Well... we made it. Our first 1/2 semester as graduate students. It flew by, and I am really looking forward to what's coming next.
My placement is still being shuffled around a little, and it looks like I can no longer student teach in Detroit. I have to say that I am extremely disappointed, but I'm really looking forward to my new prospective placement (more to come on that later when something is finalized).
While I have enjoyed these past few weeks, I'm really ready to get back to working for a couple of weeks, move into my new apartment, take a vacation to see my sister, and just get away from everyone in the MAC program. I love you guys, but I need a break from ya :-P
In the world of Ed Tech, the reading assignment for this week was enjoyable. It was nice to be able to pick and choose what I wanted to read from the online book - I chose some snippets about blogging in the classroom and podcasting. I have to say that I still don't really get what podcasting is. Is it a radio station system? How do you access them? Who listens to them? I still am not quite clear about their use in the classroom either. Do I make my own? Do my students make their own or a classroom podcast? And if I make lectures available to my students via podcast, won't that make them more likely to either not pay attention in class or skip altogether? What about students that may not be able to access the podcast? Doesn't this give an advantage to some students over others?
Hopefully I'll be learning more about this in the tech workshops (which I am SO excited for). I am especially excited about the Power Point workshop, because I am slightly obsessed with PPTs and mine are probably super dull and not at all interactive. One of the recent MAC grads told us yesterday that the PPT workshop was AMAZING so I'm excited for that.
Until next time...
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Caroline, thanks for calling my attention to my being a little too quick to skate by explaining exactly what podcasts are. A podcast is simply a digital recording, usually audio, that is turned into an "mp3" file, the format that is used by itunes, for example. Creating podcasts is quite simple. I like a tool like gabcast (http://www.gabcast.com/) where you can set up a free account and then create an mp3 file (that can be accessed on the web as a podcast) simply by calling in to an 800 number.
You should play around with it.
Your Questions:
Is it a radio station system? How do you access them?
Many radio stations, along with National Public Radio tape their shows and make them available as podcasts that can be downloaded and listened to by anyone, whether on their computer or an a tool like an ipod. You'll get itunes on your MAC Program MAC computer, but you can also download itunes for free, for use on a PC or a MAC. You can actually subscribe to an array of podcast programs, including many NPR shows, through ITunes.
Who listens to them?
Many people, including some of the teacher bloggers you're reading, do regular podcasts as well--think of it as internet-based radio.
I still am not quite clear about their use in the classroom either. Do I make my own? Do my students make their own or a classroom podcast?
The answer to these questions is yes. I strongly suggest that you think about whether having your students create little podcast/radio broadcasts might not be an exciting way to assess creatively. Check out the podcast at this URL:
http://tinyurl.com/24j2bx
There are lots more here, but Maureen Yoder has some creative ideas for the history classroom, many of which involve podcasts. I was imagining students doing podcasts of their own that borrow from one or another of these formats.
And if I make lectures available to my students via podcast, won't that make them more likely to either not pay attention in class or skip altogether?
I'm not big on this. I think that podcasts should be utilized to expand what we can do, educationally, for or with our students. Trying to make and post podcasts of each day's class would be way too much work, and (I think) of mimimal utility.
What about students that may not be able to access the podcast? Doesn't this give an advantage to some students over others?
It could, Caroline. Another reason not to have them required to access material crucial to the class and their grade. You can use the school lab, and files can also be downloaded to ipods, so there are possibilities, but you're right to attend to this in your thinking.
I hope that this helps, Caroline.
Oh...check this out for more:
http://tinyurl.com/38ete2
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