I have heard this site mentioned numerous times, but I never made it there until I was searching for podcasts on Martin Luther King, Jr. (we are studying the Civil Rights Movement). I found a "podcast" of the "I Have a Dream Speech", which was actually just an audio recording in Quicktime that the "podcaster" had found on the aforementioned site, American Rhetoric.
While the site does not contain podcasts, it is such a great resource for the classroom and could potentially be used in conjunction with podcasting under the fair use policy. It has links to over 5000 audio and video versions of famous American speeches, sermons, debates, interviews, and other "rhetoric". The site's owner also has great information regarding Fair Use and the legal implications of this site, and you can email him with questions on permissions.
As this site collects this type of audio, I have also run across a variety of sites that catalog another type of audio: podcasts. Sites such as Podcast.net and PodcastAlley catalog a variety of podcasts, while other sites collect educational podcasts such as the Educational Podcast Network. As I have been watching the Terminator and thinking more deeply about the future of technology, I am wondering where podcasting and other types of rhetoric, such as that from American Rhetoric, will meet.
I have recently read Ender's Game (and am currently reading Speaker for the Dead) and was impressed by how the online musings (similar to blogs and discussion forums) of children posing as adults changed the world. I am wondering if and when podcasts may become as powerful as books, speeches and video in affecting the world around them. While I considered myself just getting involved in podcasts, I can remember myself as an undergraduate listening to online broadcasts from a prisoner. I guess I was listening to podcasts back then, even though I didn't know it, and they had a very powerful effect on me. If powerful and influential individuals began blogging and podcasting, I think that some podcasts could potentially be as powerful and influential as Marting Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech or FDR's response to Pearl Harbor.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
In my search for informative blogs and podcasts on educational technology, I was introduced to Tim Lauer's site, Education/Technology. As a principal for an elementary school in Oregon, he using this site to collect his thoughts on educational techology and provides a rich archive of useful information. While I was seaching for his thoughts and comments on podcasting, I came across the following entry: Tim Wilson's Podcasts...
While the article connected me with what Lauer deemed Wilson's "high quality podcasts", I actually found the content to be very timely and informative in regards to our ongoing discourse on high-stakes, state-wide testing such as the FCAT. While the podcast itself was very good in both content and quality, what really struck me was Lauer's discussion about his experience with the Oregon state test.
You might want to sit down before reading this, Jessica. In Oregon, they have the option to test students on computers using a web-based application rather than a paper and pencil test. Now get ready for the kicker: they can test students up to three times per year, and only the highest score counts. I know, I know. This sounds too progressive and makes way to much sense coming from Florida.
Just think of all the benefits of such a model. First, this eliminates the short testing window and prevents students, teachers, and schools from being judged on one test given on one day. Second, it eliminates the need to test all students at the same time and all the resources this consumes. Third, it gets rid of the difficulties in only testing once per year, such as the controversies on when to test and creating judgments based on one date and time. While I know that many of people don't like the idea of high-stakes, statewide standardized assessments, I think that such a model provides flexibility and addresses many of the concerns with the current testing system.
From my personal experience, I know that the FCAT has creating many problems in our school. One, the school plans all major projects, field trips, and events for AFTER the FCAT in order not to stress teachers and students, but this just leads to post-FCAT craziness in schedules and teaching. While it seems that people should be able to rest easier after the test, most teachers are actually more stressed out since they now have a ton of projects, field trips, and events to organize and administer. Another problem is that the FCAT does not provide immediate feedback, and I think this negatively impacts the students who are eager to find out how they did. After a while, students don't remember the test and have difficulty realizing how they could improve. Immediate feedback could help teachers individualize and target instruction to meet individual students' needs. Lastly, the FCAT now has many implications for my students, such as determining whether they need a double reading block in middle school. For my students that end up there, they will have 2 reading classes and no specials (P.E., art, band, choir, etc.) FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. Currently, they only have one chance to test well enough to avoid this fate, but a more flexible, web-based assessment could allow them multiple chances to improve their score which I believe would increase student engagement and motivation. All in all, I think that this model would greatly improve on our current situation.
I really was impressed by Tim Lauer's thoughts on technology in testing. It seemed like he was directly speaking of Florida when he said, " find it interesting that in some states, rather than see that the technology provides for new opportunities, they try to fit the technology into old models such as a short testing window, testing all students at the same time, and only assessing once a year… "
In our district, the school board is trying to cut funding for technology, asserting that it does not improve test scores and increase student achievement. Of course it doesn't appear that way since we use technology to try and perform well on one paper and pencil test given within a short testing window once a year. Technology does provide for new opportunities, and it needs to come from the top.
While the article connected me with what Lauer deemed Wilson's "high quality podcasts", I actually found the content to be very timely and informative in regards to our ongoing discourse on high-stakes, state-wide testing such as the FCAT. While the podcast itself was very good in both content and quality, what really struck me was Lauer's discussion about his experience with the Oregon state test.
You might want to sit down before reading this, Jessica. In Oregon, they have the option to test students on computers using a web-based application rather than a paper and pencil test. Now get ready for the kicker: they can test students up to three times per year, and only the highest score counts. I know, I know. This sounds too progressive and makes way to much sense coming from Florida.
Just think of all the benefits of such a model. First, this eliminates the short testing window and prevents students, teachers, and schools from being judged on one test given on one day. Second, it eliminates the need to test all students at the same time and all the resources this consumes. Third, it gets rid of the difficulties in only testing once per year, such as the controversies on when to test and creating judgments based on one date and time. While I know that many of people don't like the idea of high-stakes, statewide standardized assessments, I think that such a model provides flexibility and addresses many of the concerns with the current testing system.
