How to Stay on Top of Reading Material

We all want to rise in our chosen professions. Even if we have attained our desired position, staying there often requires as much effort as getting there. One of the secrets is reading in our field. The wealth of material makes it easy. The scarcity of time makes it difficult.

My professional reading material comes from three general areas. First is what I receive through printed journals or books I either purchase or borrow from a library. Second is the material which appears in blogs related to my professional interests. Third is online material referenced on Twitter.

Handling the Hard Copy
I have a decorative wooden letter tray beside my desk. Magazines, journals, and books are placed there. That arrangement puts all of my printed professional reading material in one place. While I am watching television, I can grab whatever is on top of the stack. Whenever I leave the house and could possibly have "down" time, I throw some of that reading material in my briefcase. Waiting time becomes reading time.

Some articles require some action. I want to do further research, write a blog post related to the article, or discuss it with my wife. I tear that article from the magazine. The article then goes in the tickler file to handle at an appointed future date. The rest of the magazine is discarded.

Online Reading
Every day, information related to any field imaginable appears on the many thousands of blogs. Finding good blogs is not a problem. Keeping up with reading them can be, especially when one has 50 to 100 blogs found to be useful. Thankfully, a little automation makes it easy. I use a service called "Google Reader." It's free, and all you need is a Google account (also free).

When you find a blog you wish to read on a regular basis, copy the blog's URL. Go to Google Reader, click "Subscribe" and paste the URL into the blank. From this point on, when new material from that blog is posted, it goes to Google Reader. You now have only one place to look for all of your subscriptions. On my tablet and smartphone, I have created shortcuts to Google Reader, so that I am one tap away from freshly-created material related to my interests.

Google Reader presents me with a list of titles. I pick and choose the articles which look appealing. When I am done, clicking "mark all as read" clears the list. Those articles do not appear again. Therefore, each time I open Google Reader, I am seeing never-before-seen material.

One caveat exists. Often an article is good enough that I want to re-read, save, or take some sort of action regarding it. I click a star, and that "starred" article will remain in Google Reader for me to handle when I get back to my desktop computer.

Twitter
Those who think Twitter is only about what people had to eat for lunch are badly mistaken. Twitter is a great place to recommend great material to others and read the recommendation of others. Generally, the tweet includes a link to an online article. I find I can breeze through my Twitter feed quickly, often while standing in the checkout line at the grocery store.

When a tweet links to an article I want to read in depth later, I "star" the tweet, and handle it back at my desktop computer.

One of the great things about this age in which we live is the wealth of reading material that is ours for the taking. Developing a method for tapping this rich resource is well worth the time to develop it.

How do you stay on top of your reading material?

Google Reader to Feedly Revisited

The March 20 post came on the heels of a Google announcement which caught the attention of many people. While some see it as a major event, I see it as part of a continuum. Furthermore, this strand of posts chronicles other similar examples, examples of good services which ceased to exists and are replaced by better services. Which we talked about Google and Feedly on March 20, I think it's appropriate to replay much of that content here as the penultimate post in this series.

Enter Google Reader
...all I had to do was look in one place. As of July 1, that one place will be gone. Just over four years ago, I began using Google Reader as my RSS aggregator. I wrote about my start in this post. For over four years, Google Reader has allowed me to identify the sources from which I want to learn, and then it has corralled content from those sources. From there, all I had to do was look in one place. As of July 1, that one place will be gone.

On March 13, many thousands of us clicked on Google Reader and saw the image you see above. In the hours that followed, blog posts were lighting up with anything from disbelief to outrage, to the feeling than the sunsetting of Google Reader was inevitable. How did I learn of these posts? The same way I have learned about so much else for over four years...through Google Reader.

How ironic it was to learn of the demise of Google Reader on Google Reader. What was even more ironic was to learn about alternatives to Google Reader by reading Google Reader. One after another, blog posts began to talk about "Feedly.com." Before the day was out, I was up and running with my own Feedly account.

Getting started
Creating an account at Feedly.com was quick and easy. Immediately, Feedly wanted to access my Google Reader and bring in all of the subscriptions. Instantly, Feedly was displaying all of the unread articles from Google Reader. Clicking on "Saved" revealed all of the articled I had "starred" in Google Reader for later reading.

