Podcasting is an absolutely great tool for everyone. It is the most interesting Web 2.0 application I have learned about so far. It allows people to become independent producers and distributors of any audio or video content (Jonassen, 2008, pp. 160). Many people may find this beneficial for work, education, or entertaining. Because podcasting is available through Internet by a subscription for language and podcast or vodcast feeds Web sites as Jonassen explains, it allows people to view or listen to it at their convenience. Podcasting may be utilized in a classroom specially if there are students who are struggling with writing skills because it gives them the opportunity to use their other skills, such as public speaking and leadership. Podcasting also works for group projects at the end of the school year.
Apart from being an additional technology tool for communication, podcasting is different as it interests people the most for personal entertainment. It is of great advantage to be able to watch your favorite shows when time allows. It gives anyone the availability to prioritize for important tasks and view or listen to the less important ones later. While blogging may offer a link to a personal podcasting, blogging remains a place where thoughts are to be expressed and strengthen. Also, podcasting can be a group project assignment in which students may be engrossed just by the activity itself. As far as social bookmarking and Voice Thread, podcasting is definitely more interactive because it implies the users to not only be listeners and viewers or participants but also become producers and this requires time, critical thinking, management and sometimes money.
Although I was very excited when I first bought my iPod, I used it to listen to my favorite songs for one year only. I never thought I could use it to listen to a professor’s lecture which I find to be useful as well. Because there is very little time and too much information to learn, I would suggest to my Spanish students to use it to review for word spelling specially if there is a long spelling quiz. Of course online communication tools are great for work, business, education, or socialization; it brings disadvantages as it may disconnect people from reality. Depending on technology may be an addiction as it is not about the time users spend but how they spend the time (Rosen, 2010). Students, parents, educators, or anyone with access to technology may be unconscious of how they are withdrawing from family, friends, or work which could add stress and disappointment.
References
Jonassen, D. (2008). Meaningful learning with technology (pp. 160). Upper Saddle, New Jersey: Pearson.
Rosen, L. (2010). Taking a (virtual) break:can you survive without your technology? i doubt it!. Psychology Today, Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201010/taking-virtual-break-can-you-survive-without-your-tech
Richard Smith-By far the most use of pod casting is for television shows and series, apple makes it so easy to buy shows right after they are made to view. Also it allows for independent producing, i really didn't even consider that but it is a really good point, they are many pod casts available and there's no telling what other stuff my ipod and iphone can do that i have no idea it is capable to do.
ReplyDelete-Richard Smith
I think that using an I pod in your classes would be a great idea because you use it to record the lectures. Its pretty hard for anyone to get all the information in one class so this would be a great thing to use if you had a problem remembering what the professor said in class. I personally do not own an I pod so I can not use this to my advantage. I pods are just not for me but for many people it turns out to be a great tool for them to use.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about podcasting being a great tool that can we can use.It is a very intersting tool as you have also said. I have never had any experiences with podcasts, but I have heard of them. Some of my favorite Christian talk radio shows offer podcasts to their listeners. I think if I owned an ipod or mp3 player I would listen to music, but I would listen to my favorite radio shows as well. I think that with some creativity teachers can use these technologies to help their students to learn.
ReplyDeleteI agree podcasting allows you to kind of personalize your own content for teaching or listening to! I don't own an mp3 but I think it would be nice to have one!
ReplyDeleteI think maybe podcasting is replacing the old '80s and '90s thing to do which was to bring a tiny tape recorder to class with you and record the lecture...but it's a little more convenient. However, since this would allow the students to miss the lecture, or entire weeks of class at a time, I wouldn't personally do it.
ReplyDeleteI think that things like the podcasting is great for group projects in the classroom. It gives students to each contribute in their own way, and add something different to the assignments. I also like it because it could work for students who have trouble getting up in front of the class and doing an oral presentation.
ReplyDeletePodcasting is another great way technology is changing the classroom. If a student is able to reinforce information that is taught in the classroom while at home or in the car, more time can be spent in the classroom doing other things. One important thing to realize is the digital divide. Not every student will have the resources to use podcasting.
ReplyDeleteI think I am just too old fashioned. I am afraid theachers would take advantage of this and use it to replace face to face interaction. This would make a lot more since to me if it was used in college classes rather than high school classes.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree about having to remember just because we are blessed enough to have the means of having resources to use podcasting and other technology there are lots of students who do not have the means to do this. I think as teachers we have to find a way to include all of our students.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the implementation of technology in the classroom is quite possibly the most effecient way for a student to learn. In specific, I have always believed math to be one of the hardest subjects to learn as a student, because there is a right, and a wrong answer which limits the use of one's imagination when it comes to how to learn and comprehend the subject. However, I have noticed that math labs are an exceptional way to learn math while step-by-step instructions are given in order to assist one in understanding a problem. Of course, one could not possibly comprehend the value of x and y unless it is graphed, which is my personal opinion. Therefore, I believe graphing calcuators should be a must in the classroom. Furhremore, I believe instruction is going mainstream when considering how one learns, such as learning a language as you mentioned. In fact, I believe my children learn much from watching educational shows on television.
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