Enhance Teaching and Learning With Podcasts

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Use Podcasts to Enhance Teaching and Learning in Your Classroom

Advances in educational practice often lag behind advances in technology. Podcasts are not a fad, they're here to stay, here are a few ways you can use podcasts in your lessons to enhance teaching and learning.

What's a Podcast?

If you are not familiar with the term 'podcast' then I don't know where you have been living.

According to Wikipedia, Podcasts are media files that are distributed over the internet using syndication feeds. Which means in plain English, that Podcasts are either audio or video shows that are made on a regular basis like a radio show. Only they are broadcast over the internet and you can listen to them anytime rather than just when they are 'aired'.

Podcasts are of great value to educators. In this article I'm going to discuss three ways in which educators can utilise podcasts.

1. Podcasts are available on a number of subjects, from current events to healthy living. Educators can find lesson content in Podcasts and use them in their lessons or homework.

Many of our students are wired for sound already with their mp3 players. Imagine setting a homework that involved students commenting on information they listened to on a podcast using their mp3 players. The students can be responsible for downloading the podcast, listening to it and then submitting the analysis electronically.

You can find a directory of podcasts that are helpful to teachers at The Education Podcast Network.

My Podcast for TeachOverseas.info

Hosted by GCast, a free service!

Practising what I preach, here's my podcast. Each 'episode' takes only around 10-15 minutes to record, do a rough edit and upload to the internet. It's a piece of cake!

Fetching RSS feed... please stand by

Make Podcasts With Your Students

2. Students can make podcasts as part of their work. One of the questions your students should be asking themselves about information technology (IT) is 'how can IT help me communicate my thoughts and ideas?'

Many students, and their teachers, get stuck with the idea that IT has a life of its own. Surely IT is a tool that can make our lives easier and our communication clearer and more widespread. I've frequently seen IT used for the sake of using it, rather than being used as a tool to enhance teaching and learning.

Podcasts are easy to make, and most of the software needed is available free on the internet. If you use Apple computers, then you can look at Apple products. I am going to concentrate on Windows based software because every school I've worked in has run Windows software. Recently I've been using a software programme called Audacity to make audio products. I've used it in my online business and used it with my students at school. It's free, and easy to learn. Your students will be able to put together a high quality product with this software.

Download Audacity here.

New to Podcasting?

Here are some books that will get you started with the technical stuff

Podcasting For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

by: Tee Morris, Evo Terra

The Dummies series of educational guides is a favourite of a lot of people. Here's the Dummies Guide to Podcasting.

Amazon Price: $12.80 (as of 01/02/2010)

Podcast Solutions: The Complete Guide to Podcasting

by: Michael Geoghegan, Dan Klass

If you're not a fan of the Dummies series, then this is a good starting point.

Amazon Price: (as of 01/02/2010)

Podcasting: Do It Yourself Guide

by: Todd Cochrane

As with most things in education, you'll be creating your podcast yourself. Find out how...

Amazon Price: $17.99 (as of 01/02/2010)

Podcasting and Blogging with GarageBand and iWeb

by: Robin Williams, John Tollett

If you are a Mac fan, this book is a must-have for you. Podcasting has become so popular because of iPods and iTunes!

Amazon Price: (as of 01/02/2010)

Podcasts and Professional Development

3. You can learn more about your subject area and connect with other professionals. My favourite podcast is TWiT - this Week in Tech. It's an excellent resource that keeps me up to date and I can listen to it when I walk to work in the morning or ride the train at the weekends. I found it by looking on iTunes and subscribing.

The most comprehensive list of podcasts I've found is at the iTunes store. You can access this list in two ways. You can go to the iTunes store online and use the search on the bottom left hand side of the page.

This method is not the most convenient way to access the information. The easiest and most efficient way is to access the iTunes store through iTunes on your computer. You will need to be connected to the internet, but it's much easier and you can see all the information about different podcasts. There is even a list of categories on the left hand side, of which education is one.

Once you've found a podcast you like, you click the subscribe button. iTunes will then check for updates when you are online and download the new podcast episodes when they are available. You can then listen to them at your leisure. When you synch your mp3 player to your computer the podcasts will be transferred to your portable player and you can listen to them anytime, anywhere.

Start Your Podcast Experience Today

Get started with these education podcasts...

British History 101 with Michael Anthony: Perfect for teachers of British History
NASA - Sun-Earth Day - News and Events - Broadcasts: The Sun-Earth Day 2007! Perfect for Science Teachers
Beginner Guitar Lessons and Songs by iPlayMusic: Are you a musician in the making?
This Week in Science - The Kickass Science Podcast: Science teachers, subscribe for free!
Beginning Meditation on Odeo: Beginning Meditation, awareness behind the ego
Education podcasts teachers tv | | EducationGuardian.co.uk: Teachers TV is a channel for everyone who works in education, from heads to NQTs, governors to support staff. British based.
edPod: Home: An example of what students are doing with podcasts....

