Podcasts

Podcasting…what is it and how is it used? ‘Podcasts are audio files that are automatically delivered directly to your desktop computer, and can be transferred to your iPod or other MP3 player. You typically subscribe to podcasts using "podcatcher" software (PCATRC, 2009).’ I used iTunes as my podcatcher. I initally thought that podcasts had to be downloaded onto an iPod or MP3 player but I was actually suprised to find out that you can just access them from your computer. I think that this creates a great opportunity for the students to engage in this tool without the hassle of using their iPod or MP3 player (if they have one). There is also another tool called Vodcasts, where the same principle applies as the audio podcasting, but with videos (Video Casting).

I think that there are a number of ways that Podcasts can be used effectively in the classroom. If students were learning about different cultures, then a class profile could be set up with another class on the other side of the world for the students to network with and ask questions and connect to the world around them.

By creating these podcasts, the students are able to share their learning experiences. It provides them with a global audience which then makes the learning meaningful and the assessment authentic (Department of Education and Training Western Australia, 2009).
According to Teaching Ideas (2010) Podcasts can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom to ensure students engage and extend their content knowledge. These can include:

• The potential to showcasing thier work to thousands of people.
• Developing literacy skills (writing scripts, setting up interviews etc), allows children to develop and practise their speaking and listening skills, and they also learn some amazing ICT skills.
• Interactive, allowing the audience to send feedback about the learnig experiences.
• Developing teamwork skills, where the learners work together to create the product.

Podcasts align with the learning engagement theory as the students relate, create and donate.
Relate: As the students work together to create their podcast, they will have to plan and manage the delivery and also communicate their ideas to develop one plan of action.
Create: As the students are creating their podcast, they will have an audience that will view their casts, so they have a purpose and meaning to complete the task.
Donate: As the students will receive castings from other schools around the world, they are donating their views in hopeful exchange of others.
(Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999).

Podcasts also align with the Big6 framework (Eisenberg, 2001), as the students can follow the six stages to develop a podcast. This could include:
1. Task Definition
Students can identify the task and brainstorm possible sources that they need to access.
2. Information Seeking Strategies
Students can look at the possible places to access the podcasts that they need. They could look at the ABC, SBS, iTunes and even the National Geographic.
3. Location and Access
Soughting out the podcasts that are available to them.
4. Use of Information
After listening to the podcasts that have been located. The students would then decide which podcasts are the most benificial to complete the task by looking at the content offered and then gathering and using the information found
5. Synthesis
Students could then look at all of the information that they have gathered and create their own podcast that reflects on their learning and the knowledge that they have gained.
6. Evaluation
Students could create a reflective podcast that steps out the process that they went through to complete the task and reflect on their refelctions. This could be followed using a graphic organiser like a SWOT analysis

This tool would be extremely effective if the correct pedagogical approaches were addressed with desired outcomes to achieve. It is in the hands of the learning manager to assure that the correct use of technology is available and the students are taught how to use the program. Although I found this Podcasting task a little difficult to work out, I think that with a little more practice, I will be able to teach the students how it exactly works. Take a look at this website for examples of how they are used in the classroom!
Podcatcher later,
Amy

References:

Department of Education and Training Western Australia. (2009). Podcasts in the Classroom. Viewed on 16/08/09 from:
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/ict/podcasts/

Eisenberg, M; Berkowitz, B. (2001) The Big6. Viewed on 15/07/2010 from: http://www.big6.com/
Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory. Viewed on 12/08/09 from:
http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Palomar College Academic Technology Resource Centre (2009). Podcasting. Viewed on 18/08/09 from:
http://www.palomar.edu/atrc/WhatArePodca/sts.htm
Teaching Ideas (2010). Podcasting. Viewed on 08/08/2010 from: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/ict/podcasting.htm