I think it's really fascinating to think about avatars as a rhetorical text. I have tended to think of games like "Second Life" as black-holes for wasting fantastic amounts of time (which I still think is true), but I think the point that is made about the intentionality of the avatars is interesting from a literary perspective. I'm not sure I think it's completely valid, but I do think it's interesting.
Podcasts could be a creative way to integrate the core curriculum areas in school. This would require teachers from different disciplines to discuss their curriculum for the year and find ways to mesh the material, so that students can then see how various disciplines, like English, History, and Science, inter-relate. Tony Vincent said the Willowdale podcasts improved significantly as the material evolved from a hodge-podge of segments to a cohesive topic, like "Space". Imagine what connections could be made for students who now see that Math, Science, and Language are not separate silos!
If we were to have our students make a podcast and put it on the web like these 4th graders, can we just do that? Or is there a bundleload of paperwork their parents would have to sign before we could do anything?
I think what they've done is pretty cool, and they've learned a lot of good skills to be able to make one of these things. I just wonder if repetitive use of the podcast would prevent you from keeping up with any schedule you're supposed to keep as a teacher.
One of the other podcasts I listened to talked about using technology not just for an end product (a Power Point presentation, a typed paper, etc) but as part of the learning process itself. I think this is something we've tried to get at in this class, and from what we've seen of podcasts, I think they can be used in this way. The Willow Web podcasts have students researching and writing to teach other kids, which definitely integrates technology with the learning process. I think that's definitely the best way to utilize podcasts in the classroom.
Podcasting is a project that reinforces delegation, collaboration, and familiarity with technology. It also requires students to think about a distant audience and create an engaging presentation for them. Something is to be said for all the excitement the kids have about completing and publishing their podcasts. I’m sure some students even prefer podcasting to other projects available like PowerPoint’s or research papers because of the interaction with the material it encourages. In writing a script – I feel like the word choice and explanation is very important – without any visual aid or ability to interact with your audience, your explanation must be flawless, and perhaps even superficial. But it makes students write in a different manner than for essays, and is ultimately good practice for them. That being said, I still think podcasting could be a disproportionate burden on the teacher, especially when working with younger students. I think it would best be used in larger, interdisciplinary units to be the most time effective.
The side of podcasting that I think is the most beneficial is the fact that parents and administration can see what's going on inside the classroom. The teacher would be able to show progress and the children would be able to take pride in their work. Like Tony said, the children paid attention better when they knew they were responsible for teaching and writing scripts.
It would be a good way to allow the students some creativity, while still constricting them enough to focus on a specific topic. It's a way of opening the classroom to the public, but still keeping them in the private realm-- behind the computer screen.
It seems like most of the podcasts provided are created by elementary or middle school students. The teachers and other faculty involved tend to talk about how exciting it is for the kids to hear themselves or see their podcast come up with famous musicians or how they listen over and over to their school's podcasts. Would podcasting have the same effect in a high school classroom? I realize that students generally like to use technology and do projects because it is cooler and more entertaining than reading a book or listenting to a lecture but I wonder how much excitement would be generated with older students. Overall, I think that podcats are an innovative way to research, enforce and review course material and that the global reach of technology is fascinating. I also really like how podcasting improves writing skills and speaking skills while also requiring planning, time management and organization, but I still don't know if podcasts would be as successful with older students who are less impressed with hearing themselves on a CD or the internet.
"The whole process of doing the preproduction where they're taking notes and doing their research and putting it together into scripts and then recording it- they're interacting with the content, of course, remembering it later on..."
Episode 7 details the use of podcasting in K-12 classrooms and their educational value. Making and distributing the podcasts is relatively cheap, and to use podcasts in a foreign language classroom would be incredibly value. To record your students over time and track their progress, as well as to have them pay attention to grammar and pronunciation, build listening comprehension, and use their podcast to interact with a wider global audience is invaluable. RadioWillowWeb is a great example of the use of podcasts in an education.
My initial reaction to the "Radio Willow Web" podcast was that it was such a unique and creative opportunity for these elementary students. This one project really packs such a punch: it makes content interesting, and it allows students to practice their reading, writing, and collaboration skills. Also, an activity like a podcast really assumes the task of making education more modern and competitively-minded, both of which I think are necessary in today's society.
Still, I can't help but note that most of these podcast examples are done by young students, either elementary or (possibly) early middle school. Sure, the students are excited and engaged, but how well would this play out in a classroom of high school students? Would it really be well-received, and would it be as feasible in higher-level classrooms where time is already of the absolute essence? Just some food for thought.
