Unit 4 Integrating Podcast Production into Your Curriculum
Please share with the class how you plan on integrating this powerful tool (producing a podcast) into your own curriculum. How will it benefit your students and engage them in the learning process.
14 comments:
Amanda
said...
To integrate the use of a podcast production in my classroom, I am faced with several different options. I’ve considered using the podcast as a platform for students to read and share self-created poems or stories, but then my mind drifts off to another idea. Something that may be more engaging and mysterious for them! I think I would like to create a podcast for use in my classroom by having a Mystery Reader. Each week I could have a student choose a short book that they could read aloud to the class, by use of a podcast. The book that they choose would be on their appropriate reading level and they would have time to practice it often to prepare.
How would this benefit students? The Mystery Reader would be able to work on reading fluency, reading strategies, as well as the speaking portion of the common core standards. The audience (my whole class) would use reading comprehension skills and the common core standard for listening. I think students would be very engaged in the activity, as the Mystery Reader’s identity would not be exposed until the end of the book. They will need to listen to the story to solve our special reader mystery!
I would love to find a way to have the podcast be the student’s voice reading the story, followed by a short pause for them to guess on the Mystery Reader’s identity. Finally, at the end, I could utilize a picture of the selected student to pop up on the screen. I look forward to this exciting project!
I have so many ideas running through my head, but trying to figure out which one would be the most effective. One idea is taking my “Create Your Own Game” unit and have the kids demonstrate and explain through vodcast/podcast. The students would then vote upon which one was their favorite. The winning game would be played. I could also have 6th grade (since I teach at a 5/6th Grade Center) review games that we played in P.E. and create a how to video. This would provide 5th grade with ideas to play at recess; our school has minimal recess equipment and teaching them various games and rules would minimize arguments and fights at recess time. Our school is also located directly in the center of town with many streets to cross. At the beginning of the year my school puts the students through a “boot camp” of safety tips and procedures in and out of school. Making a vodcast of demonstration the rules would benefit teachers mid year (especially those who find themselves re-teaching rules). I could even have them research the history of a sport and an athlete during that time period and “interview” the famous athlete.
Although, looking ahead, we are going to be creating a podcast not a vodcast. With these ideas I have discussed, the visual aid is necessary for effective student learning for most. If only being able to use audio podcasting, the best choice of student understanding would be researching the history of a sport and interviewing an athlete from that time period. In classroom the students would be graded on participation, how accurate the information found is, and would graded on the created rubric: rules, creativity, and explanation, how “real” the athletes responses are. Within the school I could team up with the history teacher or writing teacher. This would promote research and writing skills. The curriculum would be following the P.E. standards, which would be encouraging the students to appreciate physical activity out side of school. Within the curriculum the students would be required to research a sport and athlete (one that is approved by me) and create a podcast/vodcast to assess their learning. This would benefit the students in the learning process because it would allow them to see where the sport has started and how it has evolved to today. In this research the students should be learning the rules of the game. As I teach the various sport units (for example: basketball) the students who researched the history of basketball could play their vodcast and “team teach” the rules of the game with me and explain the differences of how things use to be done. We could even play “old school” basketball with a milk crate tied up!
I plan to and have used podcasts that I create with my students in several ways. In the past I have used them as a school to home connection about what we have learned or to share our work with our parents. Recently it has occurred to me that using podcasting may be a great way to assess student learning as well! Students could be asked to work with me to give the highlights of a lesson via a podcast that we could share with the other kindergarten class or use as a review before a cumulative assessment. Students benefit from this because they are interested and engaged. I also think this helps student learning because they get excited to share the podcast with their family. My school website gets a lot more hits the day after I upload a podcast that the kids have created!This helps to bridge the home/school gap and keeps parents updated on what we are learning!
I was just reading Amanda's post before and we have done a "Mystery" podcast before. We actually completed this after a unit on 6 trait writing (specifically adding details and using voice) and during an Oviparous unit. Students choose an oviparous animal and described it on a podcast and paused before giving the answer. It gave the students time to guess at school but also gave the parents time to guess at home when they listened!
