A podcast is a digital audio file available on the internet
for listening and/or downloading to a personal listening device. They can be created with free downloadable
software, but also require a computer and a microphone. Podcasts are easy to create and upload and depending
on the file type, can be accessed from any computer with an internet
connection.
In the classroom, I can easily see podcasts being used in
two different ways – 1) by the teacher, to explain lessons, and 2) by the
students, to create projects/reports to share information.
1) There are multiple benefits to uploading a lecture as a
podcast.
- When new concepts are explained in class, it is not uncommon for some of the students to have a harder time mastering them than others. With a podcast, students could return to the lesson and review (and re-review) the material as many times as necessary in their own time.
- Though students may grasp a concept in the classroom, they may have trouble remembering it at home. As not all students are good note-takers, some may be completely lost when attempting to complete assignments outside of class. With a podcast to remind students of what was discussed, better understanding may follow.
- Students who are absent don’t need to worry about borrowing notes from a classmate.
- Parents who want to help their students can listen to what is being learned so they can better help their students. (I, personally, am very grateful for this option. I have a student enrolled in online courses for middle school. I hear “Mom, I need help” quite frequently. If not for the ability to listen to what is being taught, I’d be clueless!)
- With the push toward student-centered learning, if lessons were pre-recorded, students would be able to move at their own pace, rather than waiting for the whole class to master the concept before moving on to the next. (I love this idea! In my school, this concept of recorded lessons was discussed, but it was more with the thought of flipping instruction than student-centered learning.)
2) Podcasts could
also be used to present students’ mastery of a subject. Our students today embrace technology; as
educators, we need to do the same.
Allowing (and encouraging!) students to create podcasts helps brings
school into the present (as opposed to outdated and irrelevant). Student podcasting hones several skills:
- Research - before recording, students would need to research their topic, so they can present relevant information with confidence
- Organization – students will need to organize their findings to ensure adequate coverage of their topic
- Writing – having a script to follow when recording will allow the student to remember everything that they want to be include in their podcast
- Speaking – students will need to use clear, enunciated speech to record.
- Creativity – a podcast is a way to express personality while passing along information
As a future Media Specialist, I’m excited about bringing
technology into the classrooms. There
are some teachers at the school already trying to push ahead; others will need
some gentle nudging (ok, maybe outright shoving!). Podcasting seems as if it could be a baby
step in the right direction.
References:
Eash, E.K. (2006, April). Podcasting 101 for k-12
librarians. Computers in Libraries, 26(4).
Retrieved from: http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/apr06/Eash.shtml
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that podcasts have a lot of potential uses in the classroom. I like the idea of using podcasts as a supplement to class for students. I can remember getting so upset when I was in school because I couldn’t take notes quite as fast as the teacher spoke. I was always worried I missed something key that would be on the test. Also, a student who was not strong in math or science, I could have greatly benefited from podcasts that could be watched multiple times to reinforce concepts. I agree that it’s a good way to help out students who have to miss class. They don’t have to rely on someone else’s notes and interpretations of a lesson. They can form their own ideas about what the teacher said. Plus, some kids do not write neatly and borrowing their notes can be useless.
I think you make an excellent point about the usefulness of letting kids create their own podcasts as part of their classwork. It not only helps reinforce what they’ve learned, but it gives them some autonomy and lets them create something that can actually be useful outside the classroom. I could easily see high school kids in the future submitting podcast projects, or other projects using different technology, to colleges as proof of their capabilities. I think having students submit something like that is likely a better indicator of their intelligence and creativity than a standardized test would ever be.
