Journal 6

“Podcasting” from Classroom 2.0

Simply put, podcasting is the playing back of digital media files that are distributed over the Internet using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) on portable media players such as an MP3 player or PCs. Although Podcasting was once originally and mostly used as a way to distribute personalized audio samples such as radio-type broadcasts, it has recently become more popular used for educational purposes. It has evolved into yet another digital tool for teachers to use to communicate at any time with other teachers, administrators, students, parents, and the community. Podcasting is now widely used to record and share school lessons, homework assignments, curriculum ideas, book discussions, music performances, museum tours, lectures, public announcements, and the like. Nowadays, even Video Podcasting is available for downloading and distributing video onto a PC or mobile multimedia device and used for similar purposes as the audio version.

The Classroom 2.0 discussions mainly focus on a book review project for K-8th grades, a Korean Skype conversation podcast, and an elementary school podcast project. The teacher working the book review project has the students write the review scripts, record them, and then she posts them on the website. Her goal is to create a book review database where kids anywhere in the world can go to find a good book to read and she is especially excited about the multiple grade levels that can be included in the project. The main issues and questions that they discussed had to do with how much work is entailed in posting book reviews and whether or not copyright laws would be infringed upon if the book covers are posted. Another participant discussed a “Booktalk” project; “not a review, but a short, exciting description of a book with a similar aim as (the) reviews.” Another teacher recorded conversations with other students in Korea, edited and converted the podcast to an MP3 file. She now wants to know how to embed a player in her blog and podcast. An elementary media specialist would like to start podcasting with some elementary classes and wants to know simply whether they can upload it to the school website and has other basic questions about options available with setting it up. Suggestions within this discussion included uploading the audio file to the server, linking it, embedding the file, or using media players like Quicktime and Windows Media Player, setting up an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed, and using podcast programs like Garageband or Audacity that convert easily to MP3, although these currently have no screencasts.

Journal 5

“Making Field Trips Podtastic”
by Aliece M. Weller, John C. Bickar, and Paul McGuinness
Learning & Leading with Technology, March/April 2008

The use of podcasts during field trips not only shrinks alone time, it encourages participation! This article features an interactive field trip at the Boston Museum of Science to show how a mix of podcasts, student multimedia creation, Web research, and interviewing increases the amount of time students spend observing exhibits and the deeper level of engagement they experience with each exhibit. Thus far, in education, podcasts have been considered a “push” technology; simply feeding information instead of also encouraging interaction. However, in a museum environment, the author shows that podcasts can “alleviate isolation by encouraging collaboration and interaction with others…and customizes their learning experiences at the museum,” (p.19-20).

Rather than using the limited features of an MP3 player on which to play the podcast, a better-suited handheld computer (such as the Toshiba Pocket PC model e750 ) with additional features of taking digital photos, recording audio interviews, recording notes in text formats, and accessing the Internet (Wi-Fi access was available at the museum) was chosen. Using easily accessible technology, teachers are able to create and customize the content of the podcasts, design quizzes, and remind students of their responsibilities during the visits to each exhibit.

What are the most attractive features of podcasting highlighted in the article?

From a student’s standpoint, the best features are that every child is interactive yet independent, and that podcasting is multi-sensory, i.e. it serves the auditory, visual, and the kinesthetic learner. From an educator’s standpoint, the ability to customize information to state curriculum standards and assess the student with short quizzes is both time-saving and efficient.

How might podcasting not work for every student?

Although using podcasts for field trips is certainly more exciting than taking a ‘virtual field trip’ while remaining in the classroom, and makes a real field trip more fun, the article does not address the cost feasibility, availability, and accessibility by every child to a pocket PC or MP3 player on which to play the podcast. Even though the technology to create the information is free, the technology on which to portray the information is not. If the site of the field trip provides them, then every student would have equal opportunity with this sort of technology.

Journal 4

“Storytelling in the Web 2.0 Era” by Glen Bull
Learning & Leading with Technology, February 2008

This article is about four emerging trends resulting from the increased technological possibilities of the internet including the ability by users to add to content that is already available. The four areas highlighted are:

1. Web as a Platform, e.g. the possibility to develop lightweight applications used within a Web browser
2. User-generated Content, i.e. lowered barriers to authorship has encouraged greater production of user-generated content as one might see as text (Blogger), with photos (Flickr), as audio (podcasts), in video sharing (YouTube), and with social spaces (MySpace)
3. Sharing and Re-mixing, i.e. the linking, quoting, referring, and embedding among blogs, audio, images, and video to create a new work
4. Economic and Educational Value, e.g. the exchange of user-generated content for use of applications and inexpensive storage space

The benefits are far reaching, providing new advances socially, commercially, politically, and educationally. With regard to education, instead of relying solely on computer-based software to create a lesson, teachers can use web-based applications to offer students a greater variety of project-based learning opportunities. With the proliferation of Web-based tools (a story of ‘Dominoe the Dalmation’ told with 50 different Web 2.0 storytelling tools is featured in this article at http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/StoryTools), ease of use, combined with the virtually free cost, Web 2.0 storytelling has created more educational opportunities than ever.

