Blog Fore

100 Ways to Use your iPod to Learn and Study Better
It is often that you hear about interesting applications and new resources available through Apple, iTunes, and etc., but how are you supposed to remember them? Also, I think this website is helpful in the sense that it has similar programs to the one you know about. These may be even more useful than the program you had been using and can connect you to more people and ideas. I learned kind of what iTunesU is, which sounds very useful. I think I will be able to use it prominently for the pursuit of knowledge, just for the sake of knowing. You know? Especially Number 24, The Philosophy Talk. I also think that Number 22, The Education Podcast Network will be extremely useful once I get into a classroom setting just because it is such a large collaboration from and for educators in all areas.

Langwitches
This is a blog by a teacher who "has worked as a World Language teacher, Technology Integration Facilitator and 21st Century Learning Specialist." Therefore, it would be no surprise that the main areas of her blog include information on podcasting with classes in her school, articles and resources on 21st Century Learning (mainly focusing on new, useful technologies in the classroom), and Global Education (working to connect children and educators around the globe through ideas and articles). Of the many "podcasting" blog posts I read through, I thought the most recent, "1st Graders Create Their Own Read-Along Audiobook" because this is around the age range I would like to teach. I really like her idea to have her class read a book (this happens to be about one of the Magic Treehouse Books- which I have always been in love with), then creating a podcast of an interview to educate other students in the class (and whoever else!) about the book.

Before, I could not think of any ways podcasting could be relevant to such a young age of students, but the enthusiasm of the kids and teacher were very apparent in her post. I think using an idea similar to this could have a major impact in many areas of the classroom, some including communication skills, getting the kids interested in literature by providing almost an incentive to read (why do kids love technology like this so much?), and improving literacy. All important skills that can be improved through technology, but used in the real world (outside of this "technology age," being "technologically literate," and the idea you can be whoever/do whatever you want as long as you're behind a computer screen. Vomit.)



Podcast Collections
I really liked this resource because 1. it is short and 2. because she did it using Curriki, which is something new, but interesting to me! The part of her project(?) I found most useful was the document on the
"Benefits of Podcasting in Education."
• It’s a cool way to have interactive communication
• Education can be advanced beyond the classroom
• Parents can download students’ work
• Available 24/7
• Students can make up missed classes
• Appeals to auditory learners
• Portable learning
• Students can enhance their communication skills

The points I think are most applicable to my future goals as a teacher are that parents can download their student's work and the appeal to auditory learners. I know when I was growing up, my mom always wanted to know what and how I was doing in every.single.class in school. Through podcasts, parents can actually be brought into the classroom teachings and the outcomes of the students' creativity and problem solving. Although I have been blessed with the ability to be able to easily learn in a variety of ways, it always frustrates me that some teachers do not even try to reach all types of learners. Podcasting is an easy way for students to learn not only by listening, but seeing, too, using the steps to lay out scripts and programs to put the podcast together.