I don’t currently work as a teacher or media specialist. But I am also excited to learn about these technologies and really want to promote them in whatever school I end up at. I think podcasting definitely has a place in the media center and in the classroom. While I know all the texts say teachers are resistant to change, I also think they welcome things that make their jobs easier and that make it easier for students to grasp important concepts. As a media specialist, if I can prove to teachers the value of these technologies, I think most will be open to giving it a try. At the very least, students can be encouraged to use podcasting as an alternative to a PowerPoint presentation or Poster Board. In my opinion, it’s a more engaging and creatively-driven kind of project. It also gives students a taste o real-world experience in a type of broadcasting.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteWhen I first learned about Podcasts I was unsure and a little weary of how they could be used in the classroom. Four years ago I was fortunate to attend the GaEtc Conference held in Atlanta every year and went to a session that taught how to incorporate podcasts into the classroom. I was so excited when I walked out of that conference and couldn’t wait to share with my fellow teammates about podcasting. Unfortunately, they were not sure that it would work with our students or in our school. The next year I was able to put into practice what I learned at the conference and what I had continued to research on using a podcast in the classroom. I had to have my tonsils taken out and would be out for four weeks. This was all two months before the CRCT and I taught 8th Grade ELA. I knew a substitute would not be able to teach my students, so I created podcasts for my lessons. The students loved it and were able to continue with the framework and not get behind. Just like you stated in your first benefit, the students were able to return to the lesson and review the material if they didn’t understand it the first time. At my school this would be extremely beneficial for the collaborative teachers to use with their students. So much differentiation is done in those classrooms; this would be an excellent tool in assisting them not only at school, but when they are home needing help. Your fifth benefit about students moving at their own pace is a great. My last year in the classroom I taught a regular education ELA class, but in that class there were some students that were visibly behind. I was able to create several podcasts for those students as a means of remediation and allowed them to work at their own speed, but keeping a close watch on their work to ensure they were progressing.
I have never thought about the students creating a podcast to show mastery of a standard. I think that is a brilliant idea and the students would embrace it completely. It allows them to have control and creativity of their work. I am definitely going to share this idea with my teachers. I believe it is extremely important to incorporate technology in today’s classrooms and podcasting is an excellent tool.
I love the idea of parents using the podcast at home with children, students who have missed school do to sickness or injury could have their own class right there in home. What about home schooled kids? Certainly parents could use these pod-casts as examples on how to teach certain subject matter, or get new ideas on how to keep subjects interesting, learn new ways to do project’s, etc. I think this is another great way to bridge the gap between teacher and parent collaboration keeping parents in tune with class could be a great advantage to all parties. I started recording lectures from professors years ago just for the reason you stated above, it is so much easier to go back and re-listen to a lecture and pull out important information than to go strictly by the notes you frantically take during class. These are all great points and really solidify the advantages of pod-casting in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteWow you seem to be right in line with my thinking. In my last response I actually discussed the exact thing that you mentioned in discussing the benefits of teachers recording lectures. I am an elementary school media specialist and I know that it would be such a huge help if teachers recorded podcasts of the different topics they are covering. For the past 5 years I was a second grade math teacher and I would constantly have parents coming in asking how to help their students. IT wasn’t necessarily because they did not know how to complete the task, it was because we are teaching our students so many different ways of completing that were not used when they learned it. I know our parents would appreciate the guidance that podcasts could bring.
ReplyDeleteI also think podcasts would be a great tool for students to use when presenting a subject. In the elementary school most students love to stand up and talk about something and I know they would love to record something that could be played over and over again. I think this is just one more way that we make learning student-centered and allow them to learn using their strengths and skills.
We have not jumped into the technology pool yet, but I am constantly urging my teachers to try new things. Hopefully some will jump soon and will not wait to be “shoved in” as you state.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI loved the ideas you brought up on utilizing podcasting in the classroom. I was focusing so much on uses for podcasting in the media center that I didn't think about the possibilities for teachers in their classrooms. I love the idea of lesson and lectures being on a podcast. Using these sessions for absent students or struggling students is such a fantastic idea. Schools are certainly moving towards student centered learning and what a difference podcasting could make!
I also liked your ideas of student podcast use. One of the things I like best about podcasting is the versatility it had to be used from elementary school to high school. I know there are many schools and teachers who will be slow to embrace this but hopefully they will come aboard soon!
I think your idea of using podcasts as mastery of a subject or as an informal assessment is dead-on. This idea introduces technology in a fun and practical way. It's not much different than an oral presentation, but what makes it different (and better, in my opinion) is that if you run out of time to present in class, it can be assigned as homework that the students listen to each others' podcassts.
ReplyDeleteI also love the idea of using podcasts for a missed lesson. However, a thought came to mind that could bring some headaches. That is, some parents may try and hold teachers accountable for information presented or NOT presented during the podcast that might show up on an assessment. I know my own chldren are constantly griping that they had a hard test and the study guide "didn't have any of that information on the test!" I always play devil's advocate and ask was there also class notes and accompanying textbook chapters that they were supposed to study? Some students and parents may expect that the podcast to be all encompassing. It might be worth noting in your podcast lectures that students are responsible for more information than is covered in the podcast.