An aggregator is a website or program that collects related content from other sites and displays it or links to it. Aggregators reduce the time needed to check websites for updates by delivering new content directly through RSS feeds. They allow users to be notified of new updates from sites they are interested in through a single program instead of visiting each site individually. While aggregators provide a convenient way to stay informed, they have some disadvantages like a lack of images, unclear source identification, and potential increased server loads from readers preferring full articles over summaries. Aggregators can be useful tools for language teachers to efficiently monitor student blog updates and progress outside of class.

1. AGGREGATORS AND RSS
FEED
BY MARYAM SABOKROOH

2. WHAT IS AN AGGREGATOR?
• An aggregator is a website or program that collects related
items of content and displays them or links to them.
• Aggregators have several names: feed aggregator, feed reader,
news reader, RSS reader.

3. • They were first introduced by Internet-browser pioneer,
Netscape, in 1999.
• The rise of RSS began in early 2000s, when New York Times
implemented that feature in their website.

4. WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF
AGGREGATORS?
• Often, we frequent particular websites to check if there have
been a new update. Since we live in an age where speed is of an
essence, having a method to save our time in checking the
updates would save our time significantly.

5. • Aggregator reduce time and effort required to check websites
for updates frequently, creating a personal reminder of
checking our desired updates. It is incredibly user-friendly, all
that you need is to install an aggregator program and write the
name of the websites you require to check frequently for
updates, and viola! The update feed comes to you.

6. THE ADVANTAGES OF AGGREGATORS
• It gives us the latest updates without wasting time or effort on
surfing each and every website we are interested in; the RSS
feed helps us to be informed about the latest updates by using
a notification.
• It is free of spams, unlike email subscriptions.
• It usually provides a short summary of related articles, it saves
the time of the reader to decide which items to prioritize more
than others.

7. DISADVANTAGES OF AGGREGATORS
• Photos and graphics do not appear on the feed, for the
consciousness and ease of publication.
• The identity of the source websites can be confusing, since the
aggregators do not display the URL or the name of the websites.
• They may create higher traffic and demands on the server, since
readers prefer to read the full article over the summary of the entry.
• Since it’s still a relatively new technology, many websites don’t
support aggregators.

8. HOW CAN WE USE THE AGGERGATOR IN
TEFL?
• With the rise of technology in the last few years, most L2
classes try to integrate it within their activities. So, it would not
be surprising to see some classes use writing weblog as an
activity outside the class.

9. • Keeping up with the updates of the students would be a
struggle for the teachers which can be easily resolved with
aggregators. The teachers can keep tab on their students’
progress in updates by monitoring them through aggregators,
and as a result saving time instead of checking the weblogs
regularly. It will also avoid the possible email spamming and
have a cleaner result over all.

10. Fin