Trying out the new Moodle layout options by integrating my blog via an RSS block

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2011/09/06 plagwitz Leave a comment Go to comments

Running a blog? Feeding a twitter account? It could be worthwhile narrowcasting your (teaching-related) postings (presumably more substantial than tweets about tardiness for class) by integrating it with your Moodle course, via RSS.
As of today, UNCC-Moodle offers new layout options, including putting blocks into the content (center) column, as a “sticky” post underneath the header.
This is timely, since I have created a Moodle site for the LRC staff and have been wondering how I can use it to quickly update the LRC staff on new technological opportunities or issues and solutions around the LRC.
Moodle’s RSS block – linking to the feeds that my blog feed/Twitter hash tag for LRC staff emit – makes that easy.
Except that up until now, outside the center column, there has not been enough space to display also the teaser of blog posts – an area I invest some thought in, in accordance with age old publishing principles transferred into the internet age.
The layout options upgrade allows me to fix that – here is how:
After pressing button: editing on, choose from the dropdown “blocks”: remote RSS feeds

Don’t be confused by the inability to add your feed source – you need to change to the tab: “manage my feeds” first:
if you make your feed a “share feed”, it becomes an option for all institutional Moodle sites.
Validate your feed so that Moodle doe not outright refuse to display (the linked validator will give you error information that can help you fix your feed).
After moving your feed to the center with the “left arrow”, you can
You can see more of the Moodle RSS block results here.

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