Blog Assignment #4

Podcasts



Langwitches-Flat Stanley Podcast
The Flat Stanley podcast assignment this first grade class had was pretty interesting. I wish I would have had assignments like this in grade school. After reading Jim Brown's Flat Stanley, the students were to research a location of their choosing at the library or online and use this information to make a short script. They used this script to describe a journey they would embark upon as Flat Stanley themselves. The kids did a fantastic job at reading expressively which is key in a podcast. I love this assignment, for it required the students to do research and to flex their creative muscles. The sensory appeal the kids had with their descriptions was fantastic and surprisingly detailed. I also really appreciate how these students have learned the skill of being articulate which is again key in an audio medium. This is definitely a skill that even I can learn from and employ in my own podcasts. If I were to ever carry out an assignment like this I would most certainly follow suit in having the students input their own creative ideas.

The Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom by Joe Dale
In this video Joe Dale explains the new generation of students, Millenials, and how their lives are very different as they have never known life without the technology of today. He goes on to say that due to this fact, podcasting in the classroom is a very effective tool for teaching these tech savvy students. One of the first examples used in the video is how a podcast can be useful in the case of a sick student. If the student is sick and unable to attend regular class for an extended period of time, a podcast is a great solution for getting that much needed information to the student. One point I am really glad Joe Dale hit on in the video is that podcasts are easily accessible and can be consumed on the go. I personally am a big fan of podcasts and listen to them regularly while I am driving. Podcasts are an effective means of getting information while I am engaged in an activity like driving where I am unable to do anything else and it prevents that time from being wasted. In the video a Mr. Dell is shown using podcasts as a way of making reading materials during class more engaging. He had teachers read parts in character and I think this is a very effective way of presenting the information to his class. The vocally expressive podcast readings would do a much better job keeping the students' attention and getting them to visualize the scenarios. Another way podcasts are utilized in this video is as a medium for the students to perform in character as historical figures or other roles. I have seen this in various other applications of podcasting as it seems to be pretty popular. It is an interesting way to teach and get your students to interact that I had never even thought of before. This video definitely showed me that podcast are quite versatile as tools in project based learning.

Judy Scharf Podcast Collection
Judy Scharf's Podcast Collection is a great source for information on how to start podcasting. The collection even includes helpful videos showing you how to obtain and use software that is vital to podcasting. She provides many valuable tips when it comes to giving podcasting as an assignment to a class, which is very helpful, but these tips are also great for podcasting yourself. I will certainly be using some of these materials and tips when it comes time to make my own podcast. Some of her tips that really stuck out to me where to give yourself plenty of time(Everything tends to take longer than you would expect!) and to familiarize yourself with your software. She includes various documents that have step-by-step instructions on creating podcasts, utilizing websites such as podbean, and even submitting your podcast to iTunes. Judy Scharf did a fantastic job of compiling an extremely valuable source to anyone interested in podcasting, and I will most definitely be using her aid in the near future.