October+29,+2009

This week in EDCT 203 we discussed and created podcasts for use in the classroom. Previously I had heard of a podcast and knew they were common, but what I didn't realize was how common the podcast was. I also thought that a podcast was a short video that taught something. After learning exactly what a podcast was, I realized that these can have huge benefits in the classroom. Students are naturally drawn into a lesson or topic when it incorporates technology because of the relation to the student's life. With this idea in mind, I feel that using podcasts in various ways in my future classrooms will benefit both my students and myself. I see myself using a podcast for an assignment as an alternative to lecturing, and also using podcasts in projects for students. The benefit of using the podcast instead of lecturing would be mainly to increase student interest and involvement. The podcast would be shorter and more direct than a lecture, so students would be more apt to listen through headphones or speakers than to take notes during a lecture. I also believe that having students create a podcast for a project can help get them excited for what is to come. This is very important because students must be motivated in order to truly learn. Using a podcast also allows the students to have a much wider audience than just making a presentation to their classmates. With the podcast they are able to post it online for many more people to hear. This is another important idea because students are generally more motivated and excited when they have an audience besides the teacher and their classmates. These are only two of the ways that podcasts can be used in the classroom, and I am sure I will think of more in the future. Podcasts are an important advancement that should be taken full advantage of by educators.

__ISTE Standards__ Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments Model Digital-Age Work and Learning