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Podcasting became one of the headlines in Frederick’s Gazette newspaper this past week.  Margarita Raycheva crafted a wonderful article highlighting the benefits of podcasting with students.  What exactly is a podcast?  A podcast is like a radio show that is posted to the Internet and can be subscribed to via RSS feed.  The beauty of podcasting is that students are the stars of the show.  Since the children want time in front of the microphone, they are motivated to research and write scripts to turn into podcasts.  Some teachers use podcasts scripts as a part of the student’s writing grade.  Since anyone in the world can subscribe to the podcast once it is posted, a student’s family members can subscribe to the podcast from anywhere. Last year our third grade podcast had hits from Korea due to one student who had extended family living there. How much more motivating and engaging can it be to have people around the world listen to your show? 

Our class used free software called Audacity to record the show. We found music clips from MagnaTune that allows people to include their music for podcasts.  In a podcast, there can be many different types of segments:

• Word of the Day
• Tips for learning your math facts
• This Day in History
• Interviews with real guest speakers or fictional guests (like George Washington)
• Reading Fluency practice with stories
• Animal Facts
• Where in the World? (Geographical clues to a mystery location)
• Factual reports
• Persuasive speeches
• School songs

Teachers can podcast to create a review for a test or to record a lecture.  What a great way to catch up or get ahead in class!  One of the best examples of a school podcast site that I have seen is Radio Willow Web.  They have been a model for other schools all over the country and have been published in several books and articles.  My only regret with podcasting is that I didn’t try it sooner.  It was the only activity that fully engaged every learner in my classroom regardless of ability level.

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Audacity is a free sound-editing program that can be downloaded from the Internet. I have used it for podcasting in my classroom and found it to be very easy to learn. For those just starting out, you may want to check out a tutorial on Audacity. Many people use Audacity to create and edit podcasts, but there are many more ways you can use Audacity in the classroom besides podcasting.

For the reading and language arts class, you can read poetry outloud for hear the rhythm and rhyme. You can record reader’s theater, storytelling, or examples of reading fluency for each child. The students can write interviews, how-to instructions, and classroom news sessions. Listen to this example recording by Christopher Walken for “The Raven” and imagine being able to create similar performances in your visual and performing arts class. Speech teachers and ESL teachers can use Audacity to record a child’s pronunciation and use the recordings to show progress. For music class, teachers can record students singing or playing instruments. If you have a projector that will allow you to project your computer in class, you can then play and show the music to your class to demonstrate rhythm and sound waves. Audacity can be found in math lessons as well. There is one lesson that teaches all about the dynamics of sound waves and another that teaches you to “see music” with harmony and dissonance. Check out the lesson plans!

Remember, there is no power like the power of the spoken word.
Children find listening to their own voice motivating (I know, go figure), so why not channel that into something powerful in the classroom? Once I started podcasting with my third grade class, even my most reluctant writers were scrambling to get information onto paper. Like the old “Life” cereal commercial said, “Try it! You’ll like it!”

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEFKfXiCbLw]

I stumbled upon a new blog by Darren Draper, a technology specialist in Utah.  He had an entry featuring his new video (that is similar to Karl Fisch’s video “Did You Know?”) entitled “Pay Attention“.  Draper states that in addition to all of Gardner’s “multiple intelligences” that students can have, they can also be “digital”.  He continues by citing the amount of time kids spend on the computer, playing video games, talking on cell phones, and text messaging their friends.  He poses interesting ideas of using cell phones and iPods in the classroom using the mentality, ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”!  For example, teachers understand how difficult it can be to reach your students using traditional lecture methods.  What if you can reach them through podcasts? 

  My thoughts: there are free podcasts of all subject areas available on the Internet.  Using podcasts can be one way to differentiate learning in the classroom.  If students were able to listen to a podcast and follow along with it on the computer, they could pause the podcast as necessary until they completed the work on the screen.  They can listen to the podcast multiple times to understand the material.  Even if the podcast is not posted to the Internet, it can be housed on the school network for students to access via the student drive.  The possibilities are endless! 

http://amyboehman.blogspot.com

After attending a podcasting workshop sponsored by MICCA in March of 2007, I was ready to venture into the world of classroom podcasting with my third graders.  Luckily, there are not many restrictions placed on teachers in our county to keep us from podcasting in our classroom.  I understand this is a huge issue in other counties; and while they may be allowed to podcast, they are not allowed to post it to the Internet.

 Before we began podcasting, we listened to example podcasts as inspiration.  They were funny, informative, and interesting.  My class was excited to begin the project after listening to what other children could do. 

First, we brainstormed a possible list of podcast topics and assigned students to their “shows”.  I created script paper for the kids to write their lines on and they had to meet with me during the writing process for editing.  After a practice session, they recorded their shows into Audacity, where I was able to cut and paste to create the podcast.  You can hear their final product at The Mysterious Educated Classroom.  The sound effects were taken from The Free Sound Project. 

Overall, our podcast was well-received by administration and parents.  Families had the option to subscribe to our podcast via RSS feed.  The class was extremely motivated during the writing process because they were making an “Internet radio show” and even my reluctant writers were writing independently!  It was definitely worth the work. I only wish we had more time to podcast during the school year.