Reflection on Digital Audio & Podcasts

Reflection on Podcasting

My previous reflection of Podcasting is in the previous link on my Wiki.
http://danielletrewin.cquniversityschoolofeducation.wikispaces.net/Reflection+on+Podcasting

The following is a SWOT analysis of the use of Podcasting.

Here is my SWOT analysis:

Strengths

• · Really simple and easy to use technology.
• · Lots of kids have iPods or MP3 players so would be a useful tool for homework or to present readings. Kids could listen to them in the playground or on the bus on the way home.
• · Gives children another tool for presenting and receiving information.
• · Suits students with verbal/linguistic intelligence and learning preferences.
• • Allows education to be more portable then before.
• • Good for specific language training especially for hearing and rehearsing the pronunciation of words.
• • Learners choose where and when they wish to listen to content.
• • Socially acceptable for learner to study without the stigma being attached to studying around others that may not wish to engage with their studies.
• • Great for recording interviews with professionals and playing back to large and distributed audiences.

Opportunities

 

• · Easy technology to navigate, simple and cost effective.
• · Easy to upload and NOT time consuming.
• · Caters to a diverse range of students, those that prefer to listen than to read.
• · Languages seem appropriate considering you have to HEAR how the words sound.
• · Creates a unique opportunity for kids to verbalise what they see rather than relying on pictures. Describing a painting for example or describing what the characteristics of a rainforest or reef are.
• · Opens up the whole wide world to a student sitting in a classroom. They can relive important events, visit places they might never be able to go such as the African Savannah or the Arctic and it can also allow them to “see” things in a verbal way such as a tour around the National Art Gallery.
• • Flexible learning - Enables students to catch up on lectures that they may have missed.
• • Learner can choose how many times they wish to engage with the audio learning content making it good for consolidation purposes.
• • Audience could participate in walk through actions similar to the audio self guides used in museums or places of special interest.
• • Combining podcasting tracks with either pictures or videoing facilities.

Weaknesses

• · Technology may fail you at a crucial time.
• · Visual students might struggle with a purely aural method of content delivery.
• · Time – learning to use the technology and how to upload it can be a problem
• • Podcasts are not designed for two way conversation or interaction.
• • Limited usefulness for people with hearing impairments.
• • Quality of the speakers voice needs to be engaging.
• • Quality of recording equipment must produce audio content with minimal interferences or distractions ie feedback, buzzing or background noises.

Threats

• · Copyright
• · Inappropriate content that can be accessed online.
• • Lack of attention in the lecture hall, some students may opt to listen to podcasts of other lessons in the lecture theatre.
• • If recording group sessions, do we need to obtain everyone’s consent to publish audio content in the public domain?

Ideas for Use in the Classroom

• · Language classes, very helpful for subjects where you need to hear the words.
• · Podcasting to other schools around the world. Exchange of information.
• · Creating an opportunity for kids to explain something verbally then present it. Encourages students to think outside the square.
• · Students can access professional podcasts on a range of topics…the list is endless.
• · Students could podcast about a school excursion. It could become a collaborative project involving interviews with other students and experts on the day. Other students who were unable to attend could still feel like they participated through listening to the podcast. Creates a valuable resource for future students learning about the same topic, and of course, encourages creation, collaboration and engagement with ICT’s.