I think that podcasts are a great idea, but I also wonder about their effectiveness in a high school classroom. In my high school, we had morning television broadcasts created by students, so I think that students at a high school like that would be less impressed to just have audio recordings. However, I like that the podcasts reinforce concepts by forcing students to think about and create meaningful scripts. I agree with Margaret's point about using podcasts in the foreign language classroom. Having students report on a subject matter is such an easy way to monitor students' speaking skills without making them feel uncomfortable.
I think podcasts are really cool, but I'm not sure that I see their educational value. I think that having kids make a podcast takes away valuable classroom time that could be used in other ways. I think for something like a foreign language, where pronunciation and accent are important, it could be valuable as a tool to track progress. Otherwise, though, I don't see how it is really all that relevant to a high school classroom. I think that podcasts are more applicable to a business man who wants to listen to the morning news on the way to work than to a high school student.
The Willow Web podcast idea is brilliant but could also become a bit redundant or unnecessary. It is brilliant in that studies have shown that children retain more information when it is said by a peer than when it is said by a teacher or other adult. These Willow Web podcasts are researched and written by the students with the intention of teaching other students. It is integrating technology, encouraging creativity, and creating a fantastic learning environment. On the flip side, it could become a bit redundant by going through the same motions day after day in class. Doing it so often might make it dull and children might lose interest in creating them.
While these podcasts were at times entertaining and educational (except that one kid who kept saying AAAAAgriculture), I do not think that they were a very good use of time. The concept of having students teach others through podcasts is a great idea, but I cannot imagine ever using another classes' podcast in my own classroom. Also, I feel students could be doing more productive things with their homework time than listening to each others' podcasts. For foreign language I believe they can be very useful, but as far as the Willow project, i believe it to be a bit excessive. The time spent creating these podcasts could be more efficiently spent.
I like the idea of having elementary students getting skilled and involved with technology at such a young age, and their enthusiasm for podcasting is very evident. However, I definitely agree that it can become unnecessary or repetitive. I think that teaching can be just as effective without excessive technology, and some students may become so focused on the fact that they're making a podcast that they forget about what they're actually supposed to be learning from the process.
I also don't really think that making these podcasts have much of a point. What do they do with the recording once its done? I think I'd rather have my classroom learn from each other, rather than from an outside class which may have different ideas, content, and classroom goals. I agree with others who have posted that there are better, more holistic ways to do homework than simply listening to a podcast made in the class. Students should have different kinds of homework and activities to do, instead of only making and recording podcasts.
I think podcasts are definitely interesting, but, honestly, they start to bore me after awhile. Especially while listening on the computer, I get easily distracted and start doing other things and completely tune out the podcast. I realized about halfway through episode 7 that I was not paying attention at all, and I had to restart it. I think under the right circumstances they could be useful in the classroom, but overall I just feel like they would probably be more trouble than their worth and that students could use different technologies more efficiently to integrate academic material. Unless it really fits with the lesson, I do not think teachers should try to force this technology into their classroom because I feel like soon enough it will be outdated.
Podcasts are an efficient way to distribute and receive information. I think depending on the audience and content, they may be received enthusiastically. For high school children, it would be important for the podcasts to present content specific info in a quick-paced way.
The podcast from Indiana University was good in that it had clips from the children's podcasts and it covered how podcasting was viewed by students, teachers, administrators, and parents in this Nebraska community. One bad thing about the podcast was that it seemed a tad long. Overall, it presented good information.
It's really impressive that younger students make podcasts. Thinking about the amount of work that my group put into making a single podcast, I really respect any teacher that is able to get a 4th grade class to work together to make one of their own. However, I really don't think I'll ever do podcasts in my classroom. I feel like high school students gain much more by classroom seminars and close readings (within an English class) as opposed to making podcasts. It is true that podcasts require a lot of pre-writing and planning; however, the same amount of pre-writing goes into working on an essay. I don't think students would like making podcasts because essentially it's just another assignment they have to complete. I could possibly assign a project that has multiple options, with one of them being to make a podcast, so that students that are technologically-savvy could still have the opportunity to show me their tech skills. However, I don't think I'll ever assign a podcast to the entire class.
