Blog Post 5

Eagle Nest Radio
     Before I looked at this page, I was unsure on what angle to approach the podcast my team and I did. The Eagle Nest Radio blog seemed to help. I learned that I did not necessarily need a video, that a picture would be sufficient, in addition to the voice over.
     I enjoyed listening to the podcasts done by the third graders. They eased my doubts. If a third grader could assemble a functioning, informative, entertaining podcast, there is no doubt that I, myself, could do the same. The sound effects that they included for the time travel was very impressive.

Langwitches
     I was amazed as to how many ways a podcast can be used for. I must admit, and maybe this made me technology illiterate, I did not visually see the entire picture when trying to understand what a podcast is. Before I read/heard this blog, I mentally connected "podcast" to "informative". Maybe it was because I have been trained to present information, for school assignments, rather than expressing entertainment. This blog painted the picture for podcast.
     How wonderful is it that we can use a simple podcast to connect with others across the world. We can inform them on a particular issue, bring entertainment, as the 1st grade class did with the "Flat Stanley" podcast, and just connect with a long distance relative. I may have been opposed to utilizing this tool to the fullest, in the future, but, thanks to Langwitches, I can assure you that I have jumped on the band wagon of podcasting!

100 Ways to Use Your Podcast to Learn and Study Better
     First off, "Who knew?" Sure, I knew a podcast was a published broadcast compatible with iPod. And as of recently, so recent I just posted on it (Langwitches-see above), I knew that children were creating podcasts as forms of entertainment, people were staying connected with distanced family members, and that you could share information. But, maybe I was being closed-minded, who knew that there are available podcasts, download-ready, to help someone learn?
     I think that having podcasts to teach a foreign language really helps the learner get "extra" exposure. They become accustomed to hearing the language. I knew you could do a podcast to inform someone about something, explain to them things they didn't grasp the first time they heard it, but I neglected to wrap my brain around using it as a constructive teaching tool. How cool would it be to teach your class something, record it simultaneously, turn that recording into a podcast and make it available to students who need to hear the lesson again? Now that is constructive teaching! Heck, people eager to learn, not necessarily students of yours, could open your podcast and learn pertinent information. Teaching should go beyond the classroom, first off. Second off, it should go beyond your students. Whether that be reaching out to those who are not your students, those people, who are not your students, reaching out to you (or your podcasts), or your students reaching out to a "third party". What ever the case may be, podcasts can only encourage self learning, assist their learning process, (in addition to your teachings,) and therefore, podcasts should be an adopted method of teaching!