Podcasting

Podcasts are way to share information through MP3 audio files. Podcasts are commonly used in a broadcast design. These formats are downloaded, shared, and subscribed to using a MP3 player.

Examples
[|Learn Out Loud: Podcast Directory] [|Russell Educational: Podcast Directory]

=__SWOT ANALYSIS__=

Strengths:

 * For world language teachers, podcasts are a great tool for recording auditory information, aural quizzes, tests and even aural exams.
 * For world language teachers, podcasts are is a great tool for recording oral samples from students.
 * They can be stored on a computer or burned on a CD for future review or grading.
 * Students engage in a media familiar to them, and it allows for creativity and self expression.
 * Students are writing, reading, revising, and speaking to an audience.
 * Re-listening to lectures helps students boost academic achievement.
 * A great way to stay in touch with family and friends. A wonderful way to communicate with pen pals.
 * Content friendly - can be integrated in any curriculum areas.
 * Students can work collaboratively throughout the entire process.
 * Students are able to be crative and have fun while they are learning.
 * Preparing for a Podcast enables students to organize their thoughts succinctly and provides them with an opportunity to practice their Public Speaking skills.

Weaknesses:

 * Just like anything else, in order to become accustomed to podcast production, one has to practice it/use it often, especially when adding music.
 * Advanced use requires editing often in order to have a good volume/balance between voice and music.
 * Once again when trying to view some of the ones for examples they would not work. Time is required to add "bells and whistles".

Opportunities:

 * You can use podcasts outside of the classroom setting by saving voice and music samples on the computer or burn on a CD and share with friends and family.
 * Don't have enough ancillary materials to accompany your text? Use Garage Band and make your own audio files.
 * Young children can record podcasts for their grandparents and traveling parents can check in from their cell phones.
 * Seems like an ideal way for students to develop and practice their communication skills in another language.
 * Great way to communicate to parents.
 * Students can make a podcast of a "Readers Theater" play and share it with others.
 * Students can even use it as a way to recite poetry or make recordings of notes that they might need to study.
 * If there is a particular podcast that you enjoy watching you can subscribe to it. When there is a new podcast created it will be downloaded automatically to your computer.

Threats:

 * Legal boundaries for copying materials
 * Internet safety.

= Ideas For Classroom Use =
 * Virtual field trips or recorded actual field trips
 * Interviews
 * [|"Where in the World"]
 * Study guides can be created and listened to the night before an exam
 * Instead of the traditional speech unit, students can podcast with music and art, and still talk about the process
 * Create your own "Book Talk Radio Show" using podcasts; weekly reviews on books and authors.
 * Lesson summaries can be helpful for absent students.
 * Use a digital recording on field trips or vacations, add it as narration to photos using Windows Photo Story, and burn it into a DVD.
 * Language teachers can record vocabulary to aid in pronunciation and for test preparation.
 * Using one of the on-going Everyday Math projects, third grade students could produce a weather report of temperatures and/or sunrise and sunset times of those cities being monitored. [|prestiti personali]

Resource Links
[|Simple steps to record in GarageBand] [|Apple: How to Publish a Podcast to the iTunes Store] [|Apple: Podcast Maker FAQs] [|Podcasting Legal Guide] Creative Ways to Use Podcasts in the Classroom [|Podcasting Toolbox] [|Recorded Webinar] on Podcasting in the classroom from Classroom 2.0 LIVE [|Podcast directory for educators, schools and colleges] [|Podcast Genres on PodcastAlley.com - Education]