Thing #17

I listened to several podcasts and found some interesting things. The ones that I was first interested in (TechPodZone and Geek!ed!) had some topics that I really wanted to hear. However, each of these was 30-40 minutes long and consisted of people sitting around chatting and joking, etc. I listened to about 7-8 minutes of each of them before I got totally annoyed because there was no "meat," yet. I don't think teachers are going to kill 40 minutes on something that should take 10 minutes. However, I also listened to Grammar Girl's Quidk and Dirty Tips as well as 60 Second Science and really liked the fact that they got to the point. I'm sure the other 2 had great information in them, but I really wanted to hear it and not wait for it (and this is summer when I'm not nearly as busy).

After listening to these, I had a better idea of what I like in a professional podcast. I searched Education Podcast Network and found one called Mac Tips Daily. These are short podcasts with cool tips on using the features of your Mac. I have downloaded podcasts for a year or so using iTunes. They actually have a great search feature and you can search virtually any topic and cost (I look for free ones). Promethean Planet puts out ActivTips to show new features of ActivStudio and ActivInspire. These are actually screencasts so there is a visual of the computer screen as well as audio. I use podcasts personally to listen to different Bible studies in the mornings while I get dressed. My oldest son is a counselor at Pine Cove Christian Camp this summer and they posted podcasts online for the counselors in the spring to prepare them and raise their enthusiasm for camp.

There are so many uses for podcasting in the classroom. I have taught some teachers how to use them in the classroom. They have done readers' theaters with their students, taught math problems, created short interviews with students playing famous leaders, and even had students podcast campaign speeches for campus elections. Just about any subject can be podcast. I have even heard of teachers using podcasts to over material for students that are out. If you have never seen the class webpage of Mr. Coley who is a teacher in California, then visit and check out the studycasts and other things that are done by his students. I was fascinated and very excited about the possibilities of using these ideas in a classroom. Again, the students have ownership of the webpage and therefore take responsibility for their learning! Yea, Mr. Coley!