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Archive for Podcasts

What makes a good Podcast site?

Posted by: Adam Brice | 30 August, 2008 | No Comment |

Podcasting and vodcasting has been talked about a great deal over the past few years as teachers and students tackle new technology as a way of engaging their students.

But now, more than ever, it is vital that we are not only exposing our students to the wide range of creative mediums available, but teaching them to also to be critical and subjective consumers.

One way of doing this is getting the students to construct their own. There are many ways of doing this, but for the moment, let’s discus the relevance of podcasting/vodcasting.

I think podcasts are rather boring. There I’ve said it, but in this world of visuals that continually bombard our senses from every possible direction, to rely purely on audio to get your message across is ineffective. Vodcasting, the use of video/image and audio together is a much more attractive medium for our students to work in.

Over the past few years I have been working with the students at my school on a school vodcast site – iSchool. This experiment has been rewarding, exciting and engaging for all involved. But at the end of the day the reason for this is;

there is a purpose for the students

Students can’t believe the global audience they now have. The impact it has had on literacy for our students has been amazing. Students will not settle for mediocrity when there is an episode at stake.

it is incorporating a wide range of skills

Filming video and stills, recording, composing, reading, writing, planning, leading, organising, collaborating, extending, supporting.

it is student centred

The students write, compose, construct, record, film and collaborate on all episodes across all levels of the school – students, staff and parents.

it is not about the technology for technology’s sake!

We are utilising skills and tools that are relevant for their current and future lives. Isn’t that what it is all about?

Our focus has been to provide a creative outlet for the exciting work already going on in our school. But one key rule has been;

‘Our episodes must be directed to a global audience, one that will find these episodes entertaining, interesting and require them to know nothing about our school.’

Episodes do not always have to be about the latest, whizbang school event either. Often the most interesting and rewarding episodes have been showcasing some of the exciting learning that is happening each day in the classroom.

Permission and use of student images is another topic altogether, and a discussion that we might save for another day.

It would be great to share other exciting Vodcast sites, made by primary school kids, that actually meet this criteria. There are a number of directories out there, but see how many links are actually;