Podcasting

The term podcast is a portmanteau of the terms pod (i.e., from the Apple iPod or the acronym for personal on demand) and broadcast (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 2007). A podcast is one of several Web 2.0 digital social-networking tools, including blogs, YouTube, and Facebook, that provide platforms for the creation and sharing of user- generated content.

One of the attractions of podcasting as a learning tool is that learners can create content relatively quickly and easily, often collaboratively, with the intention and capacity to reach an authentic audience.

Podcasting does not require a high level of technological knowledge, its product is reusable and portable, and it supports learning in that the creative processes involved “keep learners engaged for an extended period of time” (Lee et al., 2007, p. 505).

CLASS READINGS

What are the benefits of podcast? (Kingsley & Putman, 2009) Portable Content presented to listener anytime, anywhere (anything) Inexpensive Simple Portable Reusable Differentiation of instruction Introduce new material Increased motivation Higher level thinking Improved writing and listening skills Augments instruction Help if a student is absent Professional development Presentation of materials by teachers and students Communicate with community and parents (seen in Dlott article) Students can listen to as many times as they like

Davis A. & McGrail, E. (2009). “Proof-revising” with podcasting: Keeping readers in mind as students listen to and rethink their writing. The Reading Teacher. Used podcasts for “proof-revising” student writing. Like text-to speech software, podcasts help students "to listen to drafts to improve their logic and fluency" (Hecker & Engstrom, 2005).

Unlike typical voice recognition software that does the work for students---the program transcribes students' readings of text to text--- podcasts engage students actively.

Listening to podcasts requires students to analyze and modify their writing to make it clearer.

Through actively comparing and adjusting their writing to the reader's reaction, students develop the metacognitive skills of monitoring, diagnosing, revising, and editing- skills critical for improving the quality of their writing (Braaksma, Rijlaarsdam, van den Bergh, & van Hout-Walters, 2004).

Additionally, in the Davis article, teachers used podcasting and blogging technologies to engage two senses, hearing and seeing. In addition, audio and text were merged through the voice of a reader, rather than that of the student. The audio recording by the teacher, acting as a reader, helps students experience firsthand the reader's reaction to their writing. Such reading shows them where their writing is not understood and where it is enjoyable, engaging, and clear for readers. Proof reading this way creates for student writers the opportunity to "listen for meaning as a stranger listens," which involves attending to "what is actually written, not to what the author intended to say" (Hanna, 1962, p. 482).

Many were surprised to learn that their writing was not exactly as they had thought. They began not only to understand the complexities of proof-revising but also to appreciate its value.

Smythe, S. & Neufeld, P. (2010). “Podcasting time”: Negotiating digital literacies and communities of learning in a middle years ELL classroom. ELL students engaged in collaborative work to – Write a script for their podcast – Develop the technology skills to create the podcast – Communicate/negotiate the development of the podcast (sound effects)

The students were constantly shifting back and forth between the written script and the podcast. Evaluating their writing (spelling, punctuation, organization-paragraphs The pacing, emotion in their reading (prosody) Podcasts gave these ELL students the ability to create their own stories and include their own cultures in them (pp ).

Putnam, S. M. & Kingsley, T. (2009). The atoms family: Using podcasts to enhance the development of science vocabulary. The Reading Teacher. How did the researchers avoid passive listening in their podcasts? – Students had to fill in missing words in passages and to stop the podcast and complete activities. Did the podcasts motivate students to learn their vocabulary? Improve science vocabulary? – Yes (76%) agreed that it motivated them. – 86% stated the podcast assisted in improved learning of vocabulary.

EXTENDED READINGS

McClain, K., et al. (2007). Podcasting with kids. Differentiating instruction digitally. Journal of Research Center for Educational Technology. Used podcasts for scaffolding and frontloading (vocabulary, key terms/ideas, and background knowledge) Used podcasts with 7-10 year old students diagnosed with specific learning disabilities, health impairments, autism and cognitive disabilities Student-generated podcasts for a weather unit

Findings Improved retention of information Writing skills/peer editing (development of podcast scripts) Collaboration Motivation Engagement Boosted self-esteem Motivation Was effective and innovative way to frontload new information for students and provide scaffold to support understanding and comprehension.

Borgia, L. (2010). Enhanced vocabulary podcasts implementation in fifth grade classrooms. Reading Improvement. What benefits can podcast provide for the teaching of reading? – Additional exposure to content, vocabulary According to Young & Bush (cited in the article), how should technologies like podcast be used in the classroom? – To supplement and enhance traditional literacy materials "Elementary students should experience many exposures to vocabulary in meaning contexts” (Cecil & Gipe, 2009). – The benefits of podcasts are the ability to provide additional exposure to content.

Dlott, A. M. (2007). A (Pod)cast of thousands. Educational Leadership. Used podcasts to support/improve students’ writing Students posted their podcasts on a blog. For Dlott the most important part of her students creating podcasts was the process. Believed that creating podcasts would motivate students to learn content and viewing podcasts on the blog would motivate them to write comments to their peers. Believed that podcast would help students develop 21 st century skills. They also improved students writing skills. For what kind of projects did students use podcasts? – Geography with writing (students had to sell the town they were assigned with descriptive language) – Digital tour of town – Collaborative creation of a poem with another elementary school