When I reached the bottom of the page, I saw a small "mark page as read" link. Clicking it and refreshing the page cleared all of the articles and presented me with the next page of fresh, unread ones.

Seeing the announcement that Google Reader was sunsetting struck a note of fear in the hearts of many thousands. But, the same day, I was introduced to something I quickly found that clicking the ribbon icon on any article marked it as "saved." This action was the parallel to "starring" an item in Google Reader. When accessing Feedly, clicking on "Saved" in the left-hand column took me to the items I had marked to save for later reading. Clicking the ribbon icon on a saved article toggled it to "unsaved," causing it to disappear from the list.

Be sure to visit the "Preferences" link in the left-hand column. Experiment with the "Default View." You can choose between magazine, condensed, mosaic, cards, or full articles.I would recommend trying each one to see which you like best.

Mobile App
On my Android phone, I downloaded the Feedly app from Google Play. An app for iPhone is also available. You will want to visit the "Preferences" menu on the mobile app. I accessed it by touching an icon in the upper-left corner of the screen. On the "Advanced Settings" in the Preferences menu, I checked "Auto Mark as Read," so that when I read or scroll past an article, unless I mark it as "saved," it's gone the next time I access Feedly.

You may want to adjust the "Article Font Size." Also, experiment with the "Default View" to see what appearance you like best.
 
Our mobile devices allow us to function from anywhere. In most cases, however, we work best at our desktop computers. It's hard for a single, small screen to keep pace with my large dual-monitor setup. It's hard for two thumbs on a piece of glass to do what the fingers of two hands can do on a keyboard. 

Using Feedly on my phone is proving to be an even better experience than viewing it on my computer. For this reason, reading Feedly becomes something I can do from anywhere. Because I can read just one article or the entire feed during any given session, it becomes a perfect option for filling spare minutes. I can read it while in line at the grocery store or waiting for an appointment.

Passing good content on to others through social networking is important. I am able to that so as easy from my phone as I can on my desktop computer. Icons allow for instant sharing on Facebook or Twitter. Another icon allows me to share an article through other options.

For example, I use Hootsuite on my desktop to organize social media content. I also have a Hootsuite app on my phone. While reading an article in Feedly, I can choose to share an article through Hootsuite. Hootsuite lets me decide whether the article goes to Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Google+, or any combination thereof. In addition, I am able to schedule a day and time when the item will be shared.

One of the features sure to become a favorite is Feedly's appearance You see beautiful images together with the title and snippet of each article. You skim articles by simply sliding through them with a thumb. Sliding upwards advances to the next article or page. Sliding downwards allows you to move backwards. Tapping on a article opens it.

Every cloud has a silver lining
The example you see to the right is a screen shot of a Feedly article on my phone. Not only does it give you an idea of how attractive this app displays, but the particular example gives us some good advice. We can change our mindset. The next time one of the services we have used goes belly-up, rather than choose a mindset of bemoaning what we lost, we can anticipate something better will takes its place.

Seeing the announcement that Google Reader was sunsetting struck a note of fear in the hearts of many thousands. But, the same day, I was introduced to something better. As a bonus, because all of the talk in the media about Google Reader sunsetting and the alternatives available, droves of people who had never heard of RSS are being introduced to it. You may be one of them.

Get started today
You may want to print this post. Or, you may open a new browser window so that you can have this post available as you set up your Feedly account. The content will make so much more sense when you read it while viewing Feedly at the same time.

Go to http://Feedly.com and create an account. If you already have Google Reader, you will be prompted to bring its content into Feedly. If not, click on the "add websites" button in the left-hand column. There, you will be given suggestions of sites to add. You can use the search window to enter the title or url of a blog you like. You could enter my name, "Frank Buck," or my url "http://FrankBuck.blogspot.com" to add it to Feedly.

Go to your phone and tablet to download the Feedly app. Log in using your username and password. On any of your devices, visit the "Preferences" menu, as we discussed earlier.

Every day, I learn something new. Often, I learn it from someone I never met. The knowledge is out there and free for the taking. Every one of us can get better at whatever it is we do. Every day, other people are posting great ideas which can help us on our various journeys. Tools such as Feedly allow all the great content to go one place. That deal is too good not to take. 

