Podcast Learning
If iPods are the new best friends of Norton Middle School students, then these new electronic gadgets are their teacher’s new instructional tools.
A music teacher helps students record their classroom activities to playback through their iPods or computers anytime. Amazingly, one of her class successfully blended their percussion rhythms with a recording of a concert and produced an entirely new sound.
An art teacher has an online art catalog of her students’ works for the whole world to see and admire.
A math teacher places uploads his lessons after class and students get excited to see his instructions online.
Norton Middle School (USA) teachers are embracing technology in their efforts to find ways to engage and inspire their students to learn.
Technology instructor Michael Kramer, through an inspiration from a guest speaker, started Norton’s podcast learning program. Beginning late last year, he applied for funds to purchase mp3 player and laptop, and then began placing new instructional materials into the Norton public schools web site. Whereas before the materials available are mostly text based, with the new technology, students can now download interactive, multimedia lessons on their computers or iPods.
The new technology provides a way for teachers to teach, help students outside of the classroom walls, beyond school hours in a truly engaging, entertaining fashion. And as Norton’s math instructor Eric Beard pointed out, “In my opinion, any teacher can create this in the classroom.”
Did you know?
Podcasting allows distribution of multimedia file over the Internet using syndication feeds. Downloaded or ‘streamed files’ from the Internet can be played on iPods, mobile devices, or personal computers.
Sources:
Knipper, Cathy Gilbertie. Town Online. “Podcast learning for NMS.” Retrieved February 01, 2007 from http://www.townonline.com/norton/homepage/8998962013635870719
Wikipedia. “What is a podcast?” Retrieved February 5, 2007 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast
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