I also have a million ideas running through my mind for using podcasting/vodcasting in the classroom.... there's just not enough time! For now, I think I will focus on our current science unit, biomes of the world. I have just started introducing my students to the biomes and am finding it difficult to find media (video or podcasts) on the subject that are relevant, engaging, informative, and age-appropriate. I would like to introduce the students to these biomes and then have them work in pairs to research and create podcasts that meet the above criteria. The students will benefit from this activity because they have to synthesize the information into a logical, clear, cohesive piece. I would be able to tie into their writing skills, as they must decide what their main points are and the details that would support these points. The podcasts could be listened to by their peers as a review or just for their information. As for myself, I hope to create a podcast with an overview of all the biomes we have discussed.
Another idea I'm hoping to have time at the end of the year to complete goes along with social studies. During the second semester, I am approached by the 6th grade teachers for resources to help them review for the Social Studies Assessment. This assessment covers a lot of information from 5th grade social studies standards, and podcasts would be a way for students to quickly review content, which would hopefully trigger their knowledge of the subject. I've introduced this to a small group of non-band students and have asked that they focus on our most recent unit, government. They are excited about it and I hope to create an example or two to use with them as they create their own. Some of the units I would like students to focus on are: early exploration, European settlement of North America, Colonial Period, 13 Colonies, Forming a New Nation, and Economics. These podcasts would be used by the same group of students a year from now, which would also make it more real and they might say "Hey, that's me! I guess I did learn about that!"
This is now the fourth week of the class and I am candidly still having a little difficulty wrapping my mind around how podcasts/vodcasts are significantly different from posting a video on my YouTube® channel. It is my hope that my opening statement will in no way compromise my grade in the course. Rather, I desire to spark a dialogue that will help me clarify in my mind the mission I am accepting by applying this course, and the tools I am learning, in my own classroom. So, I have reviewed the articles that have been provided in our course moodle and I just read the blog posts from Sarah, Crystal and Amanda. I love the creative ideas which they express. The idea of the mystery reader triggered my memory. It is a true fact that I am old enough to remember the radio broadcast series of Paul Harvey entitled “The Rest of the Story.” He would open the show with a tickler about a somewhat well know fact about a noteworthy figure or event in history. He proceeded to elaborate about the less well known facts surrounding the particular story. After delivering his captivating, well woven story he ended every installment with the same line, “And now you know…(dramatic pause)… the REST of the story!” I have been thinking for some time how I might dress up a couple of assignments which I use routinely in my classes. First, in my AP Chemistry classes, I have each student choose a separate career to research. They are to find information about job description, salary, education and training required, etc. Then make a poster including all the required information. Next year, I think I will have each student record a podcast, or vodcast if they choose, to express the information about the career they have selected. This will add 21st century characteristics to use technology (leaving behind the archaic poster building). It will also offer them choice in how to deliver their content, either audio or video. The podcasts will serve as an avenue for the students to develop public speaking skills, as well, since they will be posted for a wider audience. Ultimately, it will make them easier to grade because I will not have the bulky posters to move around and try to find a way to hang them all so none of the students feel slighted. Another idea I have for my Physics classes is based on a video I found on YouTube®, click this link-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c00ohimae8 --if you would like to view it. This video is not particularly school appropriate. The challenge to the Physics students would be to develop one that is appropriate so that we could post them for upper elementary and middle school students can watch them and learn in their science classes. Those are my ideas to start with for the students to begin podcasting from my classroom. I would like to move toward using podcasts to supplement my regular curriculum. Each class meeting is a ‘once in a lifetime never to be repeated event’! However, if I podcast some or all of my lectures, this would at least make the basic information available to students who were absent and would also provide a source for all students to review the highlights of what they will need to know for exams. Now, I just need to actually learn how to do it!
As I was reading through the various articles regarding Podcasting, my first thought is to have the students involved as much as possible. Each week in my classroom, we do a class meeting in which we talk about a variety of topics. Some weeks, we talk about test scores, goals, and strengths in our classroom. The next week, we might discuss problems that we are having in the classroom. This dialogue is essential to establish a collaborative classroom culture.