From my personal experience, I know that the FCAT has creating many problems in our school. One, the school plans all major projects, field trips, and events for AFTER the FCAT in order not to stress teachers and students, but this just leads to post-FCAT craziness in schedules and teaching. While it seems that people should be able to rest easier after the test, most teachers are actually more stressed out since they now have a ton of projects, field trips, and events to organize and administer. Another problem is that the FCAT does not provide immediate feedback, and I think this negatively impacts the students who are eager to find out how they did. After a while, students don't remember the test and have difficulty realizing how they could improve. Immediate feedback could help teachers individualize and target instruction to meet individual students' needs. Lastly, the FCAT now has many implications for my students, such as determining whether they need a double reading block in middle school. For my students that end up there, they will have 2 reading classes and no specials (P.E., art, band, choir, etc.) FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. Currently, they only have one chance to test well enough to avoid this fate, but a more flexible, web-based assessment could allow them multiple chances to improve their score which I believe would increase student engagement and motivation. All in all, I think that this model would greatly improve on our current situation.
I really was impressed by Tim Lauer's thoughts on technology in testing. It seemed like he was directly speaking of Florida when he said, " find it interesting that in some states, rather than see that the technology provides for new opportunities, they try to fit the technology into old models such as a short testing window, testing all students at the same time, and only assessing once a year… "
In our district, the school board is trying to cut funding for technology, asserting that it does not improve test scores and increase student achievement. Of course it doesn't appear that way since we use technology to try and perform well on one paper and pencil test given within a short testing window once a year. Technology does provide for new opportunities, and it needs to come from the top.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
the rest is silence....
i am finding it quite difficult to express my feelings regarding the recent killings at virginia tech, but i find it necessary to discuss how this event has impacted my understanding of and faith in technology. around 1pm yesterday, i heard about the shootings and visited the university's website, where a podcast from the university's president was the only source of information. as news was relayed, i was astounded at how much of an impact technology has played in connecting people about his tragedy. according to reports, students were not only informed via email but many kept up-to-date on the story through blogs, social networking sites, and text messaging. since the occurence, many podcasts have been broadcast from the university and the police to discuss what has happened. many social networking sites have had memorials created for victims and numerous pages have sprung up on the internet in memory of the victims. in the face of such a horrific event, technology has allowed many people to reach out and connect with a global human family who is overtly reaching out to support and console fellow people in this difficult time.
visiting the university's site at this time, the single podcast has changed to a plethora of resources for students, parents, alumni, and other people in light of this event. more than commnicating ideas and facilitating the spread of information, technology allows people to connect with people on a level not before possible. the april 16th memorial website illustrates a outpouting of condolences, thoughts, and prayers. podcasts and other multimedia are available at the tragedy at virginia tech page that contain excerpts from the days convocation and conferences. a series of bloglike updates convey important messages for the community regarding the tragedy. words from the university's community reach out not only to that community but the world...
"We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on. We are embracing our mourning. We are Virginia Tech ... "
-- Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist
...the rest is silence....
visiting the university's site at this time, the single podcast has changed to a plethora of resources for students, parents, alumni, and other people in light of this event. more than commnicating ideas and facilitating the spread of information, technology allows people to connect with people on a level not before possible. the april 16th memorial website illustrates a outpouting of condolences, thoughts, and prayers. podcasts and other multimedia are available at the tragedy at virginia tech page that contain excerpts from the days convocation and conferences. a series of bloglike updates convey important messages for the community regarding the tragedy. words from the university's community reach out not only to that community but the world...
"We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on. We are embracing our mourning. We are Virginia Tech ... "
-- Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist
...the rest is silence....
Sunday, April 15, 2007
RSS...it's EVERYWHERE
I was catching up on bills and such things, and I discovered that my bank, both my credit cards, and my savings account have RSS feeds...Really Simple Syndication is everywhere. Perhaps I never noticed it before, but I am much more aware of seeing the symbol and acronym in my meanderings of the WWW.
Even on MabryOnline.org, the principal of the school even described how it worked and how people could use it to access resources on his school's website. More than podcasts, RSS feeds can be used to aggregate blogs, newsletters, and other forms of communications between organizations and the individual.
One of my students inquired on Friday as I handed out the usual stack of flyers, "Do you think that someday we won't have paper and messages can be sent to parents using only computers?" I smiled, and we discussed the advantages of such a society and how ours seems to be headed in that direction. Over the weekend, through my research, I am starting to see how close we are. Like the founder of Wikipedia says, "the future is upon us". Technology is changing the way in which humans communicate and knowledge is disseminated. We are part of the future if we choose to be.
Even on MabryOnline.org, the principal of the school even described how it worked and how people could use it to access resources on his school's website. More than podcasts, RSS feeds can be used to aggregate blogs, newsletters, and other forms of communications between organizations and the individual.
One of my students inquired on Friday as I handed out the usual stack of flyers, "Do you think that someday we won't have paper and messages can be sent to parents using only computers?" I smiled, and we discussed the advantages of such a society and how ours seems to be headed in that direction. Over the weekend, through my research, I am starting to see how close we are. Like the founder of Wikipedia says, "the future is upon us". Technology is changing the way in which humans communicate and knowledge is disseminated. We are part of the future if we choose to be.
iLife = Real Life
Chapter 1 of The Media Equation really made sense to me and helped me to synthesize some of my thoughts regarding media. It reminded me of an IKEA commercial that I found absolutely hilarious. Watch it here. The commercial plays on the idea that the media can humanize anything, making humans feel compassion for inanimate objects and relating to them like humans.
For a long time, I have laughed at how people relate to technology like the technology is social and natural. Yet I know I have done it myself. In fact, I do it everyday. My phone says hello to me. Various computer programs welcome me back and politely give me updates. I intuitively know that these items are not real, but my behavior shows that I interact with them in a similar way that I would interact with a human. Humans interact with media in a, well, human way.
I think that the media equation, media = real life, does impact my work regarding podcasting and technology integration in my work. In designing and implementing technology, I must be aware and use my awareness of the media equation to ensure that people respond well to it. An understanding of the media equation can help me better design and evaluate podcasts and other types of media and technology.
For a long time, I have laughed at how people relate to technology like the technology is social and natural. Yet I know I have done it myself. In fact, I do it everyday. My phone says hello to me. Various computer programs welcome me back and politely give me updates. I intuitively know that these items are not real, but my behavior shows that I interact with them in a similar way that I would interact with a human. Humans interact with media in a, well, human way.
