Making your work lighter
One of the ways to track this blog, its posts and comments and have them delivered to you, rather you have to go and find them, is to use the RSS (really simple syndication) links for our entries (posts) and comments.
You’ll see the RSS links at the top of the left-side column of the ETEC522 blog.
A web-based RSS reader like Google Reader, or a dedicated software tool like NetNewsWire (Mac) or FeedDemon (PC) can be used to keep all the entries (posts) and comments coming to you automatically.
The YouTube video below explains the concept…
If you would like to suggest other RSS readers, please add them to the comments section below.
~d
3 comments
1 A few reminders — ETEC522 — Ventures in Learning Technology — September 2009 { 09.10.09 at 9:33 pm }
[…] Also consider whether a “feed reader” (RSS aggregator) will suit you as a means for quickly reading and scanning posts. I left you a posting outlining the potential. […]
2 Brian Powell { 09.17.09 at 11:08 pm }
I’m using Bloglines as a feed reader and the interface is much more manageable than this three narrow columned one even at 1280×800. Of course you do have to return here to post or comment.
For the menu at left, collapsing submenus would be great. I would get rid of third right column and narrow the banner image at top. Two columns would mean more horizontal space for the menu at left. Another way of optimizing the vertical space on the left menu is to abreviate the module labels but leave the full title in the title element to reveal it on rollover. There’s got to be a way of either having the top posting edit toolbar either in a frame of its own or in a floating layer, or quickly accessible with an anchor link. I’m too easily distracted by the technology, I’d better get back to the content.
3 davidp { 09.18.09 at 7:16 am }
Thanks for these comments, Brian. I’m using a two different feed readers (aggregators) to test them out.
One of the combinations (NetNewsWire and its companion tool MarsEdit) allows me to use the feed reader and a linked blog authoring tool to complete the reading and writing tasks in one environment. It also has lots of sorting and viewing options.
As blog tools get used more often as course tools, I think we’ll see lots of mods that allow for a smoother interface.
d.
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