One of the things that I neglect to do is keep track of our meetings throughout the year. I think Podcasting is the perfect way to track our conversations. I would like my students to record a summary of the class meeting and turn that into a script that we can air each week. Obviously, this recorder will change from week to week so everyone is involved.
In order to tie this into curriculum even further, we could talk about the different curriculum objectives that we are discussing in class during the week. My students are very familiar with our objectives because they are written on the board each day. Since this would be a lengthy podcast, I could even break down the podcast script into several segments.
By actively involving students in the process, they will be engaged and it will allow me to assess our progress throughout the school year.
Because I am no longer in the classroom, I am taking the approach of looking at my school in general. During this time of year, we start to transition elementary students to our building and our 6th grade students to the middle school. This, of course, can be a scary time for students (and for parents). Having students create a podcast discussing how they felt when they transitioned to our building may ease some fears. Students can discuss their own experiences, give advice, and answer common questions about our building. Students sometimes learn best from their peers. Therefore, hearing this information from students may help.
Another building-wide issue is that of bullying and getting along with peers. In conjunction with the counseling program, students can have biweekly podcasts about current friendship topics. Students can share their own experiences and strategies they have used to overcome conflict. At times, students feel as if situations only occur to them. Hearing how others have experienced situations may help alleviate concerns. Overall, these podcasts can have a large positive impact on the culture of the school.
There are so many options when it comes to integrating podcasting into your classroom. I am considering using podcasting during our guided and individual journal time in Kindergarten. I beleive it is important for the children say it, hear it, and see it! As a whole class we will begin each journal time period with doing a shared journal with the children choosing a picture card out of the basket to write about. They will come up with a sentence, say the sentence out loud to the class while they are being recorded, play their recording back so they can hear themself, count how many words are in their sentence, and then finally write their sentence on the board for everyone to see. If they forget what their sentence was all they have to do is listen to their podcast to figure out what word they might be leaving out. After the student of the day has modeled the journal of the day each student in the class will use their own iPod to record their sentence or paragraph for their daily journal. This will engage all learners and keep them focused on their writing and make it more interesting for them. They will also be able to use our 3 rules of journal writing by saying it, hearing it, and seeing it!
A couple of different thoughts come to my mind when thinking about creating podcasts. I work with small groups of students to increase their reading fluency and comprehension. We take students to the library often to choose books that are at their reading level. I would like for my students to create a podcast as a book review after each book that they read and they can recommend or not recommend the book to their classmates. This will give students a better opportunity to decide if they might like the book and is a great way for me to be sure that the student read the book as they provide a summary. It would end up being like a book report. We could have parents listen to their child's book review podcasts at parent teacher conferences.
Another thought that I had is regarding writing. I'm team teaching right now with a 6th grade teacher and we are teaching students how to create a good persuasive composition with reasons/ideas/details that support their opinion using strong emotional language. At the end of the writing assignment, students could use their composition as their script and publish it as a podcast. This would give them the opportunity to express the emotional language that was used through their vocal expressions. Students could listen to their peer's podcasts and even score each other using a rubric to make sure that the persuasive text worked in causing them to want to support the cause/position presented. I think it would make writing the composition much easier if students knew that they were creating a podcast in the end. The end result of the podcast would take the emphasis off of the writing. Most of the students in this class do not enjoy writing, but I doubt that they would be as hesitant if they knew that they were writing in order to create a podcast. It would also be great as they are focusing on their audience in their writing. They will be writing more effectively for their audience of their peers.
As I brainstorm on effective ways to use podcasting in my classes, some ideas that I came up with are assigning students to create podcasts to conclude specific units in class. I teach business classes and some of the topics include consumerism, career exploration and obtaining a job, and starting a job. Typically students create some type of project to sum up what they have learned from the unit. Instead of having students create a brochure or PowerPoint presentation, I could have students create podcasts in which they are giving “expert “advice and tips on the assigned topic. Some of these topics would include creating a podcast to teach other teenagers how to be responsible consumers in regards to spending and use of credit cards. Another topic for a podcast or vodcast is for students to give “expert” advice on how to obtain a job and how to interview for a job. The podcast or vodcast could also include role play scenarios in which students can act out a script on good and bad examples of interviewing for a job in person or over the phone. Each student could be assigned a specific topic from a unit and create a 3-4 minute podcast displaying their expertise on the subject matter. I feel that students will be engaged because this is a new tool for them to use to display their knowledge. I feel that students will want to produce something of quality, because they know that other people will have access to their work outside of the classroom.
