Monday, June 11, 2012

Blog Post #4

Boy giving a thumbs up sitting by a computer.

I have to say that learning how to podcast and the values of teaching using podcast has been the most interesting so far in EDM 310! There are so many options of ways to incorporate this technology into a curriculum. The blog Langwitches by Silvia Tolisano is an inspiring tool to use as an educator. She has several ideas for using technology in the classroom. I read two of her blogs that were centered around a first grade class. Her post 1st Graders Create Own Read Along Book was an eye opening experience to what younger children can learn by using technology. Ms. Tolisano taught three students from a first grade class how to edit and make a podcast. They practiced playing the parts of characters in Vacation Under the Volcano. After rehearsing and perfecting their work they let the class follow along to listen and learn what happens in the book. The response from the class was amazing. The students loved listening and learning from this podcast! Ms. Tolisano taught the students reading, listening, and following along skills. Yes, a student may be able to get the skills from just sitting in a chair and listening to the teacher or other peers reading; however the podcast by their own peers made this story come alive!

Ms. Tolisano also produced a blog post titled Podcasting with First Graders. This time she used everyone in the first grade classroom to create the story Vacation Under the Volcano. As they finished reading one chapter at a time the students would begin throwing out questions they wanted answered. Using these questions is how they made the story come to life. She also mentioned that she took time to explain to the students to use expression in their voices as they recorded. Listening to the finished product was empowering. Ms. Tolisano and the first grade students did an outstanding job!

After watching the two videos by Ms. Tolisano I wanted to learn more about creating a podcast. I began to watch the astonishing podcast Benefits of Podcasting in the Classroom by Mr. Joe Dale. He did a remarkable job on delivering a clear understanding to the benefits of podcasting in the classroom. Podcasting brings interaction with students outside traditional classroom settings and also provides student centered projects. The projects provide endless opportunities for the students and brings out their creativity and higher order thinking skills. If a student is out sick they can easily access their assignments and study guides from the class blog through a podcast. This means that students will not fall behind even if they are absent from school. Mr. Dale was preparing to teach a reading lesson to his students but wanted the story to come alive. So Mr. Dale and a few of the teachers came together and made a podcast by acting out the lines of the story. When the students listened to the podcast it made the story more interesting. Several of the students shared their opinions of podcasting as well. All of their responses were positive. The students described podcasting as exciting, fun, and had the opportunity to act. As soon as I heard the student mention acting it immediately made me think of Sir Ken Robinson saying not all children will be poets or scholars.

Podcasting provides time for others skills like acting to be practiced. It also brought out the shy students personality. Podcasting in the classroom is a breakthrough in learning. As I prepare myself for learning how to use podcasting in my future classroom these videos gave me an abundance of tools needed. A necessity for an effective podcast is practice. Reviewing all the materials and practicing tone and expression is a key factor. I want to make every podcast interesting and exciting for viewers to listen and watch. My main goal will be to make podcasts that are organized, effective, and have useful information.

2 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading your opinions on the information we have learned through watching the videos provided on Podcasts. I feel as though we share the same views on how learning to podcast can enhance and create a different classroom atmosphere, unlike the ones we have been formally introduced to. I too watched Joe Dale's videos and was intrigued by the way he portrayed his thoughts on how podcasting increases the morale for students. I also liked the way that the projects provided endless opportunities for the students and brings out their creativity and higher order thinking skills. I too hope to use podcasts in my classroom and hope that I can provide my future students with the means to learn new and intuitive information, whether it be new knowledge or new knowledge through technology.

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  2. Makenzie,
    Great job! Your enthusiasm for teaching shines through your post. Students seem to love podcasts because they allow them to share their own opinions, to be creative, to display what they have learned in a more interactive way than taking a test. Project based learning is slowly taking over education because it does not kill creativity! And according to Sir Ken Robinson, the dying creativity is what is keeping our schools and students from flourishing.
    Keep up the good work,
    Carly

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