From Google Reader to Feedly

What is "RSS" and what is an "aggregator"?
Reading blogs is a great way to stay on top of what is happening in your field, regardless of what that field may be. The problem becomes that the more good blogs you identify, the more time is required to visit each one. The solution is called "RSS" (really simple syndication). While the concept has been around for quite a few years, the vast majority of people don't know about it.

To use RSS, you select a piece of software called an "aggregator." Using the aggregator, you "subscribe" to the blogs you like. The aggregator continuously checks each of your blogs for you and compiles all of the new content in one place. On a day-to-day basis, all you do is visit the aggregator. All of the new material is there, waiting for you.

Enter Google Reader
Just over four years ago, I began using Google Reader as my aggregator. I wrote about my start in this post. For over four years, Google Reader has allowed me to identify the sources from which I want to learn, and then it has corralled content from those sources. From there, all I had to do was look in one place. As of July 1, that one place will be gone.

On March 13, many thousands of us clicked on Google Reader and saw the image you see above. In the hours that followed, blog posts were lighting up with anything from disbelief to outrage, to the feeling than the sunsetting of Google Reader was inevitable. How did I learn of these posts? The same way I have learned about so much else for over four years...through Google Reader.

How ironic it was to learn of the demise of Google Reader on Google Reader. What was even more ironic was to learn about alternatives to Google Reader by reading Google Reader. One after another, blog posts began to talk about "Feedly.com." Before the day was out, I was up and running with my own Feedly account.

Getting started
Creating an account at Feedly.com was quick and easy. Immediately, Feedly wanted to access my Google Reader and bring in all of the subscriptions. Instantly, Feedly was displaying all of the unread articles from Google Reader. Clicking on "Saved" revealed all of the articled I had "starred" in Google Reader for later reading.

When I reached the bottom of the page, I saw a small "mark page as read" link. Clicking it and refreshing the page cleared all of the articles and presented me with the next page of fresh, unread ones.

I quickly found that clicking the ribbon icon on any article marked it as "saved." This action was the parallel to "starring" an item in Google Reader. When accessing Feedly, clicking on "Saved" in the left-hand column took me to the items I had marked to save for later reading. Clicking the ribbon icon on a saved article toggled it to "unsaved," causing it to disappear from the list.

Be sure to visit the "Preferences" link in the left-hand column. Experiment with the "Default View." You can choose between magazine, condensed, mosaic, cards, or full articles.I would recommend trying each one to see which you like best.

Mobile App
On my Android phone, I downloaded the Feedly app from Google Play. An app for iPhone is also available. You will want to visit the "Preferences" menu on the mobile app. I accessed it by touching an icon in the upper-left corner of the screen. On the "Advanced Settings" in the Preferences menu, I checked "Auto Mark as Read," so that when I read or scroll past an article, unless I mark it as "saved," it's gone the next time I access Feedly.

You may want to adjust the "Article Font Size." Also, experiment with the "Default View" to see what appearance you like best.
 
Our mobile devices allow us to function from anywhere. In most cases, however, we work best at our desktop computers. It's hard for a single, small screen to keep pace with my large dual-monitor setup. It's hard for two thumbs on a piece of glass to do what the fingers of two hands can do on a keyboard. 

Using Feedly on my phone is proving to be an even better experience than viewing it on my computer. For this reason, reading Feedly becomes something I can do from anywhere. Because I can read just one article or the entire feed during any given session, it becomes a perfect option for filling spare minutes. I can read it while in line at the grocery store or waiting for an appointment.

Passing good content on to others through social networking is important. I am able to that so as easy from my phone as I can on my desktop computer. Icons allow for instant sharing on Facebook or Twitter. Another icon allows me to share an article through other options.

For example, I use Hootsuite on my desktop to organize social media content. I also have a Hootsuite app on my phone. While reading an article in Feedly, I can choose to share an article through Hootsuite. Hootsuite lets me decide whether the article goes to Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Google+, or any combination thereof. In addition, I am able to schedule a day and time when the item will be shared.

