Customer Reviews

RSS for Educators: Blogs, Newsfeeds, Podcasts, and Wikis in the Classroom

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Whatever happened to Web 1.0? Readers of John Hendron's (2008) book, RSS for Educators, will quickly realize the speed at which web technology has evolved. From its humble Web 1.0 beginnings of one-way, read-only applications on the information highway, we now have two-way, read-write RSS (Really Simple Syndication) apps and tools in a new revolutionary freeway of innovations of computer commuters networked by information using blogs, podcasts, newsfeeds, and wikis. This can be about everything, be from anywhere, happen everywhere, and on all kinds of devices (Wesch, 2008)
For someone who has an older one-way computer background, John Hendron's book is an eye-opener not only for techies, but also especially for educators who must merge into the new-era of Web 2.0 information travels. The new features of this highway are succinctly defined with helpful diagrams picturing Client/Server/Local User paradigms to help us understand where we are located in this interactive information highway called the Internet. For someone who had little background on Web 2.0, this book was very readable with new technologies clearly explained. Much of the author's discussion of blogs, wikis, etc. seamlessly interact with his classroom experience as a teacher and liaison to district administrators and parents, in bringing them together to experience and benefit from the slew of technologies available to help them communicate and better education.
The strength of the book is in its balance of presenting Web 2.0 technologies in a readable but also very technical fashion. Teachers can quickly make progress by using the recommended websites to start blog accounts, wikis, etc. A brief range of the most popular and powerful technologies are presented for the consumer to choose from depending on his/her situation. Whether it is blogs, wikis, podcasts, VoIP, or newsfeeds, the author usually surveys the most effective tools, always giving attention to both platforms, whether it is PC or Macintosh. His only weakness is his unhidden bias for Macs. However, the detail of his interaction with the technology is fair. His treatment of these is up-to-date and current.
In relation to Wikis, John gives helpful examples of using wikis for department meetings, notes, minutes, and even curriculum development. Here is where the "Ah Haa" moments echo where he provides specific uses of wikis from his own educational experience. The technology of Web 2.0 is not confined to the classroom, but transcended by things like videoconferencing, and also usable in teacher business as well as district business. The two-way roads of technology are expanding to the many facets of education.
When it comes to blogging, the author adequately surveys the popular blog resources available to begin web 2.0 applications. Again, both PC and Macintosh platforms are represented. The section does seem overly technical for educators, but as an educator with computer background, I found it very helpful. What I appreciate about Hendron's treatment is the balance of adequate technical help with the creativity of the Web 2.0 applications. Especially eye-opening were the classroom lesson plans using blogging technology to accomplish educational objectives. What administrator would not drop his/her jaw to see this kind of technology used in the classroom to engage and bring much needed collaboration to the classroom using technology? The lessons were replete with collaborative ideas using engaging technology. The only criticism is that the lesson plans did not include a single math lesson. This reviewer is a secondary math teacher.
In the final analysis, the esoteric technical title of the book is actually a rich and readable ride into the revolutionary Web 2.0 technology of not the future, but the present. It's explained clearly across both platforms and surveyed across the most popular tools. This is an excellent primer on information travel for Web 2.0.

This book gives you an excellent introductory to Rss, podcasts, blogs etc. I would recommend this book for those who need a quick, informative read about
web 2.0. If you already blog, podcast or use RSS, I think the book will be nothing but review. It really has been written to introduce these topics.

RSS for Educators is a good source for K - 12 teachers to use in order to learn more about RSS tools and the possible ways of implementing them in their classes for different tasks. John G. Hendron, a teacher and instructional technologist for Goochland County Public Schools in Virginia, tries to review the rich possibilities Web 2.0 can create for learning in the classroom. The book consists of three main parts that cover the technological characteristics of blogs, podcasts, wikis, and newsfeeds. In addition, Hendron describes several alternative ways of creating and using different types of RSS tools. Hence, he provides very useful suggestions on how to use Web 2.0 tools during the lessons. The examples of lesson plans show a wide range of possible opportunities to integrate blogging, podcasting, wikis keeping, and newsfeeding in different subject areas.
Another important factor is that it is easy to read and understand the language of the book. John G. Hendron managed to explain the technical details on how to work with RSS tools in an understandable way. In the Appendix B a reader can find a little glossary for every chapter, clarifying some technical terms, making the content even more comprehensible.
RSS for Educators not only describes different possible ways of creating Web 2.0 tools, but it also suggests more affordable and appropriate software, platforms, and aggregators suitable for school settings. The book also encourages teachers to use these tools for their professional development and cooperative planning of lessons. John G. Hendron specifies the convenience of blogging and podcasting in keeping contact with students' parents. Hence, the book mentions and supports the necessary National Educational Technology Standards. The sample lesson plans described in the book promote cooperative learning along with creative and authentic natures of the tasks. In addition, all of the tasks contribute to the development of critical thinking skills and make learning more meaningful for students.
RSS for Educators is a valuable resource for school teachers to learn from. Moreover, the application of Web 2.0 tools in classroom will help teachers to make learning more meaningful, challenging and motivating for their students.

This book was a choice read to introduce another element into grad school study group - full of information on RSS.

Overall I thought this book was very good. It had a lot of great information and ideas for teachers. It clarified all of my confusion about blogs, podcasts and wikis. Before I read this book I knew what most of these things were but I did not understand them fully. I did not know what RSS was, but it is very simple and just means that you subscribe to blogs and wikis and you receive updates on them when you do this. I did not realize how useful podcasts could be and how easy they can be to use. I now know the difference between them all and I know how to apply them in the classroom. This book also introduced me to different programs and online activities for the classroom. For example, second life( a virtual online world;people have fictitious characters and lives ) video conferencing (connecting two classrooms), audicty( source for podcasting),garageBand,wordpress, and much more.

I plan to use blogs in my high school classroom in the future, I think students will really enjoy this and it will open the class up to the internet.I would also like to have a blog to communicate with parents of all of my students. There was an example of this in the book where teachers had to have a blog for parents, great communication idea! In the future, I would like to create a wiki with all of my lesson plans and curriculum in one place.

There is a great section in this book called classroom applications and this section goes into detail and gives many examples on how to apply wikis,blogs,podcasts, and more into classroom lessons.I would definitely recommend this book to teachers who are hesitant about using today's technology in the classroom. This book goes into detail on how to use these things from start to finish. The book also has great diagrams to help the visual learners get a better understanding. It will really be an eye opener to those who are uneducated about todays technology and advance their use in the classroom.

Though only half way through, I've already found so many ways I can use this book for the classes I am teaching. This book is full of great classroom examples that teachers from all subjects--social studies, literature can use.
I especially like the charts and graphs in the book, that seems to make concept of RSS crystal clear.