Now You’ve Found the Information, Here’s How To Keep It.

I wrote in my last post about the benefit of using an RSS Feed Reader to pull together articles from a variety of sources.  Now that you have set that up, you may have already found some articles that were not only informative but you definitely want to keep.

Of course, you can cut and past the information, most of the time, into a wordprocessor and save it, however, there is an easier way:  Evernote.

Evernote is a free (although there are paid versions I have never hit the limits of what the free version can provide) program which exists in the cloud and crosses multiple platforms.  What that means is that information saved on my computer is available on my phone, my tablet, my home computer, basically anywhere I have internet access.

The great thing about Evernote is that the people there really understand how to maximize the cloud and have created web clippers for all the major web browsers.  Simply search for “Evernote Web Clipper” and you can find the version which works best with your browser.  Once installed it places the head of an elephant in your browser (see picture to the left – this is using Chrome web browser).  When you click that it will open a dialogue box like that to the right.  From there you can tell it to copy the article, the page, a screenshot and allows you determine where to save it inside of Evernote.  I have set up a folder labeled “web articles” to receive these articles and can choose to read them at the time or wait until later.  I can easily share them with others,   And, the great thing is, they are there until you remove them, whether that is next week, or next year, or next decade.

Using Evernote web clipper and your RSS Feed Reader is a winning combination.  It works in the background, takes very little effort, and makes my information readily available when I want it.

Teaching with Technology

I want to thank those of you that were able to attend our webinar yesterday. I firmly feel that technology can be a successful tool in any classroom when used properly. As we went through some foundational starting points I mentioned several questions to ask as you approach the use of any new technology in the classroom. I have outlined those again below:

  • Does the technology alter the message being communicated?
  • Has the technology been simplified as to be easily grasped by the learner?
  • Have I clearly communicated my expectations to the learners?
  • Does the technology enhance the learning?
  • Have I tested the technology?
  • Will everyone be able to use and access the technology being used?

 

In addition to these questions I mentioned several resources that I regularly read and monitor when it comes to technology and teaching in general. I am providing that list here. As well as one that was reminded to me after the webinar. This is really just the starting point. There are numerous resources out there and you cannot expect to know them all but staying abreast of some should help you to stay connected to what is happening in the broader world of academia.

Collaboration Tools

Dropbox.com

ScreenHero.com

Google Hangouts www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/

binfire.com

Docs9.com

Cloudappsportal.com

Blogs/Websites/Tech Sources/Conferences

Inside Higher Ed https://www.insidehighered.com/

Inside Higher Ed Tech specifically https://www.insidehighered.com/news/focus/teaching-and-learning

Tech and Learning magazine (free subscription) http://www.techlearning.com/default.aspx

Chronicle: Wired Campus email newsletter http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/

ProfHacker blog http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/

Educause http://www.educause.edu/

The Online Learning Consortium (formerly Sloan-C) http://onlinelearningconsortium.org/

University Business http://www.universitybusiness.com/

Distance teaching and learning conference https://dtlconference.wisc.edu/

Best wishes as you continue to shepherd your students toward a deeper understanding of the content. Remember you are the authority and technology is simply a means to help you lead the learner to deeper understanding!

Blessings,

Dr. Lee Skinkle

How an RSS Feed Reader Can Help Keep You Current

RSS stands for Rich Site Summary, but is also known as Really Simple Syndication.  You don’t really need to know that.  What you do need to know is that an RSS Feed Reader can make you better informed and help keep you current in select areas of your choice, with very little effort from you.

The basic way the RSS Feed Reader works is to aggregate, or pull together, into one site, often with a short digest or introduction various new postings to the blogs you have subscribed to.  It then sends the list to your email daily.

For instance I have subscribed to this blog, Adult Studies Faculty, Educational Technology and Mobile Learning,  Leadership Intelligence, Tools to Lead, Educause/Learning Analytics, Presentation Zen, Tablet Pedagogy, and others.  Each day I receive an email with the title and an introductory sentence from any new posts to these blogs.  It is rare that there are more than four titles listed.  Here is the key: I don’t have to go find them, I don’t have to even read them if they don’t interest me.  the ones that do interest me, I click on and go right to the post.

There are a LOT of RSS Feed Readers and you can research them on your own.  I use Bloglovin’ (www.bloglovin.com) because it is easy to use and isn’t too complicated.  This is an area where I don’t need complicated, just something reliable and easy to use.

The process works like this:  once you have signed up for your RSS Feed Reader, you can explore the list of Blogs from their long list and add any you like to your subscription list.  If you run across a Blog not listed (such as this one) simply go back to your RSS Feed Reader and add it.  In Bloglovin’ I click on the heart at the top of the page, select Edit the Blogs You Follow, click on Add Blog and paste the web address into the dialogue box which pops up.  Bloglovin’ does the rest and I start getting updates.  No other maintenance or attention is required.

Give it a try.  Find a few Blogs which appeal to your interest and see if you don’t learn something new.