I think that the media equation, media = real life, does impact my work regarding podcasting and technology integration in my work. In designing and implementing technology, I must be aware and use my awareness of the media equation to ensure that people respond well to it. An understanding of the media equation can help me better design and evaluate podcasts and other types of media and technology.
Friday, April 13, 2007
All I have to say is "Wow".
As I tried to get back into the swing of things, I sought out some new educational podcasts, particularly from middle school since I hope to be there next year. What I found was much more than a podcast or two; it's quite possibly the most well-designed school website I have had the pleasure to peruse.
My hat goes off to the staff and students of Mabry Middle School in Marietta, GA, for their school website, MabryOnline.org. The site is absolutely AMAZING, provided so many cool and up-to-date resources for people involved with the school. I started off by watching some of their video podcasts (the school's test scores are unbelievable, by the way), but ended up reading teachers' and administrators' blogs and staring in utter disbelief at the extent of this school's use of technology in education.
In addition to having a Podcast Central with a variety of podcasts from different people and subject areas in the school, Mabry Online also has iParent accounts (cute, huh), an annual film festival for students, and much, much more. After looking through this school's site, I am reenergized to continue my integration of technology in my classroom and school.
My hat goes off to the staff and students of Mabry Middle School in Marietta, GA, for their school website, MabryOnline.org. The site is absolutely AMAZING, provided so many cool and up-to-date resources for people involved with the school. I started off by watching some of their video podcasts (the school's test scores are unbelievable, by the way), but ended up reading teachers' and administrators' blogs and staring in utter disbelief at the extent of this school's use of technology in education.
In addition to having a Podcast Central with a variety of podcasts from different people and subject areas in the school, Mabry Online also has iParent accounts (cute, huh), an annual film festival for students, and much, much more. After looking through this school's site, I am reenergized to continue my integration of technology in my classroom and school.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
The Moment of Truth
As our assignment for the week is to download and evaluate software, I figured there was no better time to dive into my first podcast. It's all about syncronicty, right?
While many of the article have toted the benefits of GarageBand 3, I decided to go with Audacity. Not only is it free, but it was recommended by CNET.com on their Weekend Project from June 22, 2005: Create your own podcast. Now the fact that this article was written in 2005 did make me feel a little behind the times technologically speaking, but I figured it was a place to start since the tutorial seemed dummy-proof. Not only does it explain podcasting in very simplistic and straightforward terms but also includes videos in case you can't follow written directions.
Since the entire experience still seems a little overwhelming to me, I am following the directions step by step. I just downloaded LAME, an MP3 encoded since this is the preferred format for podcasts. I have no idea if it will work but I am keeping my fingers crossed (even though it is pretty difficult to type).
In planning my first podcast, I figured I'd make it useful, so I am trying to do my software evaluation of Audacity as a podcast. Please wish me luck.
I'll be back after I complete the following steps....
Step 1: Break into podcasting
Step 2: Tools for podcasting
Step 3: How to plan a podcast
Step 4: Podcast-recording software
Step 5: Record your podcast
Step 6: Edit and save podcasts
Step 7: Publish your podcast
Step 8: Test your podcast feed
Apparently this should take about four hours....
While many of the article have toted the benefits of GarageBand 3, I decided to go with Audacity. Not only is it free, but it was recommended by CNET.com on their Weekend Project from June 22, 2005: Create your own podcast. Now the fact that this article was written in 2005 did make me feel a little behind the times technologically speaking, but I figured it was a place to start since the tutorial seemed dummy-proof. Not only does it explain podcasting in very simplistic and straightforward terms but also includes videos in case you can't follow written directions.
Since the entire experience still seems a little overwhelming to me, I am following the directions step by step. I just downloaded LAME, an MP3 encoded since this is the preferred format for podcasts. I have no idea if it will work but I am keeping my fingers crossed (even though it is pretty difficult to type).
In planning my first podcast, I figured I'd make it useful, so I am trying to do my software evaluation of Audacity as a podcast. Please wish me luck.
I'll be back after I complete the following steps....
Step 1: Break into podcasting
Step 2: Tools for podcasting
Step 3: How to plan a podcast
Step 4: Podcast-recording software
Step 5: Record your podcast
Step 6: Edit and save podcasts
Step 7: Publish your podcast
Step 8: Test your podcast feed
Apparently this should take about four hours....
Monday, April 2, 2007
"share, reuse, and remix---legally"
Ask and you shall receive, Jessica!!!
According to Wikipedia, Creative Commons is "a non-profit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative work available for others legally to build upon and share. The organization has released several copyright licenses known as Creative Commons licenses. These licenses, depending on the one chosen, restrict only certain rights (or none) of the work."
But don't trust Wikipedia, just go to their site.
According to Wikipedia, Creative Commons is "a non-profit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative work available for others legally to build upon and share. The organization has released several copyright licenses known as Creative Commons licenses. These licenses, depending on the one chosen, restrict only certain rights (or none) of the work."
But don't trust Wikipedia, just go to their site.
My title is actually their headline. Creative Commons provides a great solution to many legal issues; they license creative works and allow you to search for creative works that you are able to use with little or no restriction. Using their search tool, you can find music, video, photos, books, text, and educational material that you can "share, reuse, or remix", well, "legally" without having to go through the painstaking process of getting permission.
This is a great concept and the blog on the site contains many articles related to this subject. One of the most interesting concepts was put forth by the leader of Wikipedia and now board member of Creative Commons, Jimmy Wales, in his blog on why free knowledge requires free software and free file formats. It is really an inspiring entry on quickly the world is changing and what these changes entail.
I'm really grateful that Jessica asked about Creative Commons, because it really helped me sort out some of the legality of this (and that). What's more, I now have a search tool to find usable materials and links to a variety of free software and file formats, which just may help out with this week's assignment.
Since our task is to download and evaluate software, I can begin learning how to actually create a podcast with some of the programs that are out there. It's somewhat eerie that everything is falling into place....
Sunday, April 1, 2007
When Credit is Due...
