Findings from Assignment two

I really enjoyed looking into podcasting and wished I could have spent more time looking at actual podcasting websites rather than all the readings (although I thoroughly enjoyed reading them)
I thought I would make a summary of my findings of the benefits and challenges of using podcasting in the classroom.

Benefits:
- Increased motivation and engagement (Burt, 2008; Grant, 2007; Riddle, 2010)
- As an innovative and useful editing tool
This was my favourite discovery with podcasting and I formed the basis of my report on it. Students are notorious for poor editing but by recording their stories as podcasts and listening back to them, they can pick up on changes they need to make for better writing (Davis & McGrail, 2009).
- Improving speech and clarity
As a drama teacher this is a big point for me. Reading out work and being recorded make students more aware of the need to speak clearly and articulately. But more than this, I found it so interesting that the literature showed a strong link between children who could speak well and children who could write well (Nicolls, 2008). Furthermore, the children who could speak well were more likely to have success and plentiful opportunities later on in life (Nicolls, 2008). This shows that podcasting can prove as much much more than just using technology in the classroom.
-Podcasting is also a great way to provide students with an authentic, worldwide audience! What a great motivation for students, to know that family and friends can access their work from anywhere in the world! And what a creative and authentic way to teach children about how to cater to their audience (Nicolls, 2008).

Challenges:
- Time consumption. Recording and editing take a long time (Burt, 2008; Davis & McGrail, 2009; Nicolls, 2008). And when there are 30 children in the class it just multiplies and multiplies!
- Training and professional development could be an issue, and naturally some people tend to pick things up faster than others, but for the teachers who do take a long time, they could become discouraged and give up.
- Software. Getting used to some of the software will vary in difficulty based on which programs you use and your own confidence and proficiency with using computers. Some programs are not especially easy to use which may make them hard for kids to navigate.
- Noise problems. Loud classrooms and recordings do not mix! A system will need to be created either with a quiet room or space the students can record in, or a class noise system that brings the classroom noise down to a whisper while students are recording.

Those are the main points I covered in my assignment. Once again, I found the assignment readings great, in particular the six readings that I mentioned in this post.

I would absolutely love to try this out in a classroom and use it for editing. Although there are challenges, I think the benefits to the students way outweigh them.

I am so thrilled that I chose to do this e-learning course. I have learnt so much, and much much more than simply using computers and other technology in the classroom, but I have now learnt about how it can benefit learning so significantly!
Is has been eye opening.

I know it sounds silly but at times I have wondered if teaching would just disappear in the future and that teachers would be replaced with technology, but now I see that the future of teaching is all about effective teachers using technology effectively.

E-Learning is so exciting!

Burt, D. (2008). The lure of Podcasting. Computers in New Zealand Schools, 20(1), 19-25.

Davis, A., & McGrail, E. (2009). ‘Proof-Revising’ with podcasting: Keeping readers in mind as students listen to and rethink their writing. The Reading Teacher, 62(6), 522-529.

Grant, L. (2007). Podcasting in learning. Curriculum Matters, 6(4), 9-12.

Nicolls, J. (2008). Podcasting and oral language. Computers in New Zealand Schools, 20(1), 11-18.

Riddle, J. (2010). Podcasting in the classroom: a sound success. Multimedia & Internet@Schools, pp. 23-26.