THING #10 - RSS Feeds

RSS Feeds is something I have heard about for years, but never really had a reason to use. I suffer from information overload like most everyone these days. I watch the evening news on local channels and cable feeds every day; I listen to the news on the radio when I'm in the car; I browse the news feeds on my MyYahoo site. I didn't really feel that I needed any more input.
After looking at the video and reading some of the info, I realized that I already use an RSS reader - my MyYahoo page. Most of the stuff on the page is RSS reeds. I added a couple of the Education blogs to the site because they interest me, and a couple of the classmates who have posted with me.

I can see a professional use for an RSS feed, once you find sites that have relevance. I know people who just add everything that has a passing interest to their RSS feeds and as a result, have a reader site that is so big it is unmanageable. My MyYahoo is a full screen plus a screen roll down. I have one friend whose screen rolls down about six times it is so full. I suspect she never sees the bottom of the feed!!
I think you have to periodically revisit your RSS homepage and review your content for relevancy. Some of the sites go inactive when their authors get tired.
As for use in the classroom, I could see older grades setting up an RSS feed for a topic of interest and checking it for content every couple of days. It is a project that would have to be monitored for appropriateness and content.
It is certainly appropriate for school - after all, it's easy and it's free. What more could you want?