CLIPP Board

Techno-stress

I’m involved with the ‘Wellbeing Group’ as part of Aston First and have offered to develop a web page about ‘Techno- stress’ so here is my first stab at the idea.

The top things that cause techno-stress at Aston:

Email – actually this is probably the top ten ideas on its own, and I’ve already blogged recently about email management and ‘Search folders’ has to be a top tip. I’m not sure how the new student email system works in this respect? I try and keep my inbox to about 25 items, either unread or pending. I add a date(eg. 14/7:  to the start of the subject line for pending items so I can sort chronologically if required. I file or delete any other messages that have been read. I have about 20 folders for different topics, and sub-folders for some of them, much like I do for files on my PC or network Home drive, and printed only matter in the filing cabinet.

Still on the topic of email, my bright idea was to use different email signatures for the different roles that I communicate about, for instance AV-SUPPORT, External to Aston, AstBUG etc. but importantly giving enough information for recipients to reply at their own convenience like phone extension and other help desk details.

Web – again I’ve already blogged about how I use RSS to deal with internet information overload, but my bright idea was to set my browser home page to our Blog CLIPP Board, as the page that relates to communicating what is going on in the area that I work!

Archive – how many times have you lost that vital piece of information? I try and recycle most printed matter and always if I have an electronic version. Emails and attachments are relatively easy to find, especially if you use Search folders mentioned above – and it isn’t a duplicate or earlier version of the same document because I’ve deleted most of them once the topic or thread is actioned. MS Exchange can archive older messages automatically. These are very much personal things though, I usually tidy and wash up as I’m cooking too!!!

Teaching – My Powerpoint {insert software/hardware of choice} doesn’t work! All lesson plans should include items on ‘Resources’ and we are responsible to check them or try them out first. Anyone can book a room via email or phone and there is a Guild bookings desk in ASAP on Wed. 2-5pm. AV-Support can also help, and there are direct dial buttons from every pool room phone to: Emergency, Security, AV-Support; Room Bookings, Estates, ISA; and hopefully the Porters too soon. There is also a list of pool room resources and instructions on the Staff Intranet and in Celcat timetable system.

TimeOut – last but by no means least, take regular breaks. You can still do useful work while having a coffee and networking with colleagues, and because you are relaxed it is often more productive. You will discover someone else has the same idea, interest and solved the latest problem for you. Also, watch out for more bite sized sessions.

JISC launches guides to new technology

JISC have released a series of guides on using emerging technologies for research, administration or teaching covering social media, RSS, collaborative writing, podcasting and microblogging.

Each guide consists of a short animated video explaining the key concepts, supported by a more in-depth printable overview of the topic, covering the potential uses, risks and how to get started. The guides and the resources used to create them can be downloaded, modified and shared under a creative commons licence.

Find out more and download the guides at web2practice.

What is RSS?

See that PostIt note above? It also has 2 RSS icons on it.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rss

Blogs, like podcasts, rely on RSS feeds to alert interested internet users of changes and new information without having to visit each site just in case, or filling your email inbox with extra alerts.

You can ‘subscribe’ to either or both of the 2 feeds by clicking or dragging the RSS icon to any software that acts as a feed reader. Some web browers support it natively, and Google offers a web based ‘Reader’, even Outlook 2007 supports it.

I use software on several different computers that synchronizes what I have read so I don’t have to read it again later, for example when I’m at home, work, or having a coffee somewhere else.

I see the feeds on my work PC(Windows FeedDemon), home Apple Mac and wireless Apple iPodTouch – both the later use NetNewsWire software and synced with FeedDemon via Newsgator.com.

I subscribe to hundreds of different RSS feeds related to both work and pleasure, and I can choose which ones to see and read on which computer. I categorise them in folders accordingly, for example Leisure, IT, Learning & Teaching, Software and News.

It means I can keep my email inbox to between 20 and 30 active or pending emails!

I can also use my emails, calendar and contacts on the same computers and synchronized in the the same way! That is a forthcoming post…

UPDATE 31/7/09:

Newsgator have just announced that they are moving to Google Reader as their web and management engine for individual users, and updating FeedDemon and Netnewswire to reflect the changes. I’ll post again when I’ve got all my syncs working, hopefully before the 31st August deadline.

UPDATE 25/9/09:

Well, I finally bit the bullet and upgraded, first was FeedDemon3.0 which led me through conversion to GoogleReader sync, including my folders and clippings, very painlessly. Then I updated Netnewswire3.2 on my home Mac(OSX 10.5) which ‘just worked’, and finally NetNewsWire2.0 iPhone app.

The only drawback, a small ‘Ad’ window, bottom left in the Free versions of each of the Applications. I must also say that FeedDemon is still very ‘clunky’ compared to the NetNewsWire versions.

More UPDATES in Comments…