Vocab Lesson: Podcasting
Still one of the best sources for simple, to-the-point explanations of emerging tech concepts, Common Craft has now produced “Podcasting in Plain English.”
Podcasting in Plain English explains, in about 3 minutes, the essential hows and whys of podcasting. The process is pretty easy and really requires only a microphone and some free software in addition to the equipment you probably already have in your room.
(Reading this post via email? Click here or visit TeacherTube to view the video.)
From an educational perspective, what I like best about podcasting is not the actual recording and editing of the final product - that’s just a bonus. The real value of podcasting in the classroom is the research, writing, and revision process that goes into preparing for the production process.
Contrast this with a typical “report” assignment:
- Writing for an authentic, unlimited audience vs. writing for the teacher’s red pen
- Revision for my personal best before my audience vs. a better letter grade on my paper
- Working toward choosing key ideas to keep it to a reasonable length vs. meeting a minimum length
- Focus on a clear, well-paced delivery vs. ?
The production part of the podcasting process is relatively easy and represents the smallest portion of the time invested. The majority of the time commitment goes to solid writing processes. I’ve seen some unexpected students really shine in this type of activity.
Are you or your students podcasting? Post a link to your podcasts in the comments!
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008