There are several ways I would like to implement podcasting in my classroom. My first way, I would like my students to present their creative writing assignments in the form of a podcast. My student have used the ipad to create a keynote story presentation, and now I would like to have them read as a podcast. I also would like them to do readers theater productions as both a podcast and vodcast. These podcast will help the students with their fluency reading skills. I also think the students will become more enthusiastic when preparing and presenting these productions. I have talked with them about the idea of making podcast and they are very excited. I think some are much more advanced because they have already made you-tube videos, which are very similar. I think as I get more comfortable with the making of podcasts my students I will think of more creative activities to implement.
Another idea is to have a few of my students make a vodcast for the our school. The point of this vodcast would be to share how are school runs. This would be put on to our school website, so that prospective students could view and see what opportunities are available at our school. These would consist of presenting the rules, and activities associated with the school.
I am always trying to find creative ways for students to demonstrate analytical skills in my English class. I have them produce some artifact or project at the end of each unit to show they have truly "gotten it." I think having an introduction to podcasting attached to my initial unit in each semester and then making podcasting an option for each of those end of unit artifacts would encourage students to do this and do it right. I could require one at the beginning so that I know they can all use the technology in a creative and appropriate way, then it becomes an option any time they need to demonstrate their knowledge, comprehension and analytical skills.
Because the use of technology in my classroom is standard operating procedure on a daily basis, I believe the integration of podcasting can move very smoothly into my current curriculum. In video editing there are a number of issues to consider in two major areas. There is the technical proficiency to utilizing the software. That consists of being familiar with the interface and the range of tools that are provided. The other major area is the story telling techniques. The essential question for that is what kinds of cutting patterns and timing issues will result in eliciting a specific response from the audience.
I plan to have the students create podcasts covering specific topics in the earlier mentioned two areas. There should be a number of benefits to the students. The creation of a podcast will provide the students with yet another opportunity to write a script that is factual and thoughtful for the intended audience. As always the student will be working on a time deadline which engages them to be proficient in their time management skills. The creation of the podcast will sharpen their knowledge as they prepare to pass this knowledge on to other classmates. It also allows me to check the student producers’ understanding of specific material. As for the receiving students, the podcasts will continue to engage the learners and give variety to the presentation of class material in these two areas.
The plan for the podcasts is to begin building a content library of student produced knowledge. Because the information is student produced, the students can take pride and ownership in something that will benefit them in the present time but also the students that will follow in the future. The podcasts can also be utilized as a tool to assist students who either struggle with or have been absent for certain material.
Within my classroom, I like to use portfolios to see student progress throughout the school year. The portfolios serve as a way to organize student works, improve students’ writing skills, foster student reflection, and provide a way for students to connect history to real world situations. I like how the second article suggested using podcasting throughout the school year. If I had students create portfolios through the use of podcasting, they could create portfolio podcasts. This project would still encompass my original goals. However, it would provide for a better way for students to convey information while using technology and it would make it easier for parents to access the information. Many times students spend so much time creating a portfolio and never share it with their parents. Creating a podcast might encourage students to share their portfolios with parents. Podcasting would also be a more engaging way for students to convey information.
Every year, I have my students create wanted posters on 1920s bootleggers (using glogster). It would be fun if students also created a podcast acting as news reporters informing the American public about the gangster on the streets. They could write and record a public service announcement illustrating the need to find and capture the person. Another way I could incorporate podcasting is by having students act as a news reporter at the Scopes Trial (John T. Scopes the teacher who taught evolution in a Tennessee classroom). For government, I would like students to use podcasting to present their findings on political parties and politicians. We could have a mini presidential debate using a podcast as well.
