RSS and Web 2.0

Before taking this class, I had no idea what RSS and Web 2.0 tools were. Now, I feel familiar and comfortable with RSS and Web 2.0 tools. RSS stands for “Real simple syndication”. Basically, RSS is a way for content from multiple websites to be placed in one place. A single website, which is called a reader, collects new information from various websites and posts it for easy access and quick viewing. Information only collects from various websites from which the user chooses by subscribing to RSS feeds. Basically, content is pulled from different websites and put into one place. RSS saves people time, and this includes teachers. Instead of searching the web for educational articles and news, a teacher could simply subscribe to RSS feeds that will deliver educational articles and news to one page. A teacher has quick and easy access to educational articles and news. A teacher can even receive news on a reader from his/her school district.
Web 2.0 tools are basically places on the web that allow a person to publish posts/writings/videos/pictures/etc. I like how Web 2.0 tools are thought of as blank canvases. Blogs and Wikis are two main Web 2.0 tools. Blogs are online journals that place the most recent post at the top of the page. Posts appear in chronological order and usually there is only one author for a blog. Wikis are pages where the appearance of posts is completely up to the user; posts do not have to appear in chronological order. Wikis are content driven, and there can be one or many authors. Blogs and Wikis are becoming more and more popular and they are very beneficial for teachers. Teachers can use blogs and Wikis so that students can share their learning with parents, reflect on their learning, respond to questions/discussions, learn about other cultures, and increase motivation. Blogs and Wikis are also becoming popular for families to stay connected.
I have learned so much about RSS and Web 2.0 tools. I feel comfortable with these terms and I am pretty confident that I would be able to use them. I can definitely see myself using these tools in the future. I would set up a blog or wiki in order to communicate with my students and their parents; also, these tools would allow me to keep a class more organized and build a stronger relationship with students/parents. I would use RSS to receive educational articles and news. I really think RSS would save me a lot of time in the future and I am happy I have discovered it so early in my career!