Podcasts!

I must admit that the idea of podcasts is somewhat foreign to me. I've heard of them, sure, but I've never listened to one, or searched the internet to find information on them. After doing the readings for this week's class, I was very interested in the potential they may have in the classroom, but also in my everyday life. The thought of downloading news to my ipod and listening to it at the gym (even if that does sound dull) has a certain level of appeal. I was raised in a family that watched the news every night on TV, while also reading the newspaper during commercials. The fact that I barely have time to check news updates on the internet during my hectic life makes me feel extremely guilty, but also inspired after hearing of the potential podcasts hold. After perusing around the Internet to find some podcasts that I would actually enjoy listening too, I found that searching them through iTunes was much more helpful. The first one that I found, Literacy 2.0: The New Frontier of Literacy in the Digital Age is hosted by The International Reading Association and Bam Radio, which have partnered to bring the latest insights from the new frontier of literacy in the Digital Age. This podcast discusses the role literacy as it has been affected by the new technological advances. This particular podcast incorporates the role of music as an introduction, and it composed in an interview format. Listening to it, I felt as though I was listening to a regular radio program, similar to NPR. Richardson (2010) warned that some podcasts will be a rough cut of material - with "ums" and "ahs" and pauses that may make the podcast seem less than smooth. This podcast however, incorporates seamless transitions between the interviewer and interviewee, quite possible because it is a very formal publication, as it is backed by the IRA.
In the classroom, one example that I was thinking about is if a student is absent for a few days. If teachers create podcasts of their lessons, or even podcasts of instructions and directions for a lesson or a unit, think of the time that could be saved when that student returned. In my own experience student teaching, I would have at least one student absent from every class, and the extra time and stress it took out to catch that student back up just put me even further behind with everything else. I know that it seems like a lot of work for a teacher at first, to record every single lesson or unit overview, but the days when 5 or 6 kids are absent because of band, or a field trip, it will be a great resource to use. In the same vein, if some students are working faster than others, creating podcasts of material can allow for a teacher to split the class and work with the lower level kids individually, while the more advances students listen to podcasts and work ahead. This follows the advice of Putman & Kingsley (2009), who believe "it is natural that educators, including those who focus on literacy, increasingly seek ways to intergrate various technological innovations, including digital media, into their instruction to reach this new generation of learners" (100-1).  Brilliant!
In addition to this idea, I think that podcasts (this one including) can work as a bridge between teachers and parents. Whether it is the students who are creating the material and talking about important topics, or if it is the teachers who are creating podcasts with the goal of communicating to parents and administrators the year long goals of the classroom, I think that this form of communication has the power to help change education for the better, mostly because everyone will be on the same "page" in terms of what is going on the classroom.