Students can use podcasts to create a fun and engaging product rather than writing or typing a traditional essay. Teachers and students can create podcasts to give step-by-step instructions to someone else. Social studies teachers could have their students do oral histories, interviews, or reenactments of historical events (Richardson, 2010). Foreign language and ESL teachers can use podcasts to help students to develop language skills. Students can also listen to plays or readings of books to use as they read along in a reading class. Every subject can be enhanced through the use of podcasting.
It may take more time to create a podcast than a traditional essay, but the time will be well spent. Teachers can even require a written script that students can create prior to podcasting. This way, teachers also can grade for spelling and grammar. The script can be read into the podcast, which makes the podcast flow more smoothly when played.
Before podcasting, one must have a way to record digital audio. Richardson (2010) recommends “trying it out first”. In other words, practice creating podcasts before assigning a project to students. Teachers should also consider the way students will access the podcasts once they have been created. Some teachers could place the podcasts on their classroom website for all students to access at any time. Podcasts can also be uploaded and played on an iPod.
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms, 3rd. ed.. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
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Dear Gayle,
ReplyDeleteTrying it out first, as Richardson recommends and Dr. Mao has had us do, seems like a definite necessity for effectively integrating this type of production activity into the classroom. The audience for the podcast is very important. Do you think just the classroom website will provide a wide enough audience for our students?
Gayle,
ReplyDeleteThere are many interesting and helpful ways in which educators can use podcasting. Have you ever considered or used podcasting in your classes? If not, do you think podcasting would be appropriate to use in your math classes?
Bethany
Bethany,
ReplyDeleteI have not had time to bring podcasting into my math classes. I do have some ideas, but taking the time from my regular class would be difficult with curriculum and time restraints.