So in my last post I commented how I failed to recognize the author of the educational podcast evaluation tool. Even then, I failed to mention this person's name, but at least I did so knowing that I would be giving this person even more credit as I am devoting this whole blog entry to the amazing educational technology insights of...
After reading her comment on Blogger, I decided to check out her blog, which turns out to be blogs plural, and found even more amazing technological resources that helped me out incredibly. What I want to discuss this morning is extremely pertinent to one of my recent entries. It turns out the she is the PODMASTER of Nauset Public School Podcasts.
Her well-designed site provided me with a great example of how to organize a school or classrooms podcasts. Speaking of good and bad design, Kathy's sites are extremely user-friendly, easy to navigate, and aesthetically pleasing. Truthfully, her information is presented in such a way that I actually felt more comfortable with podcasts and technology after reading through her sites. Using her own podcast evaluation tool, I looked over the site and it scored very well. From the site, it is very clear how to subscribe to the broadcasts or download individual shows. She provides useful links to a variety of related resources and information about podcasting in general. From this site, I can link to the programs I need to listen to and aggregate podcasts. Overall, this site provided me with an excellent example of how to model a similar site of my own in the future. Thanks Kathy!
In addition, I also highly recommend checking out her own blog on educational insights, Kathy Schrock's Kaffeeklatsch. Jessica, this site is too cool!
Saturday, March 31, 2007
The Legality of This...and That
Since it has been bothering me for a bit, I decided to try and get to the bottom of the legal issues related to podcasting. Turns out, the legality of podcasting, still very new, is closely related and almost identical to the legality of blogging (hence, I ended up finding out about the legality of this...and that).
I started thinking about it after I found out that the author of one of my chosen webpages commented on my blog, which is pretty cool. Then I realized that I didn't mention her name, and wondered if I should have since this is a public blog. I am hyper aware of copyright issues but I have no clue what is acceptable and what isn't.
So I researched the legality of podcasting and discovered a pretty comprehensive legal guide to podcasting (I decided to add hyperlinks like you, Jess!). My head is still reeling and I am still trying to sort out what is all means, but I did find some information that will help me at least get started in the podcasting world without losing sleep about copyright infringement.
What I learned in Instructional Computing I, like fair use, still stands. However, it all changes when a podcast leaves the school and enters the rest of the world through the internet, just like this blog. Luckily, there is such as thing a "podsafe" content available from Creative Commons (another organization I want to learn more about now).
My main concern is the use of music in podcasting for introductions, transitions, and conclusions. I think that the use of auxiliary audio in podcastings (background music, transitions, etc.) really enhance the final product, and I feel my students would become even more excited and engage being able to incorporate music they find appropriate. I know I would.
It's not that I am concerned that my students or I would actually get in trouble for using copyrighted material (I've listened to plenty of educational podcasts that appear to violate these laws), but I am stuck on the principle of it. As our society and educational system are quickly changing with technology, I feel that it is my responsibility as an educator to set an example and teach students how to not only properly cite sources to avoid plagiarism but also how to avoid breaking laws while blogging, podcasting, or social networking. Many of my students have already discovered MySpace and other social sites, and they will most likely turn into bloggers and podcasters. Since this is obviously the direction in which people are heading, I feel that I must somehow incorporate this into my instruction and demonstrate the proper way to do it.
I just need to sort it all out for myself first....
I started thinking about it after I found out that the author of one of my chosen webpages commented on my blog, which is pretty cool. Then I realized that I didn't mention her name, and wondered if I should have since this is a public blog. I am hyper aware of copyright issues but I have no clue what is acceptable and what isn't.
So I researched the legality of podcasting and discovered a pretty comprehensive legal guide to podcasting (I decided to add hyperlinks like you, Jess!). My head is still reeling and I am still trying to sort out what is all means, but I did find some information that will help me at least get started in the podcasting world without losing sleep about copyright infringement.
What I learned in Instructional Computing I, like fair use, still stands. However, it all changes when a podcast leaves the school and enters the rest of the world through the internet, just like this blog. Luckily, there is such as thing a "podsafe" content available from Creative Commons (another organization I want to learn more about now).
My main concern is the use of music in podcasting for introductions, transitions, and conclusions. I think that the use of auxiliary audio in podcastings (background music, transitions, etc.) really enhance the final product, and I feel my students would become even more excited and engage being able to incorporate music they find appropriate. I know I would.
It's not that I am concerned that my students or I would actually get in trouble for using copyrighted material (I've listened to plenty of educational podcasts that appear to violate these laws), but I am stuck on the principle of it. As our society and educational system are quickly changing with technology, I feel that it is my responsibility as an educator to set an example and teach students how to not only properly cite sources to avoid plagiarism but also how to avoid breaking laws while blogging, podcasting, or social networking. Many of my students have already discovered MySpace and other social sites, and they will most likely turn into bloggers and podcasters. Since this is obviously the direction in which people are heading, I feel that I must somehow incorporate this into my instruction and demonstrate the proper way to do it.
I just need to sort it all out for myself first....
Friday, March 30, 2007
Remotely Logged On in Belize
Leaving the last port of call on my beautiful holiday, I decided it's time to get back to the internet which I promised I would take a short vacation from. So farewell, Belize, and hello, open ocean. Time to refocus....on podcasting.
My newest article search turned up some interesting articles from some different points of view, from podcasting for surgeons to podcasting for school media specialists. I chose to focus on the later since it seems more relevant, though I might return to quench my curiousity of how podcasting in used in surgery.
Again, I am not sure that this link will work, since I got it through my remote log on.
http://web.ebscohost.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=105&sid=59c84822-353c-4f4d-9c26-4670005d717e%40sessionmgr106
Since the article is designed to target school media specialists, I found some interesting information (again, more and more resources) and discovered more questions to ask. The biggest question that this article left me with is how to organize podcasts for student and teacher use, which will probably become something that I will have to decide in the near future.
As a leader in my school technology-wise, I will probably be the first to incorporate podcasting in the classroom, which will most likely result in it becoming another area in which both teachers and administrators turn to me for guidance. Since I work closely with the media specialist, I can see us collaborating on this topic within the upcoming year.