For my own use, I would like to use podcasting when I am absent. Many times, substitute teachers do not convey the intended information. This could also be a great tool when I am on maternity leave (someday ). I could still communicate with my students.
14 comments:
To integrate the use of a podcast production in my classroom, I am faced with several different options. I’ve considered using the podcast as a platform for students to read and share self-created poems or stories, but then my mind drifts off to another idea. Something that may be more engaging and mysterious for them! I think I would like to create a podcast for use in my classroom by having a Mystery Reader. Each week I could have a student choose a short book that they could read aloud to the class, by use of a podcast. The book that they choose would be on their appropriate reading level and they would have time to practice it often to prepare.
How would this benefit students? The Mystery Reader would be able to work on reading fluency, reading strategies, as well as the speaking portion of the common core standards. The audience (my whole class) would use reading comprehension skills and the common core standard for listening. I think students would be very engaged in the activity, as the Mystery Reader’s identity would not be exposed until the end of the book. They will need to listen to the story to solve our special reader mystery!
I would love to find a way to have the podcast be the student’s voice reading the story, followed by a short pause for them to guess on the Mystery Reader’s identity. Finally, at the end, I could utilize a picture of the selected student to pop up on the screen. I look forward to this exciting project!
I have so many ideas running through my head, but trying to figure out which one would be the most effective. One idea is taking my “Create Your Own Game” unit and have the kids demonstrate and explain through vodcast/podcast. The students would then vote upon which one was their favorite. The winning game would be played. I could also have 6th grade (since I teach at a 5/6th Grade Center) review games that we played in P.E. and create a how to video. This would provide 5th grade with ideas to play at recess; our school has minimal recess equipment and teaching them various games and rules would minimize arguments and fights at recess time. Our school is also located directly in the center of town with many streets to cross. At the beginning of the year my school puts the students through a “boot camp” of safety tips and procedures in and out of school. Making a vodcast of demonstration the rules would benefit teachers mid year (especially those who find themselves re-teaching rules). I could even have them research the history of a sport and an athlete during that time period and “interview” the famous athlete.
Although, looking ahead, we are going to be creating a podcast not a vodcast. With these ideas I have discussed, the visual aid is necessary for effective student learning for most. If only being able to use audio podcasting, the best choice of student understanding would be researching the history of a sport and interviewing an athlete from that time period. In classroom the students would be graded on participation, how accurate the information found is, and would graded on the created rubric: rules, creativity, and explanation, how “real” the athletes responses are. Within the school I could team up with the history teacher or writing teacher. This would promote research and writing skills. The curriculum would be following the P.E. standards, which would be encouraging the students to appreciate physical activity out side of school. Within the curriculum the students would be required to research a sport and athlete (one that is approved by me) and create a podcast/vodcast to assess their learning. This would benefit the students in the learning process because it would allow them to see where the sport has started and how it has evolved to today. In this research the students should be learning the rules of the game. As I teach the various sport units (for example: basketball) the students who researched the history of basketball could play their vodcast and “team teach” the rules of the game with me and explain the differences of how things use to be done. We could even play “old school” basketball with a milk crate tied up!
I plan to and have used podcasts that I create with my students in several ways. In the past I have used them as a school to home connection about what we have learned or to share our work with our parents. Recently it has occurred to me that using podcasting may be a great way to assess student learning as well! Students could be asked to work with me to give the highlights of a lesson via a podcast that we could share with the other kindergarten class or use as a review before a cumulative assessment. Students benefit from this because they are interested and engaged. I also think this helps student learning because they get excited to share the podcast with their family. My school website gets a lot more hits the day after I upload a podcast that the kids have created!This helps to bridge the home/school gap and keeps parents updated on what we are learning!
I was just reading Amanda's post before and we have done a "Mystery" podcast before. We actually completed this after a unit on 6 trait writing (specifically adding details and using voice) and during an Oviparous unit. Students choose an oviparous animal and described it on a podcast and paused before giving the answer. It gave the students time to guess at school but also gave the parents time to guess at home when they listened!
