BP3: A Review of Feedly.com

Here's an example of a typical conversation among my Digital Media Arts students:

Student 1: "Hey, do you know a site where I can find good Illustrator tutorials?"
Student 2: "Why don't you ask Mrs. Hutchinson? She knows all those internet resources!"

Although I'm glad to be known as the 'go-to' person for resources, I'd much rather teach my students how to search for resources themselves and have that information aggregated in one place. This led me to find Feedly.com.

Feedly is described as:

"A fast and stylish way to read and share the content of your favorite websites. Feed your mind. Anytime. Anywhere." - source

Instead of having to scour the internet to find design-related information, my students can simply type in what they're interested in, and Feedly will bring it to them. I decided to create an account and give it a try myself.

First impression.
From the design of Feedly's main page, I felt that careful consideration was taken to make Feedly not just usable, but visually 'sweet' as well. The iPad was an indication that it can be supported across multiple devices.

Feedly's sleek, minimalist homepage.

Getting Started.
Creating an account was a breeze. I was able to log in with my Google account. But it also gave you the option to sign in with a Facebook account or new account, if desired. In less than a minute, I was able to start customizing my page with a visual theme and topics.

My Feedly page with Design Topics chosen.

Choosing a Topic.
Choosing a topic is as easy as typing in a keyword or website. For example, I typed in "Graphic Design" and it brought up a list of related sites.

Categorizing & Usability.

Next, I was able to create & manage which 'section' the topic would be placed. Students could have categories based on design specialty, software, news, etc. Once I chose a few topics, the categories (sections) appeared on the left in an easy-to-read column. The interface and layout of the articles is visually comfortable with plenty of white space and a grid-like arrangement. Going from section to section is very easy with the left column and a right column of related feeds. Also, articles are read right on the page rather than opening in its original website.

Sharing.
What good is information if you are the only one who knows it? What I really like about Feedly is the the sharing component. Each article feed has a wide selection of social network/sharing tools including Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Email, etc. So students can easily share their interests with others.

Social Networking & Sharing icons on every article.

Accessibility.
Good news! Feedly is available on iPad, iPhone and Android (free, of course). It is also a browser plugin. No matter what device students have access to, they'll have access to Feedly.

 

Feedly on iPad

Video Demo.
Here's a brief video I put together demonstrating how I use Feedly. Enjoy.


Conclusion.
I think Feedly is a great service that will help my students become aware of what the web has to say in regards to the world of creative design. Now when students ask me for a resource, I'll simply reply, "Ask Feedly." :)

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BP2: iGoogle ScreenShots

This is truly one of Google's hidden gems! How cool is it that you can customize your Google homepage to bring all of your important links & feeds in one place?! Honestly, I've used iGoogle before, and as an instructor, I've shown my students how to add gadgets to customize it. However, I did not know that you could create tabs AND customize the theme for each tab. Add that tidbit of information along with the Mac's webcam and I could customize all day.

Of course, thanks to Mrs.-Lit-Review-Due-In-Two-Days, I'll have to cut the customizing short. Needless to say, I'll continue promoting iGoogle to my students and sweeten the deal by showing them how they can truly customize it to reflect their interest and personality!

Screenshot of My Home Tab

Screenshot of My FSO/AR Tab

Screenshot of My Resources Tab

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BP1: Welcome

Grab your coffee. 
Buckle up. 
Keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times as you join me on my year-long journey to achieving a degree I never thought I'd have the opportunity to obtain -- my Master's degree. 


Prior to starting this EMDTMS program at Full Sail, I taught Graphic Design courses at a technical college in NYC. I thought I had the winning formula for student success: a passionate, in depth knowledge about my discipline, a pleasant disposition, a winning smile and an eagerness to teach what I knew. I had no idea what I was missing (and depriving my students of) until I started this program.


I never knew about Brain Based learning or the 8 Multiple Learning Theories until EMDT. Now, I feel like Eric Jensen, Howard Gardner and I have a soul bond. I'm learning NEW technologies! Yes, me, the tekkie queen, as my students so fondly call me. I'm making Wordles! I'm exporting my mp4 to Viddler! (The average reader probably has no idea of what they just read.)


And this is only the beginning.


I hope you'll share this journey with me by subscribing to my blog. After all, it's always fun to have a passenger along for the ride! 

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