After subscribing to an RSS feed, an info consumer automatically sees new content offerings (headlines & summaries with a hyperlink to the full text) in their news reader.
 * 4.3 Add RSS feeds to the list of feeds your RSS feed reader checks **

5. Writing RSS feeds
Most blogging tools automatically generate RSS files. However, there are tools available for writing RSS feed.


 * [|feedforall] ( not free)
 * [|Google feedburner]
 * [|Feedfire](free & paid versions)

6. Examples of applications for Teaching and Learning
Disseminating course information such as announcements, pod casts, events, etc Keeping up to date with research Keeping up to date with teaching resources Share resources and research findings using social bookmarking sites Syndicating blog posts Update collaborators of changes made to a project

7. Other resources & References
7 things you should know about RSS- [] [|RSS feeds in plain English] (Video 3 min)  Using RSS feeds to disseminate course information. Glotzbach RJ, Mordkovich DA Radwan JE (2008) Syndicated RSS Feeds for Course Information Distribution. Journal of Information Technology Education Volume 7, 163-183 [|RSS feed in refworks] [|Academia Adds RSS Feeds to Their Teaching Tool Kit] [|Compiling an RSS feed] [] - sends RSS feed to twitter or facebook