Now I realize more about what I need to become familiar and comfortable with: web aggregators. In addition to learning how to incorporate podcasts in instruction (both creating and listening to), I really need to know how to organize podcasts for student and teacher use. The easier it is to use, the more accessible it is, the more people will use it. Or so it seems.
On another note, I'm curious as to what podcasts are available on the topic of Belize and the other countries I've visited. Maybe just travel and geography in general....hmmm.....
P.S. I did find a really great resources for educators: a printable guide for teachers to evaluate educational podcasting.
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/evalpodcast.html
By examining this evaluation tool, I became aware of things that a good podcast, one that I might create or use, should have. Many of these things are obvious, but they needed to be pointed out for a newbie like me. Some of these include providing written transcripts of the show, making it clear how to add the show to your aggregator, and linking to other resources.
My newest article search turned up some interesting articles from some different points of view, from podcasting for surgeons to podcasting for school media specialists. I chose to focus on the later since it seems more relevant, though I might return to quench my curiousity of how podcasting in used in surgery.
Again, I am not sure that this link will work, since I got it through my remote log on.
http://web.ebscohost.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=105&sid=59c84822-353c-4f4d-9c26-4670005d717e%40sessionmgr106
Since the article is designed to target school media specialists, I found some interesting information (again, more and more resources) and discovered more questions to ask. The biggest question that this article left me with is how to organize podcasts for student and teacher use, which will probably become something that I will have to decide in the near future.
As a leader in my school technology-wise, I will probably be the first to incorporate podcasting in the classroom, which will most likely result in it becoming another area in which both teachers and administrators turn to me for guidance. Since I work closely with the media specialist, I can see us collaborating on this topic within the upcoming year.
Now I realize more about what I need to become familiar and comfortable with: web aggregators. In addition to learning how to incorporate podcasts in instruction (both creating and listening to), I really need to know how to organize podcasts for student and teacher use. The easier it is to use, the more accessible it is, the more people will use it. Or so it seems.
On another note, I'm curious as to what podcasts are available on the topic of Belize and the other countries I've visited. Maybe just travel and geography in general....hmmm.....
P.S. I did find a really great resources for educators: a printable guide for teachers to evaluate educational podcasting.
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/evalpodcast.html
By examining this evaluation tool, I became aware of things that a good podcast, one that I might create or use, should have. Many of these things are obvious, but they needed to be pointed out for a newbie like me. Some of these include providing written transcripts of the show, making it clear how to add the show to your aggregator, and linking to other resources.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
My Advice to Carnival Cruises
It's week two of the blogging and things are finally starting to synthesize. I'm sitting on top of the Carnival Legend, trying to stay out of the misting rain and the 25-30 knot winds, the perfect time to get some work done on vacation. Due to my extensive sleeping and general dislike of schedules, I have missed both the ship tour and the shore excursion information session. In light of growing expertise in this area of technology, I found myself thinking, "Why the heck don't they just have a podcast for these things?"
In my research, I have learned how many places such as libraries and museums have turned to podcasts to allow people to take tours and obtain information at their own time and place. I have learned how podcasting has allowed students to listen to missed lectures or relisten to go over information they may have missed. I have learned how podcasting has become a new way for people to communicate without time and place constraints. So why hasn't Carnival Cruises caught on yet?
Now, although I am paying money to utilize their wireless internet, Carnival allows you to surf their site for free. It would be the perfect place to post informational podcasts for guests to download and listen to at their own convenience. Instead of meeting a large group of travelers in the lounge to take a tour and listen to a guide that you can hardly hear due to the number of people and the number of drinks they have had, I could just through own my iPod and take the tour whenever the heck I wanted to. No large herds of people. No time schedule. No missing information that I could not hear or had to go to the bathroom for. How much more convenient is that?
It's funny how it how learning can just hit you like that. Three weeks ago, I might had thought, "Darn...I missed the ship tour". Now I am annoyed that they don't offer podcasts that provide a similar and arguably better experience. It seems I have become a proponent of podcasting as a means to make communication and information sharing more accessible.
In my research, I have learned how many places such as libraries and museums have turned to podcasts to allow people to take tours and obtain information at their own time and place. I have learned how podcasting has allowed students to listen to missed lectures or relisten to go over information they may have missed. I have learned how podcasting has become a new way for people to communicate without time and place constraints. So why hasn't Carnival Cruises caught on yet?
Now, although I am paying money to utilize their wireless internet, Carnival allows you to surf their site for free. It would be the perfect place to post informational podcasts for guests to download and listen to at their own convenience. Instead of meeting a large group of travelers in the lounge to take a tour and listen to a guide that you can hardly hear due to the number of people and the number of drinks they have had, I could just through own my iPod and take the tour whenever the heck I wanted to. No large herds of people. No time schedule. No missing information that I could not hear or had to go to the bathroom for. How much more convenient is that?
It's funny how it how learning can just hit you like that. Three weeks ago, I might had thought, "Darn...I missed the ship tour". Now I am annoyed that they don't offer podcasts that provide a similar and arguably better experience. It seems I have become a proponent of podcasting as a means to make communication and information sharing more accessible.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
If I can't sleep...
I might as well be researching podcasting!
Lo, another scholarly article (thanks Google Scholar)!
http://llt.msu.edu/vol9num3/pdf/emerging.pdf
At first, I thought this article was going to say something negative about podcasting, which I was actually quite excited about (I love to listen to a good debate). The title of the article referred to podcasting as a "disrupting" technology, but the disruption is only of the traditional methods of education. While the article again totes the benefits of this resource, it brought up a point which I had yet to come across: copyrights.
According to the article, podcasts do not yet incorporate DRM, or digital rights management, such as music purchased off iTunes. However, the use of copyrighted material in podcasts can prove problematic, such as using copyrighted music.
For me, the question becomes what responsbility do I have as a educator if I give my students the opportunity to create a podcast? As in any assignment, I know it is my duty to teach students and ensure that they abide by ethical standards by not plagarizing and using copyrighten material without permission. However, I am unclear as to what the guidelines are for podcasting. A music fan myself, I would love my students to incorporate music, but I need to know what is acceptable if we are podcasting to the entire world!
