Week 4

Podcasting, Digital Video & Digital Images


Podcasts

         A way of engaging learners through technologies and allowing them to learn in a non-traditional way

Up until this week I was extremely unfamiliar with podcasting and what it could be used for. However after I have taken the time to research and explore this form of technology I have discovered a vast range of extremely beneficial uses – both inside and outside the classroom.

Podcasting provides a way of interacting with students that goes beyond traditional teaching methods. It provides an innovative way for students to learn new knowledge.

Podcasts can be as simple as a recorded lesson that students can go back, or listen to as revision or a review; or they can be used in promoting higher order thinking and increased engagement in a topic. This is achieved through students creating their own podcasts. When used in this way, podcasts can promote creativity and innovation which links to the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.


Podcasts have the potential to develop a vast range of skills when used effectively. These include listening, speaking, communication, technology, collaboration, auditory, media literacy, presentation and oral frequency skills.


Students listening to and interacting with podcasts:

-       Students that are away from school for long periods of time, sick or on holidays – course and lesson content can be accessed and listened to through the use of podcasting (anytime, anywhere)

-       Differentiation in the classroom – lesson content at different levels in order to suit the specific cohort of learners

Students creating their own podcasts:

-       Increases engagement with the topic or concept

-       Promotes higher order thinking as students have to voice their ideas, research and/ or opinions

-       Promotes innovation and creativity

Click for Examples and Ideas on using Podcasts in the Classroom on my Wiki 


Voki - Digital Audio


I have found Voki to be a highly interesting and engaging tool. The program is simple and easy to use, which means that students would have no trouble creating their own presentations.
Classroom Use:
- This program could be used as a means of presenting an assessment task or speech. Students would plan and create their Voki character according to the requirements of the task
- Voki could also be used as a tool to engage stsudents at the beginning of a lesson or new topic, as it is something fairly unfamiliar to them it becomes interesting to watch
- This program could also be used as a way of providing students with new information, including school events like sports and free dress days


Click here to view my Voki (unfortunately I couldn't work out how to embed the voki onto my blog)


YouTube


YouTube is such a great tool to use in the classroom. I often use YouTube clips as a tool to capture the students attention at the beginning of the lesson. The ICT aspect of YouTube is great, while offering initial information to introduce the topic or concept. In my past prac experiences I have used YouTube in classroom situations to introduce and enhance learning.


Social Networking, is it a fad?    << Interesting YouTube clip about Social media and 21st century citizens

Although YouTube is a great tool to use in the classroom, it also has its faults. When opening YouTube up on an IWB it is important that the sites has been checked for innappropriate content before it is opened up in front of the class.I would not allow students access to YouTube during their own individual learning time as it is difficult to monitor 25- 30 computer screens at once and there is a lot of inappropriate content that becomes readily available to students if given access to this site.

For YouTube to be an effective tool to scaffold learning in the classroom it would be necessary that an IWB is available. In my past experiences using YouTube in the classroom, has been successful. Therefore, I believe this to be a learning tool!