From Billy in his basement to the stars of every major news show, podcasting is becoming a common occurrence on the internet. Whether the more popular audio podcast, or the more elaborate video podcast, the ability to broadcast to the world, whenever the world is ready to listen, is becoming very popular within many walks of life.
With the tools that are so readily available over the Internet for no cost at all, people all around the world are becoming Toffler's prosumers and creating their own radio and tv shows with tools such as Audacity and Ustream.TV One of the big advantages to these shows is that people can download them to their computer or MP3 player and listen to them at a time of their own choosing. Combining these tools with software such as iTunes and RSS feeds allows this to be done automatically, taking out the tiresome chore of searching for new podcast postings and downloading them.
But where does all of this come into our classrooms? Many teachers are integrating the use of podcasts into their curriculums in a variety of ways, from directing students to podcasts posted on the web, creating their own for students to listen to, or getting their own students to create podcasts based on what they are studying. We are living in a technology age where the use of pen and paper is fading fast. Having students learn how to use and create this new medium is an important 21st century skill that we need to be teaching. As The Sabre Tooth Curriculum suggests, we need to be teaching the skills that students need for today, and we should be changing our curriculums to reflect this.
However, although I have made extensive use of Audacity and dabbled with Ustream.tv, I have not yet taken the plunge into using them within my classroom. Some of this is a fear of the unknown issues I can foresee. I can see the students now complain they could not listen to it for homework because they lost Internet connection or mom would not but them a new iTouch to play the podcast on (obviously not needed). Creating them also has its problems. When making Photostory movies in the classroom, one of the biggest challenges is recording the narration that goes with them. I can see the same problem when students try to record their own podcasts in the lab. While I would like to think that I could set the creation of one for a homework assignment, I know some will balk at spending the $15 on a microphone.
Despite all of this. I know that this is an area I need to explore with them and create solutions to the problems that I may face. Our students, the N-genners, do have a different approach to learning and are wired in to new modes of presenting information other that the written word. Instead of teaching to the same old traditional style, I need to meet the demands of new curriculum requirements and explore more fully the benefits of podcasting in the classroom.
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The complaints sound the same as old complaints like,"The dog ate my homework" or "I couldn't carry my heavy book home." Don't let that stop you, Mat.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely scary to think of doing something totally new with students! Start small and I bet you'll surprise yourself!
ReplyDeleteAs I have learned over the years, it does take a while to be skilled at using Audacity to make a professional product and if it takes time for me, it can be worrisome to now ask students to take on the task. There's going to be frustration...but that frustration should be the productive kind but not the kind of frustration that occurs when they are not prepared in small steps. Starting small as Rowan Rompings suggests is great advice. Allowing students to play with the audacity by using a structured project such as the Famous Americans project we did in class allows them to quickly work on content without too much time invested, and more time to focus on playing with the tool. Setting up criteria for how many effects need to be used is also a good way to get them to experiement. Another part of the preparation could be making connections to real world jobs: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/tutorial_ed_beginner1.html
ReplyDeleteand connections to science principles: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/tutorial_basics_1.html
That fear is something that is difficult about teaching - especially during the ITS program. With so much intake of information it's hard to implement what we learn. Also, the known issues always seem the be the tip of the iceberg of unknown problems. I know that in my own use of blogging in the classroom it seemed that the rules really changed from regular class instruction and expectations. It was difficult to assess and address problems when it was just one instance in time using such tools. I think that the coming years will be exciting when it's possible to implement not only all the great tools, but the philosophy and inherent nature of authentic learning.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that in the last two years with this program I have been doing the unknown! Using technology in my classroom, with my students, has REALLY made me step out of my box. I have had to force myself to learn tools that I would never had dreamed would be possible. Six years ago I was learning how to cut and paste and still believed that I could blow up a computer if I hit the wrong key!
ReplyDeleteJust like in Victorian Internet we know that change is needed and will come with resistance, even from ourselves who are trying to implement it, but we know that change is needed if we are going to reach the learners of the 21st century!