How Can Podcasts Be Used In Education?
New technology is remarkable not only for how it allows us to do new things, but also for how it allows us to refine the ways in which we do old things, making them easier and better for all involved. Podcasts are opening up a new way to share and distribute information over the web and as this technology grows so do the uses for it.
One of the newest venues for Podcasts is in the education arena. Since Podcasts share information and ideas, why not put it to an educational use by sharing school related content? School age children spend countless hours behind the computer monitor so it only makes sense to appeal to them on a level that they are familiar and comfortable with. Podcasts and education are a team with limitless possibilities.
Already, some schools are using Podcasts as a way to deliver important lectures to absent students and as a way to review that day’s lessons. Students will be able to log onto the school’s website and download the Podcasts of that day’s lesson and will not have to worry about being behind any longer. This is of great use to children who need to take an extended absence from school due to serious illness or other circumstances where they are unable to attend for a great length of time. This same use can be utilized by parents who home school their children as a way to bring variety to the lesson plan.
It’s been seen that the major benefit here might be one of familiarity. Because the current generation of schoolchildren is the most tech-savvy that we’ve ever seen, they’re no longer intimidated by the need to use electronic equipment such as a computer. Instead, they find it natural to do so. It’s print and paper handouts that seem to alienate them, if anything! Therefore, a real argument can be made that information disseminated to students digitally is likely to be retained more easily, at least by the majority of the students, as they won’t be distracted by the way the information is presented.
Podcasting for educational purposes is a great way to help students who may have problems with reading and for multi-lingual students. Podcasts can also be used by the students to share music and stories that they created with other school districts. Inter-school activities such as sports tournaments or academic contests can be coordinated much more easily, and foster both a healthy competitive spirit, as well as a diminished sense of isolationism that seems to be imparted by never branching out beyond the walls of one’s own school.
Podcasting and educational are great allies with boundless opportunities that will help students, parents, and even teachers reach their potential.