Google+Tools

toc = = = Google Reader and RSS =

What is RSS?
RSS stands for //**Really Simple Syndication**//, and it is just that! If you regularly use the web, RSS is a must. Content on the web is constantly updated, and RSS is a way to stay updated and easily informed without the trouble of visiting each individual site of interest. Think of RSS like having a magazine subscription. You can expect your subscription to come when each new issue is released, except in RSS the rate of content that comes to you can be much quicker, sometimes several times a day from the same source.

So, how do we get started with RSS? In order to organize and read all of your "subscriptions", you will need a place to put them and to read them. A one-stop-shop, so to speak. For this purpose you will need to have a reader, also called an aggregator. A reader acts like a mailbox, holding all of your subscriptions in one place while also allowing you to read your updated content without having to visit individual sites. A reader can hold as many subscriptions as you like and will automatically update and alert you every time new content is posted from one of your "subscriptions".

The video below explains RSS with Google Reader in a very simple way. There are many aggregators out there, so do not feel limited to Google Reader. Think about what the implications of using a tool like RSS can have for us as educators and leaders.

Video
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=Getting Started= Confused on how to find a starting point? Try here!

= Google Docs =

What are Google Docs?
Want access? Access to all of your files, presentations, forms, surveys? Better yet, want to collaborate on your stuff to revise, edit, share, whatever? Google Docs is the way to go. A description of Google Docs, explained [|here] and below, conveys the benefits to educators Google Docs creates.

"[|Google Docs] is an easy-to-use online word processor, spreadsheet and presentation editor that enables you and your students to create, store and share instantly and securely, and collaborate online in real time. You can create new documents from scratch or upload existing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. There's no software to download, and all your work is stored safely online and can be accessed from any computer."

Video #1 explains Google Docs in simple terms. Video #2 shares success stories from other educators and administrators.

Video #1
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Video #2
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=[|Ideas for educators]=