Technology has changed the way students interact with instructors as social networking and collective intelligence become primary facilitators of course information. One such method emerging with each new web creation is the integration of really simple syndication (RSS). Although RSS came about in the 90's, it is only in recent years that it has taken on a form of delivery that can easily be applied to the classroom. While dissemination of information is regularly done via lectures and course websites, in this case RSS was implemented to provide students an alternate method of receiving course announcements.
Today's post-secondary students are technologically savvy and they expect faculty to use myriad web technologies for course delivery. This includes taking advantage of email, course web sites, and online learning communities. However, expectations now also include RSS, blogs, web-and pod-casting, extending the classroom experience to provide active learning materials anytime, anywhere, and in multiple modalities. This contribution outlines the novel use of RSS technology for a course announcement system at Purdue University. It begins by describing RSS technology and discussing the different possibilities for RSS within classroom. It also describes the specific RSS application for real-time course announcements, detailing its creation and implementation. Initial student feedback is also presented.
Executive SummaryStudents in higher education today are technologically savvy and expect faculty to use myriad web technologies for course delivery. This includes taking advantage of email, course web sites, and online learning communities. However, expectations now also include RSS, blogs, web-, pod-, and vod-casting, extending the classroom experience to provide active learning materials anytime, anywhere, and in multiple modalities. This contribution outlines the novel use of RSS technology for a course announcement system at Purdue University that aids IT educators without expense or significant time consumption. It begins by describing RSS technology and discussing the different possibilities for RSS within the classroom. It also describes the specific RSS application for real-time course announcements, detailing its creation and implementation. The classroom chosen for this study was one that begins to mirror the real world with its many sources of information. T he addition of RSS feeds to the course website allowed the students to share information with their classmates, professor, and their real-world clients.Initial (n = 53) and secondary (n = 29) questionnaires were given to the students in order to evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of implementing RSS feeds in the classroom. In comparing the results students showed a significant increase in perceived knowledge (p-value = 0.0017) and proficiency (p-value < 0.0001) with RSS feeds and their potential to use this offered technology. T he researchers also found that, although only 55.2% of users indicated using a RSS feed for other sources, 65.5% indicated using the course RSS feed, suggesting students found value in the RSS technology applied in the classroom setting.Although there was evidence that students used the course RSS feed, the ttest comparing students' usage of RSS feeds between the initial and secondary questionnaires failed to yield a significant result. The researchers attribute this to a lack of a common method for all course announcements, ones made by Material published as part of this publication, either on-line or in print, is copyrighted by the Informing Science Institute. P ermission to make digital or paper copy of part or all of these works for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage AND that copies 1) bear this notice in full and 2) give the full citation on the first page. It is permissible to abstract these works so long as credit is given. To copy in all other cases or to republish or to post on a server or to redistribute to lists requires specific permission and payment of a fee. Contact Publisher@InformingScience.org to request redistribution permission. Syndicated RSS Feeds 164students, professors and related third parties, to be distributed to the student.This study found that including a RSS feed as part of the course created opportunities for further research into the effective use of RSS feeds in education. For IT ed...
Mobile devices have evolved into complex, miniature information management systems capable of functioning as a phone, day planner, music player, video player, contact list, digital camera, web browser, and more combined into a device. As mobile devices continue to evolve, new and innovative approaches to using them ensue, such as information-packed applications that are also designed to entertain or amuse the user. One successful example of these infotainment applications is Purdue football eStadium. E-Stadium has garnered significant media attention by delivering interactive content that users want to receive during live-game attendance. Students, faculty, and staff have worked together for the 2005-2006 season to implement many new features, releasing one new feature at each home game of the '05-'06 season. It has been recognized by The Exponent as, "the ultimate football experience," (2005) and gained further exposure in a PurdueSports.com article, e-Stadium: Fans have the game in the palms of their hands (2005) and a Cedar Rapids Gazette article, Hold a Jumbotron in palm of hand (2005).
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