Week 3: Introduction to the World of Podcasts, Mrs. Cassidy's Class, and a One Year Old with an I Phone

So far through my journey and examination of 21st century media and technology in EDM 310, I have yet to encounter a form of media that I have no experience with. This week, that changed. With the help of iTunes, I have discovered the wonderful world of "podcasts." A wealth of helpful educational podcasts are available for free on iTunes. These podcasts seem to be an innovative tool that educators can utilize to help their students share information world-wide. Podcasts are a way to create and share audio clips that can be listened to by others spanning the globe. Teachers of today are beginning to examine the use of these podcasts with their students. Podcasts are a new form of media, and there are quite a few different styles of creating them.

Many of the educational podcasts on iTunes are just audio clips of people speaking and conducting interviews. These seem to be aimed towards a more academic audience, but they offer some very interesting ideas for 21st century teachers. David Warlick conducts a very lively discussion with teachers and librarians about the uses of podcasts. This podcast points out that the most interesting part of podcasts, like many other new technologies, is that they allow students to connect and learn with students in classrooms miles away. Ben Hazzard offers some great information about Smart Boards (another new technology available to teachers today) and ways that teachers can utilize them in their community of learners. Hazzard's goal is to connect teachers everywhere, which is a very exciting prospect.

Podcasts are not simply audio clips of people talking, many of them on iTunes use music and sound effects as well. This music seems to liven up the mood of the podcasts, and could definitely be a way to get students to more actively engage online materials. The "Kid Cast.com" podcast channel offers a wide range of podcasts created by young students. These podcasts give students a chance to have fun while actively learning new tools that are available to them. Many of the pod asts have students book reviews, readings, and reports on current events. These podcasts provide an example for future educators to consider, they could become a very successful tool in the classrooms of tomorrow.

Podcasts are so interesting because they supply a platform for people to be a part of the collective learning community. The "EdTechTalk.com" podcast spoke about the need for teachers to create this learning community within their own classrooms. Students of today feel at home with technology, and podcasts are not something that seem foreign to them. We, as educators, need to evaluate the potential benefits of these podcasts in our own pedagogy. The goal teachers have is a common one, to help each of their students reach their maximum potential in life as well as school. Podcasts are innovative and could be innvaluable for teachers to get their students engaged with class material. There are so many different techniques for making them, and allow students to collaborate in the material they are learning.

Mrs. Cassidy's Class

Both of the videos entitled "Media Literacy" and "Little Kids...Big Potential" show a view into the window of Mrs. Cassidy's first grade class. This class is a technological marvel, her students participate in the learning process in ways that no other students have before them. They Skype with other elementary school classes, use Wikis, and blog about what they are learning. I was most interested to learn that these students like blogging the most out of all of their activities. As someone who plans on teaching English, I got really excited when I heard these students talking about how blogging has improved their writing. Now, I can begin to examine blogs as a potential tool to be used one day in my classroom. Children living in the world of today are able to learn how to interact with new technologies at an astounding rate. The ease that these students have with using computers as part of their learning is quite a sight to see. They are the future, and technology seems to be an inseparable part of their lives.

IPhone and an Infant

Seeing a one year old successfully navigate through the interface of the Iphone was really thought provoking. The child basically had a rudimentary grasp of how to unlock the phone, bring up the main menu, access apps, and go back to the home screen. This is just further evidence that technology with be a huge factor when this generation grows up and begins participating in society. Children of today have an almost intrinsic fascination with technology. They are also incredibly quick to learn how to use technology. I had not really thought about how advanced my future students will likely be in terms of technology. All educators should start thinking if they really do have enough knowledge about new innovations to keep up with modern students.