One of the features sure to become a favorite is Feedly's appearance You see beautiful images together with the title and snippet of each article. You skim articles by simply sliding through them with a thumb. Sliding upwards advances to the next article or page. Sliding downwards allows you to move backwards. Tapping on a article opens it.

Every cloud has a silver lining
Seeing the announcement that Google Reader was sunsetting struck a note of fear in the hearts of many thousands. But, the same day, I was introduced to something better. As a bonus, because all of the talk in the media about Google Reader sunsetting and the alternatives available, droves of people who had never heard of RSS are being introduced to it. You may be one of them.

Get started today
You may want to print this post. Or, you may open a new browser window so that you can have this post available as you set up your Feedly account. The content will make so much more sense when you read it while viewing Feedly at the same time.

Go to http://Feedly.com and create an account. If you already have Google Reader, you will be prompted to bring its content into Feedly. If not, click on the "add websites" button in the left-hand column. There, you will be given suggestions of sites to add. You can use the search window to enter the title or url of a blog you like. You could enter my name, "Frank Buck," or my url "http://FrankBuck.blogspot.com" to add it to Feedly.

Go to your phone and tablet to download the Feedly app. Log in using your username and password. On any of your devices, visit the "Preferences" menu, as we discussed earlier.

Every day, I learn something new. Often, I learn it from someone I never met. The knowledge is out there and free for the taking. Every one of us can get better at whatever it is we do. Every day, other people are posting great ideas which can help us on our various journeys. Tools such as Feedly allow all the great content to go one place. That deal is too good not to take.   

Helping Others Begin a Personal Learning Network

Renewing administrative certification in Alabama is done through the "Professional Learning Unit," acquiring a set of five over a five-year period. Thought retired from public education (although anyone who has kept up with me knows that I am not retired--just went a new direction ) I am still keeping this certification alive.

Six months ago, I participated in an online course on "personal learning networks." The "final project" is to come back six months later and show how I implemented what was learned. Because the course is designed for administrators, the expectations is that I show not what I implemented for my personal growth, but how the concepts impact others. Below is the "showcase" in which I give people a start (and firm foundation) into their own PLN.



What blogs are in my Google Reader? Here are 21 of my favorites and why. If you are brand new to the idea of an iGoogle page, click here for an introduction. If you like some of the links you see below, why not add them as subscriptions to your own Google Reader?

• Angela Maiers   Author of The Passion-Driven Classroom, Angela is an active speaker and has a great deal to offer on use of the technology in the classroom. She is very active in social networking.
• BlackBerry Cool   BlackBerry is my tool of choice when it comes to managing my life. This blog helps me keep up with new developments.
• Connected Principals   A group of authors write for this blog, sharing best practice in education. The blog received 6 Edublog Award nominations in 2010.
• Cool Cat Teacher   Vicki Davis is a technology teacher in Camilla, GA. She writes on the uses of technology in her classroom, her views on best practice for use of technology in general, and pioneered The Flat Classroom Project (for which her students have received much notoriety)
• Copyblogger   This blog is written for those who blog and wish to get better at it.
• Daily Motivator   This blog brings words of encouragement to keep your life moving in a positive direction.
• Educational Insights  Jennifer Malone is principal at Eaton Elementary School in Loudon County, TN. The blog is a collection of technology resources related to education.
• eduflections   Julie D. Ramsay is a 5th grade teacher and author of the newly-published Can We Skip Lunch and Keep Writing. Her blog is all about best practice, especially as its regards technology in the classroom.
• Eduleadership   Justin Baeder is an elementary principal in Seattle, WA. He writes primarily about productivity for the educational leader with much of it centering around use of technology.
• Eye on Education   This is the company which published both of my books. Morgan Dubin is the primary author for this blog in addition to her spearheading the company's communication through Twitter and Facebook.
• Free Technology for Educators   Richard Byrne is a teacher, yet somehow finds the time to write prolifically about just what the blog promises...free technology. This one is a must-read.
• Heights' Hilghlights   For principals wanting to communicate with faculty and staff via a blog, Robin Gilbert's example is superb.She uses Google Docs as a parking place for documents she wants her teachers to be able to access and places links to them on her blog. The blog often features polls for teacher input, provides timely news, and is a vehicle for giving positive recognition.
• Laura Stack-The Productivity Pro   Laura Stack is one of the most sought-after speakers in the country on the subject of personal productivity.
• Lifehacker   This blog is generally about making life more enjoyable. It is slanted heavily towards technology, but there is a good bit of non-tech stuff as well.
• Presentation Zen   If you speak before audiences with any degree of regularity, Garr Reynolds has a wealth of information on PowerPoint presentations in particular and any presentation in general.
• PS22 Chorus   This elementary school chorus from Stanten Island, NY has taken the Internet by storm. Visit this blog and you will understand why.
• Raymond L. Young   When it comes to capturing the warmth and character of a school, nobody does it better than Pattie Thomas. The audience for this blog consists of the parents and community that support Raymond L. Young Elementary School in Talladega, AL.
• RIMarkable   Research in Motion is the manufacturer of the BlackBerry. This blog contains the latest information about the company and its products.
• The Lettered Cottage   This blog is about home improvement. Moreover, it's a great example of how a blog can substitute for a website. The design is beautiful and can serve as a model for anyone.
• Middle School Notes   Kerry Palmer is the middle school principal at Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, AL. This blog keeps parents informed about upcoming events. Parents are highly encouraged to subscribe through Feedburner so that they receive the latest information via e-mail.
• YoungTeachers   With this blog, Pattie Thomas has eliminated the need to produce a faculty handbook. Everything a teacher needs is digital and only a click away. Technology tips, best practice in the classroom, tips on parent relations, and positive recognition is all here

