Podcasts in the Classroom

OK. I am digging this Hedron text. I so like that He offers specific lessons which teachers can use - right down to assessment questions.




Before he gets into that in this chapter on podcasting, Hedron (2008) offers some advice to teachers who have not experimented with podcasting yet, and it really is great advice for any new technology. First, before a teacher can have students create a podcast, he/she must be very familiar with a podcast. He/she should subscribe to them and listen to them. Next, the teacher must consider the school's acceptable use policy. Posting anything online can be dangerous business. Students must be reminded to not use their full names or offer any other personal information.




With that said, Hedron offers several ideas for podcasting in the classroom. The most obvious use would be a news cast. Some others are book reviews, end-of-unit reports, career interviews, or foreign language interviews. What I like most about these lessons is that Hedron gives resources to use every step of the way. Hedron offers podcast planning sheets, step-by-step procedures, and assessment questions. What I like overall about the podcast is the fact that in order for students to do an adequate job, they must do some research and create an actual script. So a podcast lesson is multifaceted. Then there is the idea of having an actual audience. I agree that it would encourage students to do a better job. They don't want to look or sound like idiots.




There really is a lot that we have read this semester that I could connect this information to, but I feel like I have said it all already. Of course there are several elements of podcasting that show the qualities of MLT - collaboration, real-life connections (authentic work), intentionality, active inquiry, etc. I could get into the levels of understanding technology. Clearly to work with podcasts, one would have to be at least at the appropriation stage. Because podcasts are so new to students, teachers would have to have such a level of understanding.



At any rate, I hope that in my free time (ha...so much of it, remember?), I can become familiar with podcasts so that I can incorporate their use into my classes and my book club.

Hedron, J. (2008). RSS for educators: Blogs, newsfeeds, podcasts, and wikis in the classroom. Eugene, OR: ISTE.