Aggregators

Key Features

Read new blog entries from blogs you consistently visit all in one place
Keep track of news, trends and website updates
Organize all of your web-based resources and links in one accessible place

Overview

What Is It?

Many blogs and websites provide content via RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds, which enable the content from the site to be subscribed to by a user and collected, sorted and read through a tool called an aggregator. This makes it possible for a user to read a collection of blog entries and/or website updates all in one place, using one application. Depending on the purpose of the aggregator, it may go by a different name. For example, "feed readers" or "blog readers" are aggregators designed for collecting news feeds and blogs.

For a quick overview of RSS feeds and how they work, visit this post from the CIT blog or view the original link.

Types of aggregators

Blog/feed readers

rssfeed

Though many modern web-browsers have built-in RSS feed readers (Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari all do), they require the user to always access his or her collection of feeds on the same computer, using only that browser. For this reason, many people prefer to use an online/web-based feed reader which can be accessed using virtually any online terminal, in some cases even using mobile phones and other devices.

Homepage portals

What if a user wants to access all of his or her blog and website feeds in one place, plus photos collected in an application like Flickr, or favorite videos in an application like YouTube? Homepage portals aim to create a virtual, web-based "one-stop" access point for users, where a collection of links, mini-applications (such as daily weather animations and calendar reminders), and feeds from blogs and image/video sites all come together.

Podcast/Media Aggregators

Other aggregators specialize in handling podcasts and rich-media feeds. CIT has more information available on one of the most popular podcast aggregation tools, iTunes as well as iTunesU.

How Do They Work?

Most aggregators require at least two steps: 1) sign up for an account, and 2) start adding RSS feeds. Most browsers now display an icon (like the orange RSS icon above, or with something reading "RSS" or "XML") next to the URL in the address bar, letting a user know if the site or blog can be accessed as a feed in a reader. The Google Reader help pages provide a good overview on how to find and add subscriptions to your aggregator.

Uses as an Instructional Technology

Students can create categories or folders for different course-related blogs and websites in a reader, allowing them to keep track of timely and relevant materials in an efficient way.
Faculty can do the same or even use advanced features in some readers to share particular articles and items directly.
Students and faculty can set up sections of a homepage portal to include all their course related links and applications in one place. For example, the following could all be included on one portal page: faculty and/or student blogs via RSS feeds, shared course Flickr photosets, links to other web applications and even alerts and announcements from an application like Twitter.

Additional Information

Short video: RSS in Plain English, from Common Craft

This TechCrunch article provides a good overview and evaluation of most current blog readers

The Newbie's Guide to Google Reader from Webware

Several advanced and useful tips for using Google Reader from Lifehacker

Lifehacker also has a nice article explaining the key differences between desktop-based RSS readers and web-based readers