Lo, another scholarly article (thanks Google Scholar)!
http://llt.msu.edu/vol9num3/pdf/emerging.pdf
At first, I thought this article was going to say something negative about podcasting, which I was actually quite excited about (I love to listen to a good debate). The title of the article referred to podcasting as a "disrupting" technology, but the disruption is only of the traditional methods of education. While the article again totes the benefits of this resource, it brought up a point which I had yet to come across: copyrights.
According to the article, podcasts do not yet incorporate DRM, or digital rights management, such as music purchased off iTunes. However, the use of copyrighted material in podcasts can prove problematic, such as using copyrighted music.
For me, the question becomes what responsbility do I have as a educator if I give my students the opportunity to create a podcast? As in any assignment, I know it is my duty to teach students and ensure that they abide by ethical standards by not plagarizing and using copyrighten material without permission. However, I am unclear as to what the guidelines are for podcasting. A music fan myself, I would love my students to incorporate music, but I need to know what is acceptable if we are podcasting to the entire world!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Cyber Trip to the UF Library
Per Profressor Ferdig's suggestion, I decided to check out what the university's library had to offer me. Searching through the articles, I found many of the journal articles to mirror much of what I have already discovered. Having to dig a bit deeper, I narrowed my search to try to find some, if any, research that has been done on podcasting and education. That was a dead end road. I guess it's probably too early to have any significant research to corroborate the use of podcasts in the classroom. Deciding to return to my first search to try to shift through the beginners guide to podcasts, I suddenly stumbled across it.
Richardson, W., et. al., The Read/Write Web: New Tools for a New Generation of Technology. Principal (Reston, Va.) v. 86 no. 3 (January/February 2007) p. 12-17
Since I found this as I was remotely connected to the library, I cannot figure out a way to actually post a link to the article. Here's the abstract so you can decide if you want to go the library and check it out:
"Part of a special section on tech-savvy principals. Growing numbers of educators are using the online tools of the Read/Write Web--including blogs, wikis, podcasts, and social bookmarking--to connect with one another. The Read/Write Web is revolutionizing the curriculum, redefining literacy, and changing the role of teachers to educational connectors."
I really felt that this article helped me connect the topic of podcasting to greater change in educational technology. Called the Read/Write Web in the article, the new trends in online communication (podcasting, wikis, social bookmarking, and blogs) truly have the capacity to change the face of education. I have two questions. First, what role does podcasting play in the Read/Write Web? Second, what is my role as an educator in this whole revolution?
Podcasts allow administrators, teachers, and students to create, distribute, and share audio content online with parents, other teachers, other schools, and the world. Thus, podcasts allow these entities to easily connect with each other in a way that previously much more difficult. I think that podcasts have the capacity to greatly enhance the curriculum and make learning more meaningful as the learner is able to connect and learn from a greater variety of sources.
While they are not as ubiquitous as webpages, podcasts have the capacity to alter what our education system looks like. In order to keep up with the changing technologies, I think that it's important for educators to become familiar and utilize this technology for both their and their students' benefit. Progressive as it may seem, podcasts opens many doors of opportunities for educators and students to connect with each other and the world around them.
What's my role in all this? Well, I feel that it's my duty as an educator to expose my students to a variety of opporunities regarding educational technologies. Placing my own apprehensions aside, I think that I should allow my students the chance to create what other fifth grade classes around the country are creating: podcasts. With what time I have with my students, I feel that it's important to teach them to use a variety of technologies besides podcasts, including blogs, search engines, and social networking sites. I have a responsibility to connect my students with as much knowledge and experience as our modern world has to offer.
Richardson, W., et. al., The Read/Write Web: New Tools for a New Generation of Technology. Principal (Reston, Va.) v. 86 no. 3 (January/February 2007) p. 12-17
Since I found this as I was remotely connected to the library, I cannot figure out a way to actually post a link to the article. Here's the abstract so you can decide if you want to go the library and check it out:
"Part of a special section on tech-savvy principals. Growing numbers of educators are using the online tools of the Read/Write Web--including blogs, wikis, podcasts, and social bookmarking--to connect with one another. The Read/Write Web is revolutionizing the curriculum, redefining literacy, and changing the role of teachers to educational connectors."
I really felt that this article helped me connect the topic of podcasting to greater change in educational technology. Called the Read/Write Web in the article, the new trends in online communication (podcasting, wikis, social bookmarking, and blogs) truly have the capacity to change the face of education. I have two questions. First, what role does podcasting play in the Read/Write Web? Second, what is my role as an educator in this whole revolution?
Podcasts allow administrators, teachers, and students to create, distribute, and share audio content online with parents, other teachers, other schools, and the world. Thus, podcasts allow these entities to easily connect with each other in a way that previously much more difficult. I think that podcasts have the capacity to greatly enhance the curriculum and make learning more meaningful as the learner is able to connect and learn from a greater variety of sources.
While they are not as ubiquitous as webpages, podcasts have the capacity to alter what our education system looks like. In order to keep up with the changing technologies, I think that it's important for educators to become familiar and utilize this technology for both their and their students' benefit. Progressive as it may seem, podcasts opens many doors of opportunities for educators and students to connect with each other and the world around them.
What's my role in all this? Well, I feel that it's my duty as an educator to expose my students to a variety of opporunities regarding educational technologies. Placing my own apprehensions aside, I think that I should allow my students the chance to create what other fifth grade classes around the country are creating: podcasts. With what time I have with my students, I feel that it's important to teach them to use a variety of technologies besides podcasts, including blogs, search engines, and social networking sites. I have a responsibility to connect my students with as much knowledge and experience as our modern world has to offer.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Carmen San Diego has nothing on this...
So I've been subscribing and listening to a variety of k-12 podcasts all evening, and I must say I am quite impressed with the quality of programs that students are producing. It reemphasized how important the publishing stage is for students to fully engage. With the entire world as their audience, students most likely are much more motivated and willing to put time and effort into their work. My head is reeling with all the benefits podcasting can bring to a classroom.
