Just what is a podcast? Kristen Fontichiaro, in her article "Podcasting 101" in the School Library Journal, defines a podcast as "an audio file recorded on a computer and later shared with others." Sounds simple, right? Well, it is. Thanks to the myriad types of recording equipment and programs out there, you can become an overnight podcast sensation. Sites like Gabcast.com and Ourmedia.org will post your podcast for free. Audacity is an amazing audio recording tool, and, it is free. CreativeCommons.org provides music to be utilized without the usual hassle of purchasing through iTunes or worrying about the implications of pirating, and, once again, free.
But why education? And how might podcasting prove to be a useful and engaging educational tool? Well, here is an example from my personal experience. When I taught second grade I spent a fortune on books with cassettes for my classroom library. I found that having audio to accompany the book introduced my students to reading with expression, increased good reader's fluency, and provided support for my struggling readers. Fast forward fifteen or so years and consider the ease with which I could make that happen for every book. And currently, my students struggle with Shakespeare. Who wouldn't if they had never heard it spoken? Podcasting provides the means for me to share Shakespeare with them. But don't take my word for it. Listen to what I found during a brief survey of websites promoting podcasting as an educational tool.
Podcasting can:
- increase oral fluency
- encourage students to write with a specific audience in mind
- help develop a writer's voice
- allow for distance learning
- facilitate self-paced learning
- provide a vehicle for re-mediation of slower learners
- allow faculty to offer advanced and or highly motivated learners extra content
- help students with reading and/or other disabilities
- promote multi-lingual education
- provide the ability for educators to feature guest speakers from remote locations
- allow guest speakers the ability to present once to many sections and classes
- allow educators to escape the tedium of lecturing
- offer a richer learning environment
- and, most importantly, increase confidence
I teach English and drama in a ninth grade academy, and I can readily see my students becoming accomplished podcasters. Their technological skills far surpass my own. Several times already this semester they have saved my bacon on assignments. I am imagining podcast interviews with Romeo and Juliet post mortem, drama students critiquing their own recordings for vocal qualities, and students preparing podcasts for classmates with the results of their research.
I informally interviewed my tech savvy, podcast-loving son the other night and he made a couple of good points concerning podcasts. First, the podcasts created for students need to be good quality and present material in an interesting fashion. It is not enough to think that kids will buy into podcasts just because they represent a new technology. They might listen once on the basis of a podcasts novelty, but they will not come back if the podcasts are not good and interesting. Secondly, students who are creating podcasts for their peers need to be taught the value of source verification. One of the drawbacks of our ability to access information instantly is that not everything at the tip of our fingers is true or accurate. He sees enormous potential in student to student podcasting and quoted me that old adage about the best way to learn something is to teach it to others.
Being a novice myself, I am not going to attempt to teach you how to begin podcasting. However, in my research I located a couple really good sites with step by step instructions. Here they are:
I hope you are as excited by the promise of podcasting as an educational tool as I am. Happy Podcasting!
