Podcast

What is a podcast? I have no idea. I have heard the word used many times but im not sure what they actually are. In this blog I will be finding out what a podcast is, how to make one and if I belive they will be usefull in the classroom and if so how they can be used to maximise student learning.





A podcast is:

• audio or video
• radio style show, that people can download to mp3 players
• listen to what interest you, choose what you want to listen to
• raw and real content
• many podcasts are made by people who are passionate about a subject
• A vodcast is the same as a podcast with the online delivery of a vidoe or clip

The above information was summarised from the following reading suggested in the course. How to Podcast

During reading and article titled, Its not about the tools. Its about the skills. The author pointed out that students are engaged by ICT's and we as educators can use this to our advantage to teach literacy, numeracy, reading, writing. Ask youself by using this tool what skills and literacies are am I addressing?



After listening to a Podcast titled The Sounds of China Im starting to see the benifits of using these in the classroom. Podcasts would especially be good in the earlier years as students are still learning to read and write, for visually impaired students and for those students that learn best from listening.



The Sounds of China Podcast could be used whean studying different cultures and belifes. The podcast talks about what music means to the chinese and you can also hear chinese music. Instead of having the teacher talk about the music students can listen to the music for themselves and hear someone else (a chinese music expert) talk.



A vodcast is the same as a podcast except it is the online delivery of a video or clip. This would also benifit those in the younger years and those students that are visual learners.



Vodcasts and podcasts have many uses are the opportunities are endless. Its also great that they can be used time and time again, for example if a student is away or wants to listen/watch again the teacher could upload to a virtual classroom or blog that students can access.