I also have a million ideas running through my mind for using podcasting/vodcasting in the classroom.... there's just not enough time! For now, I think I will focus on our current science unit, biomes of the world. I have just started introducing my students to the biomes and am finding it difficult to find media (video or podcasts) on the subject that are relevant, engaging, informative, and age-appropriate. I would like to introduce the students to these biomes and then have them work in pairs to research and create podcasts that meet the above criteria. The students will benefit from this activity because they have to synthesize the information into a logical, clear, cohesive piece. I would be able to tie into their writing skills, as they must decide what their main points are and the details that would support these points. The podcasts could be listened to by their peers as a review or just for their information. As for myself, I hope to create a podcast with an overview of all the biomes we have discussed.
Another idea I'm hoping to have time at the end of the year to complete goes along with social studies. During the second semester, I am approached by the 6th grade teachers for resources to help them review for the Social Studies Assessment. This assessment covers a lot of information from 5th grade social studies standards, and podcasts would be a way for students to quickly review content, which would hopefully trigger their knowledge of the subject. I've introduced this to a small group of non-band students and have asked that they focus on our most recent unit, government. They are excited about it and I hope to create an example or two to use with them as they create their own. Some of the units I would like students to focus on are: early exploration, European settlement of North America, Colonial Period, 13 Colonies, Forming a New Nation, and Economics. These podcasts would be used by the same group of students a year from now, which would also make it more real and they might say "Hey, that's me! I guess I did learn about that!"
This is now the fourth week of the class and I am candidly still having a little difficulty wrapping my mind around how podcasts/vodcasts are significantly different from posting a video on my YouTube® channel. It is my hope that my opening statement will in no way compromise my grade in the course. Rather, I desire to spark a dialogue that will help me clarify in my mind the mission I am accepting by applying this course, and the tools I am learning, in my own classroom. So, I have reviewed the articles that have been provided in our course moodle and I just read the blog posts from Sarah, Crystal and Amanda. I love the creative ideas which they express. The idea of the mystery reader triggered my memory. It is a true fact that I am old enough to remember the radio broadcast series of Paul Harvey entitled “The Rest of the Story.” He would open the show with a tickler about a somewhat well know fact about a noteworthy figure or event in history. He proceeded to elaborate about the less well known facts surrounding the particular story. After delivering his captivating, well woven story he ended every installment with the same line, “And now you know…(dramatic pause)… the REST of the story!”
I have been thinking for some time how I might dress up a couple of assignments which I use routinely in my classes. First, in my AP Chemistry classes, I have each student choose a separate career to research. They are to find information about job description, salary, education and training required, etc. Then make a poster including all the required information. Next year, I think I will have each student record a podcast, or vodcast if they choose, to express the information about the career they have selected. This will add 21st century characteristics to use technology (leaving behind the archaic poster building). It will also offer them choice in how to deliver their content, either audio or video. The podcasts will serve as an avenue for the students to develop public speaking skills, as well, since they will be posted for a wider audience. Ultimately, it will make them easier to grade because I will not have the bulky posters to move around and try to find a way to hang them all so none of the students feel slighted. Another idea I have for my Physics classes is based on a video I found on YouTube®, click this link-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c00ohimae8 --if you would like to view it. This video is not particularly school appropriate. The challenge to the Physics students would be to develop one that is appropriate so that we could post them for upper elementary and middle school students can watch them and learn in their science classes. Those are my ideas to start with for the students to begin podcasting from my classroom. I would like to move toward using podcasts to supplement my regular curriculum. Each class meeting is a ‘once in a lifetime never to be repeated event’! However, if I podcast some or all of my lectures, this would at least make the basic information available to students who were absent and would also provide a source for all students to review the highlights of what they will need to know for exams. Now, I just need to actually learn how to do it!
As I was reading through the various articles regarding Podcasting, my first thought is to have the students involved as much as possible. Each week in my classroom, we do a class meeting in which we talk about a variety of topics. Some weeks, we talk about test scores, goals, and strengths in our classroom. The next week, we might discuss problems that we are having in the classroom. This dialogue is essential to establish a collaborative classroom culture.
One of the things that I neglect to do is keep track of our meetings throughout the year. I think Podcasting is the perfect way to track our conversations. I would like my students to record a summary of the class meeting and turn that into a script that we can air each week. Obviously, this recorder will change from week to week so everyone is involved.