What is the greatest advantage to education of the Web 2.0 tools now available?

Without a doubt, the no cost to school feature is the greatest advantage. Teachers can create Web-based projects for free, and because the applications are available on the Web, students can continue to work on their projects at school (classroom, computer lab, or library), home or at the public library.

How would these trends in technology benefit every student?

As soon as you have a look at all the audio and visual possibilities of storytelling in the Dominoe example, there is no doubt that every student would have a method of portraying a story. If a student preferred or needed to rely on photos rather than words, there would be a slide show option for him, or if a student preferred to use fun, short, bits of information instead of a narrative format, she could use a comic strip to tell her story. There is a method of communication for virtually everyone!

Journal 3

“Five Don’ts of Classroom Blogging” by Julie Sturgeon
T-H-E Journal, February 2008

This article points out five suggestions to avoid common problems with classroom blogging that, if followed, would yield many rewards including alternate and improved methods of learning. First, the author and the blogging experts interviewed suggest, “don’t just dive in,” but rather set up guidelines and objectives, agree upon a code of conduct to avoid bullying, slander, and use of foul language, and invest time showing students the purpose and benefits and potential pitfalls of blogging. She further suggests that the rules and guidelines be copied to the parents for reinforcement. Second, the author says, “don’t confuse blogging with social networking,” i.e. blogging is about achieving academic goals through collaboration with peers, not about socializing with peers. Third, “don’t leap at the freebies.” The article explains that many free sites offer options to students that are difficult for teachers to control, while open source software, an inexpensive alternative, is still too technical for most users in the education field. It suggests using Class Blogmeister which offers few templates and ample control by the teacher. Fourth, “don’t force a sequential style,” i.e. it makes more sense to students and is more beneficial to their learning to organize the entries on the blog by topic as opposed to by time. And finally, “don’t leave the blogging to the students,” but instead, lead by way, by creating, for example, a blog that solicits and encourages feedback, offers hyperlinks, and shows how a blogging community is created.

Explain these five “Don’ts” in order of importance as they pertain to you in the classroom.

As someone who is both new to teaching as well as to blogging, I found the “don’t force a sequential style” to be most valuable as it allow the student to associate relevant works with each other rather than sorting them by due dates. “Don’t just dive in” and “don’t confuse blogging with social networking” are of equal importance to me since the latter could be grouped in as one of the guidelines and objectives of blogging, i.e. academic achievement, not socializing. “Don’t leave the blogging to the students” would be the next piece of advice I could use since I am still learning how to use electronic tools for educational purposes and need to be nudged to lead the way! “Don’t leap at the freebies” is valuable advice and reminds me of the saying: “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Is there another “Don’t” you would like to see added to the list?

“Don’t get stuck in a (what I call) same-old-same-mold” would be my addition to the list. Once someone new to the profession like me gets to know how to use a new tool, it’s likely to get overused at the expense of ignoring other more appropriate tools. So I would suggest explaining and emphasizing when blogging is most useful, while distinguishing when chatting, discussion forums, and so on would be more productive than blogging to enhancing learning.

Journal 2

“Speaking Math: Using Chat in the Multicultural Math Classroom” by Janet Graham and Ted Hodgson
Learning & Leading with Technology, February 2008

This article examines recent efforts at a multi-ethnic high school in Washington, D.C. to use electronic tools for discussions in geometry and algebra II classes. These tools, specifically the course management system (CMS), Moodle, have boosted understanding as well as accessibility to educational processes especially among multicultural students.

Mainly using chat rooms and discussion forums because of their popularity among teenagers, the researchers found that using icons and emoticons was an attractive way to further personalize the discussions. The goal of the prompted discussions was to focus on using specific math vocabulary and concepts to define and construct meaning. Credit for answering the question was earned only if certain target vocabulary was used during the chat or post. Students learned from each other and helped each other to understand math by reading and participating in the on-line posts.

Among the benefits of the CMS was that the teacher could print out and analyze discussions to find out where students might have confusion and need for further clarification on a concept. Additionally, non-native speakers could see other responses and have time to reflect on using appropriate math terminology from other native speaker postings. Students using the electronic communication tools showed vast improvements and confidence in using math terminology and in learning in general. CMS allowed teachers to make smaller groups, more conducive to productive and manageable chats and less confusion. Chats were found to be most effective in during school hours when students would have access to a computer, whereas directed discussion forums allowed all students to participate at their leisure. The authors recommend using CMS and electronic communication beyond just math; rather they should be added to every teacher’s toolkit to facilitate meaningful discussions by a diverse variety of learners.

Which other learners might benefit from the use of electronic discussion tools?

Ironically, I think that a technology student like me would benefit from forum discussions and chats about…technology! I’m still apprehensive about using technical terminology and seeing others spell it out would certainly boost my confidence and increase my ‘technology word bank.’

How would the ability to print and analyze help the student, not just the teacher?

I recently took a health class online. It was fast paced and had about forty students enrolled. Our prompted discussion postings were numerous and addressed a variety of events and opinions. I found this type of discussion very convenient to help me remember, reflect upon, and refer to ‘who-said-what-when? This would not have been easy to do in a traditional classroom discussion.