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Teacher Training Through Podcasts

Use Web 2.0 Technology for Continuing Education

Sep 24, 2008 Tammy Andrew

Podcasts can be a convenient way to learn from other educators. It can also be a useful way to share teaching experiences and classroom activity ideas.

A podcast is a Web 2.0 technology that promotes the sharing of user created audio or video files. These are then posted on a feed site on the Internet and can be downloaded or streamed on personal media players, such as the iPod, or on a computer. The convenience of listening or watching at anytime, being able to subscribe to syndicated podcasts and sharing knowledge and experiences with others makes podcasts an ideal teacher training format.

Learning Using Podcasts

Teachers frequently look for convenient and immediately useful ways to improve their teaching and knowledge. Unfortunately, many workshop settings are during school hours. The ones held in the afternoons happen after a full day of teaching, which can be limiting to how much information is comprehended and retained.

Podcasts allow teachers to learn when convenient. They can be played in the car, on a portable listening device, at home or even during preparation time at school. They also can be played repeatedly, and teachers can subscribe to the syndicated feeds of popular providers.

The variety of podcasts allows teachers to find what they need for training materials. Sites such as National Public Radio (NPR) offer podcasts of current newscasts and specific stories that are suitable for playing as part of a lesson. Others, such as iTunes, have a large selection of eclectic topics but need closer scrutiny before determining if they are usable in class or for personal learning. There are also sites like The Teacher’s Podcast that provide educator created podcasts for teacher’s professional development.

Sharing Teacher Recordings

An important part to podcast is that others are willing to share their recordings. Teacher’s who have professional ideas to share, from classroom lessons to professional strategies, can record these in a radio broadcast format. A basic recording can be created with a computer, microphone, speakers and software with which to make the recording. More complex recordings, such as one using background music or an interview with another person, would require specialized recorders or mixers to balance the sound inputs.

Once created, the recording can be uploaded to a podcast sharing site. These sites then make the recording available to visitors.

The creation of the podcast itself and learning to download and use podcasts is professional development. It involves learning how to use technology in a new way for educational purposes. This new knowledge can then be used to bring podcast listening and creation into the classroom for students to use as a learning activity, whether learning about using technology or creating a broadcast to demonstrate knowledge about a specific topic.

The copyright of the article Teacher Training Through Podcasts in Teacher Tips/Training is owned by Tammy Andrew. Permission to republish Teacher Training Through Podcasts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Recording Podcasts