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Incorporate Podcasts and RSS Feeds into Blackboard Vista

Incorporate Podcasts and RSS Feeds into Blackboard Vista. Manchester Community College Bonnie Riedinger & Jessica Mraz June 26, 2009. Learning objectives. Identify the differences between a Podcast and an RSS feed Incorporate an RSS feed into your Blackboard Vista section

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Incorporate Podcasts and RSS Feeds into Blackboard Vista

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  1. Incorporate Podcasts and RSS Feeds into Blackboard Vista Manchester Community College Bonnie Riedinger & Jessica Mraz June 26, 2009

  2. Learning objectives • Identify the differences between a Podcast and an RSS feed • Incorporate an RSS feed into your Blackboard Vista section • Identify sources of RSS feeds and Podcasts

  3. What is a Podcast? • An audio or video (also known as a vodcast) file available on the Internet for you to listen to and/or watch for free • Podcasts are different from downloaded or streaming files because you can subscribe to podcasts and receive new content automatically via an RSS Feed • You can listen to or watch a podcast on your computer or MP3 device

  4. Why use Podcasts? • Adding an audio and/or video element to your course will help auditory/visual learners be successful in class • Audio and video files will activate your student’s senses and therefore make them engaged in the class • This is a type of technology your students are already using • Subscribed Podcasts provide up to the minute information to your students • It’s easy to do and will help your course be successful!

  5. How to create a Podcast • Anyone can create a audio files with simple audio recording equipment: • A microphone • A recording program like Audacity, Camtasia & many more found here: museumpods.com/id33.html • You can post these MP3 files directly into Blackboard or host your podcast online and create an RSS Feed for subscribers • Host on ITunesU, Podbean.com, mypodcast.com & many more! • Add an RSS Feed to your hosted site and then add the Feed to Blackboard

  6. What is an RSS Feed? • RSS stands for Real Simple Syndication • An RSS feed displays interactive content on a topic relevant to your course • An RSS feed is an XML document that creates a link to a web resource • The XML document detects when the original web resource changes • Changes show up on your Blackboard Vista page!

  7. Why use an RSS Feed? • Students get up-to-date information without leaving Blackboard Vista • Students see how course material relates to everyday news and events • Students therefore become more engaged in your course

  8. RSS Feeds & Bb Vista 3 easy steps to get an RSS feed into your course: • Translate the feed from RSS into Javascript (using a utility) • Format the Javascript (using a utility) • Put the Javascript into your course

  9. RSS Feeds & Bb Vista • Find the RSS feed by locating this icon: • Click on the orange square • You see the XML code that makes up the RSS feed – ignore it • Copy the URL shown in the Address bar of the browser :

  10. RSS Feeds & Bb Vista • Now Format the Javascript • Go to: http://feed2js.org/ and click on the BUILD tab • In the URL box, enter the address for the RSS feed copied earlier • Format the remaining options to your liking

  11. RSS Feeds & Bb Vista Preview of Building a Feed

  12. RSS Feeds & Bb Vista • Click Preview and the page will show how the feed will look when embedded into your page • If the feed looks correct, click Generate JavaScript • Copy the JavaScript from the box on this page:

  13. RSS Feeds & Bb Vista • Log in to your Blackboard VISTA course & go to the BUILD Tab • Decide where you want your RSS content--E.g. in the header, footer or as a file link on the home page. You may also insert your feed in a content file on an organizer page or learning module. • Make sure you have the html editor turned off and have the box next to “html” checked. This is very important. If you paste in the Java script without these steps the feed will not display correctly. • In the content box, paste the JavaScript you copied • Click SAVE

  14. RSS Feeds & Bb Vista Example of pasting code in a file in Blackboard Vista.

  15. RSS Feeds & Bb Vista Student View of Feed in Blackboard Vista.

  16. Sources of RSS & Podcasts Most News and educational websites will offer RSS subscriptions and Podcasts for free • ITunes University • Poets.org RSS feed • NPR RSS feeds • The Economist RSS feeds • Washington Post RSS feeds • The New York Times RSS feeds • BBC RSS feeds

  17. Sources of RSS & Podcasts Examples of Calendar Feeds: • Boston University Calendar RSS feeds: http://www.bu.edu/calendar/rss/ • MCC Events: http://www.mcc.commnet.edu/rss/events/

  18. Podcasting WorkshopWith TJ Szewczak! September 11, 2009 11—12:00 in B130 Register on the IITT Course Cart: https://www.commnet.edu/academics/iitt/coursecart.asp

  19. Questions? This presentation is available on the ETDL wiki at: http://mccetdl.pbworks.com/RSS-Feeds

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