I think it's really fascinating to think about avatars as a rhetorical text. I have tended to think of games like "Second Life" as black-holes for wasting fantastic amounts of time (which I still think is true), but I think the point that is made about the intentionality of the avatars is interesting from a literary perspective. I'm not sure I think it's completely valid, but I do think it's interesting.
ReplyDeletePodcasts could be a creative way to integrate the core curriculum areas in school. This would require teachers from different disciplines to discuss their curriculum for the year and find ways to mesh the material, so that students can then see how various disciplines, like English, History, and Science, inter-relate. Tony Vincent said the Willowdale podcasts improved significantly as the material evolved from a hodge-podge of segments to a cohesive topic, like "Space". Imagine what connections could be made for students who now see that Math, Science, and Language are not separate silos!
ReplyDeleteIf we were to have our students make a podcast and put it on the web like these 4th graders, can we just do that? Or is there a bundleload of paperwork their parents would have to sign before we could do anything?
ReplyDeleteI think what they've done is pretty cool, and they've learned a lot of good skills to be able to make one of these things. I just wonder if repetitive use of the podcast would prevent you from keeping up with any schedule you're supposed to keep as a teacher.
One of the other podcasts I listened to talked about using technology not just for an end product (a Power Point presentation, a typed paper, etc) but as part of the learning process itself. I think this is something we've tried to get at in this class, and from what we've seen of podcasts, I think they can be used in this way. The Willow Web podcasts have students researching and writing to teach other kids, which definitely integrates technology with the learning process. I think that's definitely the best way to utilize podcasts in the classroom.
ReplyDeletePodcasting is a project that reinforces delegation, collaboration, and familiarity with technology. It also requires students to think about a distant audience and create an engaging presentation for them. Something is to be said for all the excitement the kids have about completing and publishing their podcasts. I’m sure some students even prefer podcasting to other projects available like PowerPoint’s or research papers because of the interaction with the material it encourages. In writing a script – I feel like the word choice and explanation is very important – without any visual aid or ability to interact with your audience, your explanation must be flawless, and perhaps even superficial. But it makes students write in a different manner than for essays, and is ultimately good practice for them. That being said, I still think podcasting could be a disproportionate burden on the teacher, especially when working with younger students. I think it would best be used in larger, interdisciplinary units to be the most time effective.
ReplyDeleteThe side of podcasting that I think is the most beneficial is the fact that parents and administration can see what's going on inside the classroom. The teacher would be able to show progress and the children would be able to take pride in their work. Like Tony said, the children paid attention better when they knew they were responsible for teaching and writing scripts.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a good way to allow the students some creativity, while still constricting them enough to focus on a specific topic. It's a way of opening the classroom to the public, but still keeping them in the private realm-- behind the computer screen.
It seems like most of the podcasts provided are created by elementary or middle school students. The teachers and other faculty involved tend to talk about how exciting it is for the kids to hear themselves or see their podcast come up with famous musicians or how they listen over and over to their school's podcasts. Would podcasting have the same effect in a high school classroom? I realize that students generally like to use technology and do projects because it is cooler and more entertaining than reading a book or listenting to a lecture but I wonder how much excitement would be generated with older students. Overall, I think that podcats are an innovative way to research, enforce and review course material and that the global reach of technology is fascinating. I also really like how podcasting improves writing skills and speaking skills while also requiring planning, time management and organization, but I still don't know if podcasts would be as successful with older students who are less impressed with hearing themselves on a CD or the internet.
ReplyDelete"The whole process of doing the preproduction
ReplyDeletewhere they're taking notes and doing their research and putting it together into scripts and then recording it- they're interacting with the content, of course, remembering it later on..."
Episode 7 details the use of podcasting in K-12 classrooms and their educational value. Making and distributing the podcasts is relatively cheap, and to use podcasts in a foreign language classroom would be incredibly value. To record your students over time and track their progress, as well as to have them pay attention to grammar and pronunciation, build listening comprehension, and use their podcast to interact with a wider global audience is invaluable. RadioWillowWeb is a great example of the use of podcasts in an education.
My initial reaction to the "Radio Willow Web" podcast was that it was such a unique and creative opportunity for these elementary students. This one project really packs such a punch: it makes content interesting, and it allows students to practice their reading, writing, and collaboration skills. Also, an activity like a podcast really assumes the task of making education more modern and competitively-minded, both of which I think are necessary in today's society.