What are your favorite blogs? Leave a comment and let me know.

Thanks, Facebook! Now I Can Explain RSS

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication," and I seriously doubt that after reading that sentence you know more than you did before reading it. RSS, however is a really important concept in the world of blogging. Thanks to Facebook, I think I can explain in terms Facebook users will understand.

Suppose you have 200 Facebook friends and you want to read their latest news. You could accomplish this by going to the profile page of each friend one at a time. In many cases, you would find that nothing on the page has been added since the last time you looked. Secondly, the process of going to each page is very time-consuming.

Luckily, Facebook takes all of the new content your friends have posted and puts it in one place for you, on your "newsfeed."

Think of blogs as Facebook profiles and RSS as the newsfeed. When you come across a blog that you like, you don't have to actually go to that blog in order to see when there is new content. Instead, you can "subscribe" to that blog through your RSS reader.

How to Get an RSS Reader
Google Reader is my choice. First, I set up an iGoogle page. iGoogle is my homepage and serves as a "dashboard," putting many useful tools at my fingertips. For instructions on how to set up an iGoogle page, go here.

Once you get the iGoogle page established, click the "Add stuff" link near the upper right portion of the screen. Search for "Google Reader" and add it. This short video gives information from there on how to use Google Reader.

Google Tools in Comic Form

Google has a great little online comic book which outlines the free tools available. Click here to take a look.

Google Reader

This post is written for those who subscribe to my monthly e-mail newsletter. Would you like to be added to the list? Just click here and let me know you want to be added.

To add Google Reader to your iGoogle page, click here.

Google Reader is an example of an "RSS feed" standing for really simple syndication. Here is short video which explains the concept.




Thanks to Lee and Sachi LeFever for producing this video and making it available through the Common Craft Show.

Google Reader

One of the great things about blogs is that it allows for two-way communication. Sometimes, the writer learns from the reader. Such is the case today.

A week ago, I composed this post on using Bloglines to keep up with the various blogs that are of interest. Dave Sherman commented that he uses Google Reader. He mentioned that it works well with iGoogle, and I swear by my iGoogle page. For more on how to set up an iGoogle page, click here. Dave really got my attention when he used one of my favorite words: "easier."

So, tonight I gave it a whirl. Installing Google Reader was as easy as going to my iGoogle page and clicking "Add Stuff." Google Reader is simply another gadget. Below is a short YouTube video which explains Google Reader.



I was even able to import my feeds that I had already established in Bloglines. So far, I like what I see. For those who have an iGoogle page, adding Google Reader and subscribing to your favorite blogs may just be the way to go. Thanks, Dave!