BP7_2009102_podcast

Podcasts, well true podcasts, are visual or audio periodicals. They are updated regularly and have a common theme. They are fairly easy to make and simple to use, students can easily subscribe to the class podcasts and get them loaded onto their iPods so they can listen whenever!

Podcasts I love and have two ideas for potential implementation. Idea one, have a weekly update podcast of will happen in class, what the standards are that we will cover, and pics of all of the lab sheets and such that will be used. This would also, act as a visual lesson plan so students know what to expect and parents are kept in the know.

The other idea is to have students at the end of each unit or topic, make a cliff notes version of the lesson. This would be the visual addition to the class wiki resource page. The students who proved they “got it” would create the new podcast. This could be a way for each student to earn extra credit. It could also be an assignment that must be completed once a year or once a quarter, depending on the success of them. Students could work in pairs or on their own. They would need to come up with some pictures to add to it to help the visual learners as well.

The benefits for podcasts; they are easy to add, great for audio/visual learners, and can be a succinct way to present information for review or introduction. Teachers can send parents to the podcasts as refreshers so they can help their children, and to aid anyone who was out, or just need a different way to get the information they need. This helps students with communication skills since they will need to be precise and coherent for the podcast. Students also love any excuse to “legally” use their iPods.