ReplyDeleteStill, I can't help but note that most of these podcast examples are done by young students, either elementary or (possibly) early middle school. Sure, the students are excited and engaged, but how well would this play out in a classroom of high school students? Would it really be well-received, and would it be as feasible in higher-level classrooms where time is already of the absolute essence? Just some food for thought.
I think that podcasts are a great idea, but I also wonder about their effectiveness in a high school classroom. In my high school, we had morning television broadcasts created by students, so I think that students at a high school like that would be less impressed to just have audio recordings. However, I like that the podcasts reinforce concepts by forcing students to think about and create meaningful scripts. I agree with Margaret's point about using podcasts in the foreign language classroom. Having students report on a subject matter is such an easy way to monitor students' speaking skills without making them feel uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteI think podcasts are really cool, but I'm not sure that I see their educational value. I think that having kids make a podcast takes away valuable classroom time that could be used in other ways. I think for something like a foreign language, where pronunciation and accent are important, it could be valuable as a tool to track progress. Otherwise, though, I don't see how it is really all that relevant to a high school classroom. I think that podcasts are more applicable to a business man who wants to listen to the morning news on the way to work than to a high school student.
ReplyDeleteThe Willow Web podcast idea is brilliant but could also become a bit redundant or unnecessary. It is brilliant in that studies have shown that children retain more information when it is said by a peer than when it is said by a teacher or other adult. These Willow Web podcasts are researched and written by the students with the intention of teaching other students. It is integrating technology, encouraging creativity, and creating a fantastic learning environment.
ReplyDeleteOn the flip side, it could become a bit redundant by going through the same motions day after day in class. Doing it so often might make it dull and children might lose interest in creating them.
While these podcasts were at times entertaining and educational (except that one kid who kept saying AAAAAgriculture), I do not think that they were a very good use of time. The concept of having students teach others through podcasts is a great idea, but I cannot imagine ever using another classes' podcast in my own classroom. Also, I feel students could be doing more productive things with their homework time than listening to each others' podcasts. For foreign language I believe they can be very useful, but as far as the Willow project, i believe it to be a bit excessive. The time spent creating these podcasts could be more efficiently spent.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of having elementary students getting skilled and involved with technology at such a young age, and their enthusiasm for podcasting is very evident. However, I definitely agree that it can become unnecessary or repetitive. I think that teaching can be just as effective without excessive technology, and some students may become so focused on the fact that they're making a podcast that they forget about what they're actually supposed to be learning from the process.
ReplyDeleteI also don't really think that making these podcasts have much of a point. What do they do with the recording once its done? I think I'd rather have my classroom learn from each other, rather than from an outside class which may have different ideas, content, and classroom goals. I agree with others who have posted that there are better, more holistic ways to do homework than simply listening to a podcast made in the class. Students should have different kinds of homework and activities to do, instead of only making and recording podcasts.
I think podcasts are definitely interesting, but, honestly, they start to bore me after awhile. Especially while listening on the computer, I get easily distracted and start doing other things and completely tune out the podcast. I realized about halfway through episode 7 that I was not paying attention at all, and I had to restart it. I think under the right circumstances they could be useful in the classroom, but overall I just feel like they would probably be more trouble than their worth and that students could use different technologies more efficiently to integrate academic material. Unless it really fits with the lesson, I do not think teachers should try to force this technology into their classroom because I feel like soon enough it will be outdated.
ReplyDeletePodcasts are an efficient way to distribute and receive information. I think depending on the audience and content, they may be received enthusiastically. For high school children, it would be important for the podcasts to present content specific info in a quick-paced way.
ReplyDeleteThe podcast from Indiana University was good in that it had clips from the children's podcasts and it covered how podcasting was viewed by students, teachers, administrators, and parents in this Nebraska community. One bad thing about the podcast was that it seemed a tad long. Overall, it presented good information.
It's really impressive that younger students make podcasts. Thinking about the amount of work that my group put into making a single podcast, I really respect any teacher that is able to get a 4th grade class to work together to make one of their own. However, I really don't think I'll ever do podcasts in my classroom. I feel like high school students gain much more by classroom seminars and close readings (within an English class) as opposed to making podcasts. It is true that podcasts require a lot of pre-writing and planning; however, the same amount of pre-writing goes into working on an essay. I don't think students would like making podcasts because essentially it's just another assignment they have to complete. I could possibly assign a project that has multiple options, with one of them being to make a podcast, so that students that are technologically-savvy could still have the opportunity to show me their tech skills. However, I don't think I'll ever assign a podcast to the entire class.
ReplyDelete