BAM NewsReader
Contents |
Purpose
Explains a better way to track the student contributions to their student blogs as part of the BAM project. Essentially this approach allows you to track student contributions in your own RSS news reader.
1. Get a news reader
First step is to choose which news reader you will use.
You can use an existing one, as long as it will import OPML files.
Our recommendations
- Mac user
- Download and install NetNewsWire
- Browser-based reader
- Create an account and use Google Reader
2. Get an OPML file of your student blogs
An OPML file is essentially a list of all your student blogs in a format that can be given to your reader.
If you go to the BAM Manage web interface you should now see a link "Download OPML file". You should
- Click on this link
After clicking, you should see a bunch of XML code - Save that page to your computer. Use an .opml extention - e.g. COIS20025.opml
File/Save As on your web browser - Import the OPML file into your news reader
3. Import your OPML file into your reader
How to do this will depend on your reader, but most will use the idea of "Importing Subscriptions"
- NetNewsWire
- Open up NetNewsWire
- Go to the File Menu and select "Import Subscriptions"
- Find the OPML file from step 2
- Import it
- Google Reader
- Login to Google Reader
- Click on "Settings" (Top right hand corner)
- Select "Import/Export"
- Find the OPML file from step 2 and import it
Future improvements
Given time, the following need to be done
- Much better docs and examples
- A link within the BAM manage interface that allows each individual marker get an OPML file specifically for them
- Rather than go directly to the students' blog RSS feed use a BAM RSS feed that might add some additional features. For example, add a link to "mark" the post.
