Is Podomatic becoming Problematic then watch my video
Reaching students beyond the classroom with a podcast
Podcasting in the classroom - Reasons for students
Now, lets have a look at why students should be allowed to create podcasts:
* CREATIVITY:one reason is in the previous statement \"be allowed to create podcasts\". Getting your pupils invloved in making podcasts helps them to develop their creative skills. For some this might be expressed in their writing of a script, for others it might be in the performance and some might get their kicks creatively in the editing process. In other words podcasts form a fantastic creative platform for kids to express themselves...in the target language
* FOUR SKILLS: think about the skills which are needed to succeed in a foreign language: reading, writing, speaking and listening ? What are the four skill areas we have to somehow teach: reading, writing, speaking and listening. What four attributes are required to produce a podcast....I think you know the answer.... yesss Reading, writing, speaking and listening. If pupils are producing podcasts in the target languge they are quite simply putting all four skills to practical use for a purpose, not simply for the sake of an exercise.
* OWNERSHIP: if pupils are creating podcasts they are producing something which they own. They are scripting, recording and performing their own work and it becomes something which they can boast about.
* AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE: think of the times when you may have asked pupils to produce work for display. It may have gone up in the classroom or even in a corridor or a display at the school entrance. How many people, potentially, would see this work and have some kind of interaction with it. It could be a few hundred...With a podcast the potential audience is ....THE WORLD. Obviously it is highly unlikely that the whole world will listen to Robbie\'s take on regular -er verbs, but the potential is there. And this is what counts. Not only does this appeal to the average teenager\'s egocentricity but it is also a sure fire sysetm of quality control. They won\'t want to appear silly in front of a (potential) global audience.
* HIGHER LEVEL THINKING: the production of a podcast encourages students to use higher level thought processes such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. For example in order to produce a podcast grammar guide pupils need to synthesise their knowledge of a grammar point and then analyse it to extract the relevant information. The process could then involve some form of self or peer evaluation according to a pre-prepared rubric.
* CO-OPERATIVE WORK: What I have found in producing podcasts is that there tends to be a role for everyone...even the pupils who habitually let everyone else do the work find something to contribute.
* 21 CENTURY COMMUNICATION: many of even the most computer literate students don\'t realise that much of what they do at their computer at home can be transferred into lessons and many find it difficult transposing the ideas of what they do on their bebo site into other applications. In preparing and producing a podcast pupils can learn about and practise the necessary skills for communicating in this day and age.
TARGET LANGUAGE: We know that the best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it and that it is difficult to replicate this in 3 50 minute periods a week, so why not give your pupils the opportunity to listen to more TL. This could be in the form of supplemental information to lessons, or general study aids such as audio forms of vocabulary lists.
ACCESS FOR ALL: have you ever had a pupil off class long term, or been off yourself for a long time? Making a podcast could help absent students keep up or help your class stay motivated even if you are not present in
* CREATIVITY:one reason is in the previous statement \"be allowed to create podcasts\". Getting your pupils invloved in making podcasts helps them to develop their creative skills. For some this might be expressed in their writing of a script, for others it might be in the performance and some might get their kicks creatively in the editing process. In other words podcasts form a fantastic creative platform for kids to express themselves...in the target language
* FOUR SKILLS: think about the skills which are needed to succeed in a foreign language: reading, writing, speaking and listening ? What are the four skill areas we have to somehow teach: reading, writing, speaking and listening. What four attributes are required to produce a podcast....I think you know the answer.... yesss Reading, writing, speaking and listening. If pupils are producing podcasts in the target languge they are quite simply putting all four skills to practical use for a purpose, not simply for the sake of an exercise.
* OWNERSHIP: if pupils are creating podcasts they are producing something which they own. They are scripting, recording and performing their own work and it becomes something which they can boast about.
* AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE: think of the times when you may have asked pupils to produce work for display. It may have gone up in the classroom or even in a corridor or a display at the school entrance. How many people, potentially, would see this work and have some kind of interaction with it. It could be a few hundred...With a podcast the potential audience is ....THE WORLD. Obviously it is highly unlikely that the whole world will listen to Robbie\'s take on regular -er verbs, but the potential is there. And this is what counts. Not only does this appeal to the average teenager\'s egocentricity but it is also a sure fire sysetm of quality control. They won\'t want to appear silly in front of a (potential) global audience.
* HIGHER LEVEL THINKING: the production of a podcast encourages students to use higher level thought processes such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. For example in order to produce a podcast grammar guide pupils need to synthesise their knowledge of a grammar point and then analyse it to extract the relevant information. The process could then involve some form of self or peer evaluation according to a pre-prepared rubric.
* CO-OPERATIVE WORK: What I have found in producing podcasts is that there tends to be a role for everyone...even the pupils who habitually let everyone else do the work find something to contribute.
