Journeying With Podcasts

I found it amazing that The New Oxford American Dictionary chose “podcast” as its 2005 Word of the Year over words such as “bird flu,” “sudoku,” “rootkit,” and “lifehack.” Podcasting has become a way to share information.  It is a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player.   Many podcasts contain music, voice, sounds, video or photos.  To access podcasts you can download it from a website or subscribe to a podcast series. When you log onto the Internet, the software downloads newly posted podcasts to which you’ve subscribed. To listen, you can use devices that play digital audio files on your computer such as Windows Media Player, iTunes, or QuickTime.  You can also listen on MP3 players like the iPod of the Sony Psyc.  The new files wait on your computer or MP3 player until you’re ready to listen.  Many like podcasts because of its immediacy.  This medium allows you to choose what you want to hear, when you want to hear it, and how you want everyone else to listen to it.

Podcasts are something I really want to use in the future with the library program. I think before you begin implementing, you must ask are podcasts the best format for the learner task; does it support learner goals; and how will it enhance student learning.  Many teachers on the primary grade levels at my school are implementing podcasts within instruction.  Many use the podcasts to help students build fluency by recording a reading passage and timing themselves.  Students reread the passage until satisfactory fluency is accomplished.  Teachers and students also keep a reading log of their passages as well as reading rates.  I think it would also be a good idea if teachers (or librarians) used podcasts for readers' theater.  Not only will it improve fluency, but students can edit the audio by adding sound effects and varying the voice levels in order to produce more professional broadcasts.

I like that podcasts are portable. They can be played on MP3 players which is a huge benefit.  I was thinking of creating a walking library-orientation podcast for students to carry around on an MP3 player, following instructions as they learn about different areas and resources within the library.  This would be especially helpful for students who enter the school late in the year or for teachers and staff new to the school.  The podcasts could also be used for promoting the library program, books, and literacy events and projects that occur throughout the year.