Podcasting in the classroom - is it useful?

Hello everybody!!
I have done a recording of a brief Podcast that I intended to upload however Mypodcast.com is not accepting new Podcasters at the moment so it will have to wait. It's probably a good thing because I was having a heap of trouble with the microphone on my computer. No matter how loud I talked (yelled) the playback was bearly audible. Below is the script I used for my recording...

Podcasting in the classroom – is it useful?

I think that podcasting in the classroom can be very useful, IF it is set up and used correctly.

Podcasting will give each student the option to 'go back' and hear lessons again, to replay that tricky bit of information that they missed or didn't fully understand in class.

This would be particularly helpful for learners that are Auditory dominant learners.

Podcasting would also allow for further explanation of a topic out of the classroom.

Podcasting would also mean that the teacher does not have to continuously repeat themselves during class.

As long as the students' understand the 'basics' in the classroom they can seek further information and clarification online via the class Podcast.

I should point out that I myself am more inclined to use Vodcasting in the classroom as it combines images with the audio files.

Vodcasting would allow the teacher to further explain an image that was presented during class and would also engage Visual dominant learners as well as Auditory dominant learners.

Both Podcasting and Vodcasting would allow each student to work at their own pace through the unit.

This, of course, would need to be monitored by the teacher through a unit timeline or workbook that clearly sets dates for certain tasks to be completed by, and each task would need to be sighted and evaluated by the teacher and the teacher would also need to offer constructive, critical feedback to each student.

The major positive about Podcasting and Vodcasting is that they can be accessed online – the student does not need to be logged onto the school server to access them meaning that they can do their revision at home in their own time.

Although this Podcast did not go into much detail, I hope that it has stimulated you to look into 'new' technologies that can be used in the classroom.

So - Yes I do believe Podcasting can be very useful in the classroom. While the students are listening/watching their lessons online the teacher is free for one-on-one time with each student and is available to help in anyway possible, rather than offering a brief explanation and moving on with the lesson.

I also really do believe that if you set up a workbook that compliments the Podcast students will have the opportunity to show their understanding and application of the knowledge. Also, students will be able to show their higher level thinking in terms of mini assessment tasks that require analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. As long as the workbook outlines a timeline and due dates I believe the students would be more likely to stay on task. As mentioned in the script, students can access the Podcast/Vodcast from any computer with internet access allowing them to complete the set tasks in their own time.

For the Podcast to be effective it does need to be engaging - and this is he tricky part for the teacher. How do you make an audio file about a mundane, 'boring' topic interesting and engaging? This is why I would be more inclined to use Vodcasting. Images and mini video clips can help create connections to information. As a history/english teacher, I believe images will play a large part in my teaching. As mentioned in my blog about using images in the classroom, it is far easier to explain where a country is if the student can see a world map. Although, as a teacher, it would not be very difficult to incorporate the images into the students' workbook making a Podcast more effective. This would mean however that the teacher needs to be very specific about which image they are talking about, and what aspect of the image they are talking about. For example: on page ... of your workbook, in the top left corner, there is a picture of ..... in the background of the picture just left of the centre there is ......

This can be incredible exhausting for both the teacher and the student.

Furthermore, allowing a student to submit assessment via an audio file may have many advantages. I have found through my own experiences that many students are capable of telling you the knowledge they are required to demonstrate but have a great deal of difficulty writing it down. This can be caused by a number of factors including low literacy, poor grammar and spelling, and also the fact that the student may never have been taught how to write an academic essay or report. Allowing the student to demonstrate the required knowledge via a Podcast can allow the teacher to address these issues. For example, making a deal with the student to allow them to submit their work via a Podcast in exchange for increasing literacy, grammar, spelling, and instructing them on how to compile an academic piece of writing. Of course, this would be subject to the approval of the appropriate administrative personnel in the school, but I do believe it could be viable if managed correctly.

Hopefully you will now consider using Podcasting in the classroom. Despite the minor inconveniences of using a Podcast it is a potentially very effective teaching/learning tool.