* 21 CENTURY COMMUNICATION: many of even the most computer literate students don\'t realise that much of what they do at their computer at home can be transferred into lessons and many find it difficult transposing the ideas of what they do on their bebo site into other applications. In preparing and producing a podcast pupils can learn about and practise the necessary skills for communicating in this day and age.
Podcasting - Reasons for teachers
TARGET LANGUAGE: We know that the best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it and that it is difficult to replicate this in 3 50 minute periods a week, so why not give your pupils the opportunity to listen to more TL. This could be in the form of supplemental information to lessons, or general study aids such as audio forms of vocabulary lists.
ACCESS FOR ALL: have you ever had a pupil off class long term, or been off yourself for a long time? Making a podcast could help absent students keep up or help your class stay motivated even if you are not present in
ENGAGE: podcasts are a great way to engage your students. In my experience pupils don\'t feel as if they are doing something as tedious (to them) as learning because they get to use the gadgets that form an integral part of their life. For some reason its not all that uncool to have some of the vocabulary guides I have produced on an mp3 player / mobile phone21ST CENTURY COMMUNICATIONS. in creating podcasts you are entering the realms of 21st century communications. More and more people want to access content on demand rather than waiting for it. In entering this world you are not only providing yourself with endless cpd opportunities but you are taxing your creative side and helping your students learn at the same time.
Pros
- Podcasting is convenient especially for those who are very busy. People that are very busy usually miss their favorite shows on television, or on the radio, because their schedules don't permit them to tune in to them as they would wish. Podcasting, on the other hand, allows people to download all their favorite shows and enjoy them at a later, more convenient timeslot.
Pros
- Podcasting is convenient especially for those who are very busy. People that are very busy usually miss their favorite shows on television, or on the radio, because their schedules don't permit them to tune in to them as they would wish. Podcasting, on the other hand, allows people to download all their favorite shows and enjoy them at a later, more convenient timeslot.
-Podcasts are easily distributable and are easily playable on pretty much any mobile audio or video technology. This means of distribution contributes greatly to the popularity of podcasts. In today's day and age, finding anyone without a digital mobile audio device is the exception. More and more people are moving to digital audio for their entertainment and information needs.
-The advantage of the human voice. People enjoy getting their information from a human voice. There are many things that can be conveyed to audio or video formats that wouldn't be easily transmissible via text format. The ability to transmit video and audio makes podcasts more enjoyable than text based syndications.
Cons
- Podcasts aren't easily searchable. Although there are many search engines that provide information regarding podcasts, it is most impossible to find anyone that would allow searching within the audio file itself. This could turn off many people especially when there are those that prefer gleaning their information by scanning through text quickly.
- Podcasts aren't easily searchable. Although there are many search engines that provide information regarding podcasts, it is most impossible to find anyone that would allow searching within the audio file itself. This could turn off many people especially when there are those that prefer gleaning their information by scanning through text quickly.
-While many people do indeed have mobile devices, not everyone does. Podcasting may alienate this segment of the market, leading to them looking elsewhere for their entertainment and information needs. There also those who would act negatively to having to download such from the Internet and play them on their digital recorders. They would rather read that have to wait for recommended audio file to finish playing.
They believe that they can absorb more information by reading-being speed readers themselves. They also their belief that podcasting should be relegated to entertainment instead of being the format of future information.
Conclusion
In the end, only time and technology will tell whether these advantages and disadvantages will still hold true. As technology and trends shift to the next generation, the pros and cons of podcasting could either multiply or lessen.
In the end, only time and technology will tell whether these advantages and disadvantages will still hold true. As technology and trends shift to the next generation, the pros and cons of podcasting could either multiply or lessen.
Wow Kirk,
ReplyDeleteSo much great information about podcasts. I definatley agree that podcasts are a valuable resource to use in the classroom context. As everyone has their individual preferences in learning some students will love the scripting, recording or performing aspect about podcasts. Podcasts are a tool that will help student within their literacy skills through reading writing, speaking and listening.
Thank you for the great Comment Natalie,
ReplyDeleteI've designed or tried to at least to make the blog a full blown version of mind or concept map so everyone can easily follow.
I must admit I'm not a big fan of large quantities of text but I do believe strongly that visual literacy compliments what the information is saying and help the audience take in more information.
Regarding Podcast they will be excellent tool to use class for more ways than one.
Imagine as a Learning Manager creating podcasts with your lesson embedded so your students could download and listen at home or on their iPods.
Students when they create podcast for themselves will grow in confidence in speaking as well as listening.
I enjoy listing to audio books when I am learning something new and students who are visually,audibly and digitally "tuned in" today they will find learning really cool.
Cheers Natalie,
Kirk