Journal 8 : Podcasting Nets (1,3,4)

In the internet world that we live in there are so many new technological words that are thrown at an individual that have most of us scratching our heads. Podcasting is one such word, it looks as though its two words stuck together and has little meaning, plus it sounds kind of funny. However Podcasting is basically a combination of some audio and video files that are put together and are available for download via syndication on the we using an RSS feed (really simply syndication).
The definition is a tad confusing as well so to break it down even further I will use a science example. Let say I find a movie about mitosis (how cells divide) on the internet and I want to use the movie in my class I could download the movie (video) and then record my own voice (audio) then combine the two. Now I have an audio/visual movie. I then can use an RSS feed to syndicate my movie to others to watch and to use as needed. Now this can be done in your classroom with any type of visual queues you may want to use (movies, photos, drawings) I just stuck with a simple movie from the internet that would be easily downloaded. The educational value to Podcasting could be matched only by student’s ability to create and express their own ideas on the subject being taught and share with their peers in the classroom
In reading the 2.0 threads there was a lot of great information to be had. One questions that was posed was:
2008 Research Results! Podcast listening is on the rise in all age groups!
Edison Media Research recently reported the results of its study of podcasting trends. See the Blog in the Maze for the details.
Do you see this translating to education as well? Will we see more receptive response for the use of podcasts in teaching?
What I found interesting was that teachers were saying that they have seen a increase in test scores with the use of podcasting and that all levels of education are starting to use podcasting more frequently. So what this thread has reminded me is that Podcasting can be used not only as a visual and listening way of learning but can influence tests scores. SO I need to remember that everyone learns in different ways and we owe it to the students to use all methods we can to get our point across.
In reading another thread the author was talking about how book reviews scripts then recording them and then posting to the class website. I think this would be a great way for students to share information on books, assignments, journal articles, and an array of other materials. If students were assigned the above task in a short time there would be a library of information that students could pull from to help them in their own studies. Plus I think it would be fun to have different voices on a library of resources that students can pull from. I learned from this thread that Podcasting can be used from k-college and that it is not that hard to use this technology. A great website that was in the thread and I recommend for ideas is http://www.runkle.org/Podcasts/index.html


The information came from a professional website for instructors for social interaction and ideas.

Inspiration - NETS (1,2,3)

I created this inspiration diagram using pictures from the internet, clipart from the trial version of inspiration along with becoming efficient in with the inspiration program.

Power Point NETS- (1,3)

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Power Point

View more presentations from zlin.

I created this using the power point software, exporting clipart and pictures from various places on the internet, used slideshare to export on to the blog.

Journal # 5 MS

Bull , Glem (2006, April). Collaboration in a Web 2.0 Environment. Learning and Leading with Technology, 33, Retrieved 03/04/09, from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=April_No_7_&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&ContentFileID=2642

The article was a very interesting read in many aspects. I am not sure if the word syndication is a word that many people associate with information but now when I read I shall remember just in case I am unsure what the author is talking about. We have come a long ways from the start of computers and the web. The web is amazing in the transformation that has taken place so fast. When we first started using the web we had to search for the information and now with the 2.0 the information can easily come to each user in the form of XML, RSS, and RDF. Using the web and the individual sites will have our students become more computer savvy along with incorporating the sites they visit into their class work. I was amazed to find out that two years ago 3 out of every 5 students use blogs. I can only imagine how many today use the blogs. Blogs are just one of the many tools students have at their fingertips today, they have Social bookmarking, Emails, Web based word processors that can be used anywhere. As time passes we can see a major change for our students and children that the web though at times very controversial is the way of the future and without understanding this technology the individual is at a huge disadvantage.

Question 1
How could the site RSS, Googledocs, Social Bookmarking, Blogs be useful in a high school science class?
Many times reports are needed or search is sought out in a science classroom, with today’s technology to obtain the answers or validate ones hypothesis can be as easily as a click of a button on the mouse. In researching if the student finds a good site and or if that site is a source they can save it as an RSS site and or social bookmark it so that their peers can see where they got the information. I love googledocs. The way students can interact and work together without being in the same room is outstanding and for small group papers and or presentation googledocs is a solid way to have everyone contribute.

Question 2
What are the benefits of having students use the above types of programs for teachers?
I think that if students are using the Googledocs, RSS, Social Bookmarking, and Blogs...etc…. that as a teacher it would be so easy to follow the logic of the individual student. I could easily just go to the website the students used in their research and see based on what they wrote and what the article stated how the student truly interpreted the article or site. As far as Googledocs this is truly beneficial in that if I assigned a group assignment and wanted to see feedback from peer to peer and who did what this would be a solid way to make sure that everyone student in a group was doing their part. I think as these programs evolve that we as teacher will benefit more and more as will the students.