Podcasts are another type of blogging. There are a lot of uses. They are a great way for students to get information through listening as well as for student to share information by creating their own.
The podcast below is part of a series teaching people how to create podcasts. The host, Colin Gray, gives some excellent ways to use podcasts in education. His argument for teacher created podcasts is for Just-In-Time learning. I can see this used in my own teaching by students who are constantly on the go. They don’t have a lot of time to sit and read something or watch a video. Instead, they can download the podcast and listen to the information while driving to practice, home from youth group, or at grandma’s house. It is a good tool to use as a review for a test or to catch up when absent.
The second major use Colin presents is having kids create their own podcasts. He argues that students are more engaged and more interested in hearing their friends’ voices than the teachers. I would have to agree with him on this. I think it is a great idea for a presentation, rather than talking in front of the class all the time. I will try it this year as a presentation alternative.
Keep Calm and Blog On 