One particular podcast I found on iTunes and became completely enthralled with was "Where in the World"...the global podcasting geography quiz show! Basically, what happens is that classrooms around the world create podcasts that provide a variety of geographical clues as to where in the world their classroom is located. Listeners are encouraged to use the clues embedded in the podcast to discover where in the world it was podcasted from. They can email the podcasters with their guesses. From the one podcast I listened to, the students did a great job providing clues that one could google in order to discover the mystery location.
I really like this activity and am considering using it as an introduction to podcasting in my classroom. Created by KidCast, there are detailed instructions for creating a "Where in the World" podcast and participating in this great educational game!
http://www.intelligenic.com/where/where.pdf
I am still trying to figure out "where in the world" those students were podcasting from!
One particular podcast I found on iTunes and became completely enthralled with was "Where in the World"...the global podcasting geography quiz show! Basically, what happens is that classrooms around the world create podcasts that provide a variety of geographical clues as to where in the world their classroom is located. Listeners are encouraged to use the clues embedded in the podcast to discover where in the world it was podcasted from. They can email the podcasters with their guesses. From the one podcast I listened to, the students did a great job providing clues that one could google in order to discover the mystery location.
I really like this activity and am considering using it as an introduction to podcasting in my classroom. Created by KidCast, there are detailed instructions for creating a "Where in the World" podcast and participating in this great educational game!
http://www.intelligenic.com/where/where.pdf
I am still trying to figure out "where in the world" those students were podcasting from!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Paper, Coffee, and Podcasting
During my weekly online browsing of The New York Times, I ran across the following technology article on podcasting in K-12 classrooms:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/25/technology/techspecial2/25podcast.html?ex=1295845200&en=b1ea7dde9555ae35&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Again, I discovered more great resources, including links to actual student podcasts (http://lacrosseschools.com/longfellow/sc/ck/index.htm) and teacher podcasts (http://nausetschools.org/podcasts.htm). I also found out about the Education Podcast Network (http://epnweb.org/), which lists good podcasts for teachers, and some elementary schools which have podcasts that I might want to check out.
The article addressed what I admit were some of my own apprehensions regarding podcasting; at one time, I had mistakenly assumed that podcasting required iPods or mp3 players. Having listened to many podcasts since on my computer, I now know that I was very wrong. However, the thought of podcasting still scared me.
The article asserts that using podcasting in the classroom is easy, with the most difficult part being learning the software. Since I am generally quick at learning new software, I think that perhaps I can pick up podcasting quickly as well.
I guess my next step is checking out some of the 400 and 900 podcasts that iTunes and Yahoo respectively list along with some of the other resources the article mentions.
Before I do that, I just wanted to put some of my thoughts down about this article. It seems that educational podcasting jives very well with the constructivist approach to learning. As students create podcasts, they are constructing knowledge from experience. Podcasting provides an experience through which students can learn more and express their learning with the world around them. Through this technology, the student truly engages and interacts with the world around them, constructing knowledge as they construct podcasts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/25/technology/techspecial2/25podcast.html?ex=1295845200&en=b1ea7dde9555ae35&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Again, I discovered more great resources, including links to actual student podcasts (http://lacrosseschools.com/longfellow/sc/ck/index.htm) and teacher podcasts (http://nausetschools.org/podcasts.htm). I also found out about the Education Podcast Network (http://epnweb.org/), which lists good podcasts for teachers, and some elementary schools which have podcasts that I might want to check out.
The article addressed what I admit were some of my own apprehensions regarding podcasting; at one time, I had mistakenly assumed that podcasting required iPods or mp3 players. Having listened to many podcasts since on my computer, I now know that I was very wrong. However, the thought of podcasting still scared me.
The article asserts that using podcasting in the classroom is easy, with the most difficult part being learning the software. Since I am generally quick at learning new software, I think that perhaps I can pick up podcasting quickly as well.
I guess my next step is checking out some of the 400 and 900 podcasts that iTunes and Yahoo respectively list along with some of the other resources the article mentions.
Before I do that, I just wanted to put some of my thoughts down about this article. It seems that educational podcasting jives very well with the constructivist approach to learning. As students create podcasts, they are constructing knowledge from experience. Podcasting provides an experience through which students can learn more and express their learning with the world around them. Through this technology, the student truly engages and interacts with the world around them, constructing knowledge as they construct podcasts.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
I'm Feeling Lucky...
Returning to Google, I decided to narrow my search terms. Now that I've a basic understanding of what podcasting is, it was time to find out more about its uses in education. Googling "educational podcasting", it turns out that this is the first webpage returned for this query:
http://www.stager.org/podcasting.html
Now I have no idea who Gary S. Stager is besides a self-proclaimed educational consultant, author, and teacher educator, so I decided to do a little research on him before taking his site too seriously. After seeing that he is well-published, well-educated, and often cited in a variety of educational sites and journals, I decided to respect what he had to say and check out his site aimed to "support progressive educators" (I'd like to consider myself one).
On topic of podcasting, Stager makes some great points, including the assertion that "podcasting offers educators and students remarkable opportunities for their voices to be heard in their local communities or around the world". Reading his thoughts, I am impressed by the fact that it is now possible for every classroom to have its own radio station. How empowering and motivational for students is that!
In addition to provided me with a considerable amount of motivation to try this technology out, Stager also supplied me with a variety of online resources for this discovery assignment. While he posts some of his thoughts on the subject, he also provides his own tutorial on how to podcast with Garageband3. I am up to my neck in podcasting links, so I am going to check them out and continue my quest.
http://www.stager.org/podcasting.html
Now I have no idea who Gary S. Stager is besides a self-proclaimed educational consultant, author, and teacher educator, so I decided to do a little research on him before taking his site too seriously. After seeing that he is well-published, well-educated, and often cited in a variety of educational sites and journals, I decided to respect what he had to say and check out his site aimed to "support progressive educators" (I'd like to consider myself one).
