I found a couple cool links on podcasts from Barb's delicious site. Adding podcasts to classroom learning activities can be a fun and effective tool. I like the ability to record podcasts from a mobile phone and have the ability to share them with anyone. Sharing podcasts with students will allow them to review content and vocabulary anytime they choose.
Making the effort to incorporate technology into the classroom shows students that learning can be fun. But it also allows students to access the teacher outside of the classroom. A student can listen to a podcast at home and hear the teacher's voice and review the content covered in class. Teachers can also use podcasts for students that are absent. The opportunity to listen to a podcast is just another way to learn, and can be a great substitute for those that struggle focusing on reading.
Using podcasts in the classroom has other benefits that include teaching technical skills of producing a podcast, brainstorming and creating content for podcasts, guided self expression, and even project management skills. Students can use podcasts for presentations, assignments, and discussions. The podcasts can even replace or enhance student newspapers.
A great site for podcasting is Audioboo. For an introduction, watch the video:
Making the effort to incorporate technology into the classroom shows students that learning can be fun. But it also allows students to access the teacher outside of the classroom. A student can listen to a podcast at home and hear the teacher's voice and review the content covered in class. Teachers can also use podcasts for students that are absent. The opportunity to listen to a podcast is just another way to learn, and can be a great substitute for those that struggle focusing on reading.
Using podcasts in the classroom has other benefits that include teaching technical skills of producing a podcast, brainstorming and creating content for podcasts, guided self expression, and even project management skills. Students can use podcasts for presentations, assignments, and discussions. The podcasts can even replace or enhance student newspapers.
A great site for podcasting is Audioboo. For an introduction, watch the video:
Audioboo has many great channels that teachers and students can access to find podcasts that relate to what is being taught in class. Similar to twitter, you can follow accounts that you like and listen to the podcasts that are created.
I like the idea of using podcasts to record lessons, assignments, and parts of projects. How often do we get an email from students and or parents who are confused about what is required of them for an project? what a great way to record what they need to do so that they can double-check any time. Also, I think it is a great idea to record the days lesson for students who are absent. I like all the different ideas the Audioboo website offers. Good job, Ben!
ReplyDeleteIt is crazy how much interconnectivity these types of media have these days. Watching the video about Audio Boo shows just how much different forms of media are being incorporated with one another, maps, images, audio...it's all integrated. Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of creating a podcast for students who are absent or for parents to have access to for instructions on a project. That would hopefully ensure that there was no confusion.
I thought it was interesting that you mentioned that a podcast could enhance or replace a high school newspaper. Eventually I think that will be true but it's funny to see how much resistance small town people can have to eliminating their high school newspaper. My husband used to be the journalism adviser for the high school he works at and he tried to make the newspaper entirely available online to reduce paper costs. The community was fairly resistant to this idea in the end and they are back to the print edition of the paper.
Personally, I would be fine with an online edition or a podcast, but there is still a lot of resistance to technology that we will encounter out there as teachers.
Wow! This just shows in the dark ages I am. I did not even realize that something like this existed. I get nervous over the idea of trying to figure out how to actually "do it" but I know I would be hooked once I had it figured out. I agree with the above comment that this would be amazing to keep parents informed on what is expected as well as help those who are absent! Very cool! I found this list of just what can be done in the classroom with audioboo at
ReplyDeleteWhat can Audioboo be used for in the Classroom?
Audioboo can be used for any curriculum area. Students can create a Boos to display any new knowledge or learning. Completed Boos can be embedded into your school VLE or Class Blog. The following are different examples of how Audioboo can be used in the Classroom: http://techmeetsed.com/2011/06/05/audioboo-in-the-classroom-pt-1/
• Word Problems – Record word problems for your students to complete for HW.
• Study Guides – A fanatstic example of this came from @SCCEnglish and can be viewed on here.
• Book Reviews – Allow syudents to create a Boo of a book they have read.
• Reading – Record students reading Books/ Stories/ Poems.
• Guided Reading – Use Boos to Guide reading groups.
• Character descriptions – Students describe Characters as a boo
• Story Settings – Describe what the setting in a story will look like.
• Plenaries – Catch students doing good learning, create a Boo during a lesson and listen as a plenary.
• Homework – Create a Boo with Homework tasks. Embed into VLE or Blog.
• Concerts – Record School concerts to post on VLE for parents to listen to.
• Assessment – Students demonstrate their learning/understanding via a boo.
• Feedback – Use Boos to provide Feedback – Great Example here.
• Imaginary Characters/ Role Play – prepare a Boo from an imaginary/ Historical Character students are studying.
• Listening Comprehensions – Prepare Listening Tasks for students.
• Treasure/ Scavenger Hunts – Students follow the instructions to complete tasks.
• Parental Communications – Send Parents important information Boos.
• School Trips – Students create a Boo of a School trip.
• Cultural comparisons – Compare Boos from different Cultures/ Countries.
• CPD – Interview Staff on an area of expertise.
I have been thinking about this type of tool since I read about Kahn academy and how he sends the lessons home with students and then does homework in the class. It makes sense to have the lesson accessible outside of school and if it is recorded it will be there forever. I had swine flu when that whole out break happened and I missed 2 weeks of classes if my teachers would have been able to podcast or even record the lesson on a camcorder, I would have struggles a lot less when I came back. Great blog!
ReplyDelete