Podcasting in Education

Many students today own an IPod and it would be a shame not to utilize all of the capabilities of an IPod. Not enough educators are taking advantage of Podcasting. Podcasting can include audio files, visual files, documents or a combination of the three. Podcasting only requires minimal training to learn how to make. It is an excellent ways for teachers to archive their lesson plans. This is a great way to look back on lesson plans and make improvements or additions. Some helpful links to help educators learn about Podcasting are listed below.

http://oedb.org/library/beginning-online-learning/100-ways-to-use-your-ipod-to-learn-and-study-better showcases the many ways students can use their IPods for educational benefits. Study guides and flash cards can be downloaded to an IPod. The disadvantage is some of the supplemental material like study guides and flash cards are not always free. This supplemental material is downloadable but can range in price from $9.99 down to $1.99. The benefits of using Podcasts can be for any age group. Even Sesame Street is offering 6 free Podcasts available via ITunes.

http://www.epnweb.org/index.php?view_mode=about if anyone is thinking of starting their own podcasting, they should visit the site just mentioned. Teachers may be surprised to see the content that is already being Podcasted about. There are numerous websites dedicated for teachers to add their Podcasts so other teachers can access and use them for their own classroom. Adding your own classroom material to a collaborative website is a great way to show you are serious about using technology in your classroom and you are networking with others that share your same interests.

http://www.apple.com/itunes/whatson/podcasts/fanfaq.html You do not have to have an IPod to view a Podcast. A Podcast can be viewed on a computer and an IPod. Any radio broadcast and lecture can be converted to the AAS format. This allows video and images to be played simultaneously. IPods also allows you to download Podcasts with documents. An IPod cannot view a PDF file but you are able to open the corresponding PDF on your computer.

http://www.apple.com/education/teachers-professors/mobile-learning.html Many teachers are afraid to use new technology in the classroom because they don’t know how to create proper learning material with a new technology. Teachers need to realize that a lot of the students they teach probably have access to the Internet right in their pocket. Some High schools and Universities are already using Podcasting to reach their students. As soon as a professor is done with a lecture, he or she has the ability to submit their lecture and that gives students the opportunity to download and listen to that lecture on the go.