In order to tie this into curriculum even further, we could talk about the different curriculum objectives that we are discussing in class during the week. My students are very familiar with our objectives because they are written on the board each day. Since this would be a lengthy podcast, I could even break down the podcast script into several segments.
By actively involving students in the process, they will be engaged and it will allow me to assess our progress throughout the school year.
Because I am no longer in the classroom, I am taking the approach of looking at my school in general. During this time of year, we start to transition elementary students to our building and our 6th grade students to the middle school. This, of course, can be a scary time for students (and for parents). Having students create a podcast discussing how they felt when they transitioned to our building may ease some fears. Students can discuss their own experiences, give advice, and answer common questions about our building. Students sometimes learn best from their peers. Therefore, hearing this information from students may help.
Another building-wide issue is that of bullying and getting along with peers. In conjunction with the counseling program, students can have biweekly podcasts about current friendship topics. Students can share their own experiences and strategies they have used to overcome conflict. At times, students feel as if situations only occur to them. Hearing how others have experienced situations may help alleviate concerns. Overall, these podcasts can have a large positive impact on the culture of the school.
There are so many options when it comes to integrating podcasting into your classroom. I am considering using podcasting during our guided and individual journal time in Kindergarten. I beleive it is important for the children say it, hear it, and see it! As a whole class we will begin each journal time period with doing a shared journal with the children choosing a picture card out of the basket to write about. They will come up with a sentence, say the sentence out loud to the class while they are being recorded, play their recording back so they can hear themself, count how many words are in their sentence, and then finally write their sentence on the board for everyone to see. If they forget what their sentence was all they have to do is listen to their podcast to figure out what word they might be leaving out. After the student of the day has modeled the journal of the day each student in the class will use their own iPod to record their sentence or paragraph for their daily journal. This will engage all learners and keep them focused on their writing and make it more interesting for them. They will also be able to use our 3 rules of journal writing by saying it, hearing it, and seeing it!
A couple of different thoughts come to my mind when thinking about creating podcasts. I work with small groups of students to increase their reading fluency and comprehension. We take students to the library often to choose books that are at their reading level. I would like for my students to create a podcast as a book review after each book that they read and they can recommend or not recommend the book to their classmates. This will give students a better opportunity to decide if they might like the book and is a great way for me to be sure that the student read the book as they provide a summary. It would end up being like a book report. We could have parents listen to their child's book review podcasts at parent teacher conferences.
Another thought that I had is regarding writing. I'm team teaching right now with a 6th grade teacher and we are teaching students how to create a good persuasive composition with reasons/ideas/details that support their opinion using strong emotional language. At the end of the writing assignment, students could use their composition as their script and publish it as a podcast. This would give them the opportunity to express the emotional language that was used through their vocal expressions. Students could listen to their peer's podcasts and even score each other using a rubric to make sure that the persuasive text worked in causing them to want to support the cause/position presented. I think it would make writing the composition much easier if students knew that they were creating a podcast in the end. The end result of the podcast would take the emphasis off of the writing. Most of the students in this class do not enjoy writing, but I doubt that they would be as hesitant if they knew that they were writing in order to create a podcast. It would also be great as they are focusing on their audience in their writing. They will be writing more effectively for their audience of their peers.
As I brainstorm on effective ways to use podcasting in my classes, some ideas that I came up with are assigning students to create podcasts to conclude specific units in class. I teach business classes and some of the topics include consumerism, career exploration and obtaining a job, and starting a job. Typically students create some type of project to sum up what they have learned from the unit. Instead of having students create a brochure or PowerPoint presentation, I could have students create podcasts in which they are giving “expert “advice and tips on the assigned topic. Some of these topics would include creating a podcast to teach other teenagers how to be responsible consumers in regards to spending and use of credit cards. Another topic for a podcast or vodcast is for students to give “expert” advice on how to obtain a job and how to interview for a job. The podcast or vodcast could also include role play scenarios in which students can act out a script on good and bad examples of interviewing for a job in person or over the phone. Each student could be assigned a specific topic from a unit and create a 3-4 minute podcast displaying their expertise on the subject matter.