"Good evening! You're about to discover the wonders of edPod, the King Edward's Podcast. edPod is like a radio show, freshly baked every fortnight and full of college news, announcements, competitons, music, gossip and comedy sketches."

Podcasting Professional Development Suggestions

Looking at running some PD on Podcasting but not sure what to do? Why not do what we did...

Run a series of short workshops aimed at different levels. Start out with what is a podcast, how to find them and how to subscribe - and end with making, editing and publishing your own!

Listening to Podcasts on the move

The great thing about podcasts is that you can listen to them anywhere and anytime...

Apple iPod nano 2 GB Silver (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL

I'm a big iPod fan, this get's to the top of my recommendations and I have one myself. It goes everywhere with me!

Amazon Price: $179.99 (as of 01/02/2010)

SanDisk Sansa m240 1 GB MP3 Player (Silver)

Amazon Price: $39.99 (as of 01/02/2010)

SanDisk Sansa e260 4 GB MP3 Player with MicroSD Expansion Slot (Black

Amazon Price: $88.49 (as of 01/02/2010)

Zune 30 GB Digital Media Player (Black)

I'm an iPod fan, as already stated, but the Zune is great for downloading video and you can even get an adapter and play it back through your classroom projector or TV!

Amazon Price: $199.99 (as of 01/02/2010)

The 'secret' no one seems willing to share...

I looked and I looked and couldn't find the answer to this question anywhere!

Everything I suggest on this lens is a fantastic resource and I've used most of them myself on my journey to becoming a podcaster.

But the one thing they all seemed to be missing was detailed instructions on how to 'publish' my podcast. I had these audio files but nowhere to put them, and they wouldn't go onto my blog at all. I spent 3 hours with the tech guys at my school (thanks very much for your help Dr. Bennett!) and we still didn't have any success.

I want to announce that I have found the answer! And it's a website called GCast!

At GCast you can upload your mp3 files to their server using their free hosting service and the rest happens magically! Well, it's not magic, but GCast! do all the technical stuff for you.

What you end up with is a RSS feed url that you can send people to, an email link that you can send people to and you can download a snazzy little player that you can insert directly into your blog.

I've posted mine onto my blog, check out how cool it looks!

GCast! is free and easy to use, so check them out now. I make nothing out of referring you there, except getting a little satisfaction in knowing that you too now know podcasting's dirty little secret... how to publish your very own podcast!

Journal Articles Dedicated to Cutting Edge Use of Podcasting in Education

Harnessing the educational power of podcasts.(Technology Update): An article from: Curriculum Review

by: Gale Reference Team

Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 01/02/2010)

An education in AV technology: the annual EduComm conference covered podcasting, distance learning, and classroom planning.: An article from: University Business

by: Jean Marie Angelo, Tim Goral, Ann McClure

Online assessments include digital tests from GL A more...0 points

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More Ideas For Using Podcasting in Your Lessons

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms

by: Will Richardson

Amazon Price: (as of 01/02/2010)

Active Learning Through Drama, Podcasting, and Puppetry

by: Kristin Fontichiaro

Amazon Price: $35.00 (as of 01/02/2010)

Podcasting: The Ultimate Starter Kit (52 Brilliant Ideas)

by: Steve Shipside

Amazon Price: (as of 01/02/2010)

Use Podcasts to Make Your Life Easier...

I hate having to repeat myself to students who were absent from my lessons

Do you ever get students missing your classes and then wanting you to 'catch them up' on the material they've missed? Do you get a little irritated when this happens again and again?

You never need to do that again! Record a 5 minute podcast that summarises the points you covered in class, and post in on the school intranet, or the internet where you students can find it. All you need to do then is publish the site address where your students can get the podcast and it's their responsibility to catch themselves up.

The first few times you make and post this kind of podcast may seem time consuming but stick with it. Just like any new skill, you'll get quicker over time. I'm going to start using this technique with my senior class as they're the students with the worst attendance rate!

How do you use podcasts in your lessons?

Sharing ideas is something teachers do all the time.

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lravidlearner lravidlearner Oct 12, 2008 @ 6:19 pm

This is a great lens with terrific info on podcasts. I invite you to join my group, Education in the Technology Age at:
http://www.squidoo.com/groups/educationandtechnology

I would like to feature your lens as a great example of podcasting.

Reply

lravidlearner lravidlearner Oct 12, 2008 @ 8:34 am

I've seen the advantages already, and I'd like to see more teachers use them. They've been particularly helpful with my kids as study guides for essential information we learn in class.

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wmccave wmccave Apr 2, 2007 @ 9:20 am

I thought that you had a great podcasting related lens, so I added your lens to my featured lenses section of my podcasting related lens. Thank you for sharing some great content.