On topic of podcasting, Stager makes some great points, including the assertion that "podcasting offers educators and students remarkable opportunities for their voices to be heard in their local communities or around the world". Reading his thoughts, I am impressed by the fact that it is now possible for every classroom to have its own radio station. How empowering and motivational for students is that!
In addition to provided me with a considerable amount of motivation to try this technology out, Stager also supplied me with a variety of online resources for this discovery assignment. While he posts some of his thoughts on the subject, he also provides his own tutorial on how to podcast with Garageband3. I am up to my neck in podcasting links, so I am going to check them out and continue my quest.
Friday, March 16, 2007
The Wikiality of Podcasting
I suppose I should begin where I normally do on my quest to find information: Wikipedia. Even if I were not thinking about doing this, it was the first thing to come up when I googled "podcasting". Here's where I ended up:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting
Like usual, I found wikipedia a good place to start. From the entry, I got a general overview of the topic and activated some background knowledge. Now I am familiar with much of the vocabulary and have a general idea of what Rick is talking about (RSS aggregators?).
Once again, I found myself struggling a bit to comprehend RSS feeds and aggregators. Despite reading the wikipedia entry for RSS twice (once as part of the discussion of RSS aggregators and once during the reading of this article), I still am pretty confused about the mechanics, what actually is going on. Well, I guess I understand the important part: RSS feed is just like a television broadcast, only over the internet, that automatically downloads for the user.
Maybe I would better be able to understand all this if I downloaded an aggregator and subscribed to a few podcasts. Perhaps some hands-on learning would help me sort through the technical aspect of this technology. I'll need to try to set that up sometime this weekend.
All the jargon aside, I found out some really creative uses of podcasts. While I have heard about teachers podcasting their lectures, I hadn't heard or even thought about using podcasts as a publishing tool for students or to record classroom activites such as debates, performances, and book talks. My head is currently spinning with a variety of potential uses for podcasts in the classroom: fluency practice, modeled and guided reading, classroom "radio" shows, readers' "radio" theatre, and so on.
In addition to giving me some great background knowledge, Wikipedia has given me a variety of links to resources that might aid me on my quest to becoming a podcasting expert.
In regards to the name controversy, I would just like to say that I don't think the term "netcasting" or any other option is going to really catch on. It seems "podcasting" is here to stay. When my nose is runny, I am going to reach for a "Kleenex", not a tissue. When my ears are dirty, I am going to clean them out with a "Qtip", not a cotton swab. When I write in the blog, I am going to continue to discuss "podcasting", not "netcasting". Sorry Mr. Laporte. It stuck.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting
Like usual, I found wikipedia a good place to start. From the entry, I got a general overview of the topic and activated some background knowledge. Now I am familiar with much of the vocabulary and have a general idea of what Rick is talking about (RSS aggregators?).
Once again, I found myself struggling a bit to comprehend RSS feeds and aggregators. Despite reading the wikipedia entry for RSS twice (once as part of the discussion of RSS aggregators and once during the reading of this article), I still am pretty confused about the mechanics, what actually is going on. Well, I guess I understand the important part: RSS feed is just like a television broadcast, only over the internet, that automatically downloads for the user.
Maybe I would better be able to understand all this if I downloaded an aggregator and subscribed to a few podcasts. Perhaps some hands-on learning would help me sort through the technical aspect of this technology. I'll need to try to set that up sometime this weekend.
All the jargon aside, I found out some really creative uses of podcasts. While I have heard about teachers podcasting their lectures, I hadn't heard or even thought about using podcasts as a publishing tool for students or to record classroom activites such as debates, performances, and book talks. My head is currently spinning with a variety of potential uses for podcasts in the classroom: fluency practice, modeled and guided reading, classroom "radio" shows, readers' "radio" theatre, and so on.
In addition to giving me some great background knowledge, Wikipedia has given me a variety of links to resources that might aid me on my quest to becoming a podcasting expert.
In regards to the name controversy, I would just like to say that I don't think the term "netcasting" or any other option is going to really catch on. It seems "podcasting" is here to stay. When my nose is runny, I am going to reach for a "Kleenex", not a tissue. When my ears are dirty, I am going to clean them out with a "Qtip", not a cotton swab. When I write in the blog, I am going to continue to discuss "podcasting", not "netcasting". Sorry Mr. Laporte. It stuck.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Where to begin?
Well, I honestly never thought I would be "blogging". It's not that I have anything against it; I just hate looking back at my old writing. What I hate even more is the thought of other people looking back at my old writing. Maybe this explains why I have never been able to keep a diary or journal for most of my life. I always ended up tearing out old entries and burning entire notebooks. Needless to say, this assignment is rather uncomfortable and scary for me. I think that's probably a good thing.
Stepping way outside my comfort zone, I hope that this experience will open some new doors for me. First, I hope, though I highly doubt, that it will cure me of my fear of keeping written records of my thoughts. Second, I am now taking this opportunity to try to find out about another topic with which I am unfamiliar and rather uncomfortable: podcasting.
Now I am all for podcasting. I'll even admit to listening to podcasts rather frequently. What bothers me, making me feel somewhat behind in regards to educational technology, is the idea of educational podcasting. How does one go about utilizing podcasts in a classroom, much less a fifth grade classroom? How can I find out different ways it is incorporated in the curriculum? While I have a million potentially brilliant ideas flowing through my head, I have no idea really where to begin. Wait. I guess I just did.
Stepping way outside my comfort zone, I hope that this experience will open some new doors for me. First, I hope, though I highly doubt, that it will cure me of my fear of keeping written records of my thoughts. Second, I am now taking this opportunity to try to find out about another topic with which I am unfamiliar and rather uncomfortable: podcasting.
Now I am all for podcasting. I'll even admit to listening to podcasts rather frequently. What bothers me, making me feel somewhat behind in regards to educational technology, is the idea of educational podcasting. How does one go about utilizing podcasts in a classroom, much less a fifth grade classroom? How can I find out different ways it is incorporated in the curriculum? While I have a million potentially brilliant ideas flowing through my head, I have no idea really where to begin. Wait. I guess I just did.
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