I feel that students will be engaged because this is a new tool for them to use to display their knowledge. I feel that students will want to produce something of quality, because they know that other people will have access to their work outside of the classroom.
There are several ways I would like to implement podcasting in my classroom. My first way, I would like my students to present their creative writing assignments in the form of a podcast. My student have used the ipad to create a keynote story presentation, and now I would like to have them read as a podcast. I also would like them to do readers theater productions as both a podcast and vodcast. These podcast will help the students with their fluency reading skills. I also think the students will become more enthusiastic when preparing and presenting these productions. I have talked with them about the idea of making podcast and they are very excited. I think some are much more advanced because they have already made you-tube videos, which are very similar. I think as I get more comfortable with the making of podcasts my students I will think of more creative activities to implement.
Another idea is to have a few of my students make a vodcast for the our school. The point of this vodcast would be to share how are school runs. This would be put on to our school website, so that prospective students could view and see what opportunities are available at our school. These would consist of presenting the rules, and activities associated with the school.
I am always trying to find creative ways for students to demonstrate analytical skills in my English class. I have them produce some artifact or project at the end of each unit to show they have truly "gotten it." I think having an introduction to podcasting attached to my initial unit in each semester and then making podcasting an option for each of those end of unit artifacts would encourage students to do this and do it right. I could require one at the beginning so that I know they can all use the technology in a creative and appropriate way, then it becomes an option any time they need to demonstrate their knowledge, comprehension and analytical skills.
Because the use of technology in my classroom is standard operating procedure on a daily basis, I believe the integration of podcasting can move very smoothly into my current curriculum. In video editing there are a number of issues to consider in two major areas. There is the technical proficiency to utilizing the software. That consists of being familiar with the interface and the range of tools that are provided. The other major area is the story telling techniques. The essential question for that is what kinds of cutting patterns and timing issues will result in eliciting a specific response from the audience.
I plan to have the students create podcasts covering specific topics in the earlier mentioned two areas. There should be a number of benefits to the students. The creation of a podcast will provide the students with yet another opportunity to write a script that is factual and thoughtful for the intended audience. As always the student will be working on a time deadline which engages them to be proficient in their time management skills. The creation of the podcast will sharpen their knowledge as they prepare to pass this knowledge on to other classmates. It also allows me to check the student producers’ understanding of specific material. As for the receiving students, the podcasts will continue to engage the learners and give variety to the presentation of class material in these two areas.
The plan for the podcasts is to begin building a content library of student produced knowledge. Because the information is student produced, the students can take pride and ownership in something that will benefit them in the present time but also the students that will follow in the future. The podcasts can also be utilized as a tool to assist students who either struggle with or have been absent for certain material.
Within my classroom, I like to use portfolios to see student progress throughout the school year. The portfolios serve as a way to organize student works, improve students’ writing skills, foster student reflection, and provide a way for students to connect history to real world situations. I like how the second article suggested using podcasting throughout the school year. If I had students create portfolios through the use of podcasting, they could create portfolio podcasts. This project would still encompass my original goals. However, it would provide for a better way for students to convey information while using technology and it would make it easier for parents to access the information. Many times students spend so much time creating a portfolio and never share it with their parents. Creating a podcast might encourage students to share their portfolios with parents. Podcasting would also be a more engaging way for students to convey information.
Every year, I have my students create wanted posters on 1920s bootleggers (using glogster). It would be fun if students also created a podcast acting as news reporters informing the American public about the gangster on the streets. They could write and record a public service announcement illustrating the need to find and capture the person. Another way I could incorporate podcasting is by having students act as a news reporter at the Scopes Trial (John T. Scopes the teacher who taught evolution in a Tennessee classroom). For government, I would like students to use podcasting to present their findings on political parties and politicians. We could have a mini presidential debate using a podcast as well.
For my own use, I would like to use podcasting when I am absent. Many times, substitute teachers do not convey the intended information. This could also be a great tool when I am on maternity leave (someday ). I could still communicate with my students.
Post a Comment