Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Blog Post #4: Podcasts

Let's talk about Podcasts!
       Podcast's are a great way to learn and also a great way to teach. Podcast's are very convenient and are easily accessed. Podcast's are simple to record, create, and listen to. For those of you who do not know what a podcast is, Google.com describes a podcast as a multimedia digital file made available for download on the internet, portable media player, personal computer, etc. In a nutshell, a podcast is just a recording of someone talking; there are no visuals as opposed to just a video. Podcasts can be used to inform you on new topics, enhance your educational skills, learn about worldly issues; you can basically find any podcast on any subject that is available for download. If you want a quick pick-me-up on a subject you are confused about, you can conveniently search the internet, iTunes, or iTunes U. Databases for podcast's such as iTunes U, lets you search for lectures and lessons taught by professors from colleges around the world!

       For this weeks blog post, we are researching new information on podcast's to further our knowledge on the subject, and expand our technological skills. Dr. Strange gave us some links to a blogger who goes by the name of Langwitches. Langwitches runs a variety of blogs and accounts dedicated to podcasts that she creates interactively with her students! Out of the list we had to choose three, to check out, read and learn about, new ways to take advantage of modern podcasting. If you want more information on podcasts, here's a link to a informing video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugIh7DqKwdw.

       Podcast 1: Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting: If you look at the title, it describes the three things that this podcast is about; obviously, learning, comprehending, and of course...podcasts. This page starts off by discussing vocabulary. Did you know a child has to hear a word 70 times to commit it to memory; and not only the word, but the word has to be used in a certain context that refers to the definition of that word. So for this particular podcast, they were focusing on the Hebrew language and certain vocabulary. The class used the SMART Board and their own voices to make a podcast of Hebrew words following their definitions. This is just another example of how podcast can be used in the classroom to explore and learn about a variety of subjects and even learn a new language. For this podcast, they were exploring new languages and how to commit those new languages to memory.

       Podcast 2: Flat Stanley Project: I'm sure we all had the Flat Stanley Project while we were in elementary school. If not, it is very simple to explain. Flat Stanley is about a boy who once was real, but was flattened by a bulletin board filled with pictures and information about places around the world. He then uses this to his advantage; he slips under doors and can easily fit in an envelope and travels the world. For this project, students are to pick any location, then choose a book from the library about their location. Proceeding that, they were to write a story about their chosen location, how he got there and what his experiences were. The podcast was a collection of the student's voices describing where they took Flat Stanley and what happened during their adventures. This podcast is a great way to get your students to improve their reading skills, and improve their knowledge of different places in the world, and it also encourages imagination, creativity and exploration. 

       Podcast 3: Podcasting with 1st Grade: The students had just read Vacation Under the Volcano from the" Magic School Bus Series". For the students podcasts, a group of them were acting like they were interviewing the two main characters about their experiences. This is a great way to really reinforce what the students have read, as well as promotes literacy, problem solving, making predictions, communication, working together, technology, imagination and creativity. 

        I did not know podcasts could be manipulated in so many ways. When I think of podcasts I usually think of boring, uninsightful, lectures from colleges classes that extend too long. I also had no idea how useful podcasts were and are in the classroom, and I did not think to actually get the students involved in the process of making a podcast! This is my most insightful blog post yet. So many learning experiences for your students can come from creating podcasts. Like discusses in the paragraph above, podcasts promote many areas of cognitive, and kinesthetic development. Also, it guides the students to become technologically literate which is so important in today's culture. Podcast can be used for many other areas of learning! You do not just have to sit there and listen to a podcast, you can get involved, and that is what I learned are are taking away from this weeks blog assignment.
       

     

2 comments:

  1. Thoughtful. Interesting. Obviously a learning experience!

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  2. Lauren,
    I really enjoyed your blog post! I didn't see anything that needs correcting, your grammar and punctuation is spot on!
    I was the same exact way as you, I thought podcasts were boring lectures. Boy were we wrong! They can be a lot of fun and they are a great way to get students more involved.
    Good job on your post!

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