Maybe you've dropped by your old school to see how things are going, only to see students walking around with trendy new gadgets like iPods, PDAs and MP3 players. And today's students are also familiar with podcasting, which many educators are now considering as a way to get their message across.
Pioneering a powerful new form of online communications, podcasting for educators has become an effective way of interacting with students outside of the traditional classroom. It enables the delivery of radio-quality content that can be listened to anytime, anywhere - even when students are not connected to a computer. But before incorporating it into the curriculum, its important to examine some of the benefits of podcasting for educators and how others are already using the technology to improve and expand the education of their students.
Universities were the first to embrace the technology, handing out iPods to freshman and making podcasts of lectures. And right now, teachers at the K-12 level are seeing how good this technology can be. Podcasting for educators, might we add, isn't something that is all about converting lectures into online audio. Many educators are turning PowerPoint presentations into podcasts, while others are using it to provide detailed audio explanations of frequently asked questions or as a tool for students to practice their vocabulary at home. Students are also encouraged to do their own podcasting, in order to interact with their fellow students or with their professors. In short, podcasting for educators adds a new dimension to teaching by making it a "cool" interactive communication between teachers and students.
Parents can take a more hands-on role in their children's learning with the help of podcasts. By simply programming their computers to automatically capture school broadcasts, they can keep track of how their children are doing in class and get the latest school announcements.
The primary benefit of podcasting for educators is quite simple. Suddenly, the squarest teacher can appear "cool" or "awesome" by using podcasting as a way to reach students and teach them their lessons. For a technology that only requires a computer, microphone and internet connection, podcasting has the capacity of advancing a student's education beyond the classroom. Educators need to perceive devices like iPods and other portable media devices not as distractions to learning; rather, capitalize on it and turn them into effective tools for learning.
Pioneering a powerful new form of online communications, podcasting for educators has become an effective way of interacting with students outside of the traditional classroom. It enables the delivery of radio-quality content that can be listened to anytime, anywhere - even when students are not connected to a computer. But before incorporating it into the curriculum, its important to examine some of the benefits of podcasting for educators and how others are already using the technology to improve and expand the education of their students.
Universities were the first to embrace the technology, handing out iPods to freshman and making podcasts of lectures. And right now, teachers at the K-12 level are seeing how good this technology can be. Podcasting for educators, might we add, isn't something that is all about converting lectures into online audio. Many educators are turning PowerPoint presentations into podcasts, while others are using it to provide detailed audio explanations of frequently asked questions or as a tool for students to practice their vocabulary at home. Students are also encouraged to do their own podcasting, in order to interact with their fellow students or with their professors. In short, podcasting for educators adds a new dimension to teaching by making it a "cool" interactive communication between teachers and students.
Parents can take a more hands-on role in their children's learning with the help of podcasts. By simply programming their computers to automatically capture school broadcasts, they can keep track of how their children are doing in class and get the latest school announcements.
The primary benefit of podcasting for educators is quite simple. Suddenly, the squarest teacher can appear "cool" or "awesome" by using podcasting as a way to reach students and teach them their lessons. For a technology that only requires a computer, microphone and internet connection, podcasting has the capacity of advancing a student's education beyond the classroom. Educators need to perceive devices like iPods and other portable media devices not as distractions to learning; rather, capitalize on it and turn them into effective tools for learning.
About the Author:
Visit the Klemmer and Associates Leadership Training Blog. We offer leadership lessons including leadership training, personal growth, and character development.
{ 0 comments... read them below or add one }
Post a Comment