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Podcasts lurk on the horizon |
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Tuesday, 21 October 2008 |
By ANGELA WEAVER
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — Classroom technology may soon be getting an update, as St. Marys City Schools teachers are venturing into new learning processes.
Approximately 20 St. Marys teachers met Monday morning in the McBroom library as part of a podcasting workshop led by Karen Fasimpaur, president of K12handhelds.com. The teachers ranged from third grade to high school teachers.
“Teachers can look at creating lessons online, for instance if a kid is sick and misses a day of school,” St. Marys City Schools Technology Coordinator Kyle Menchhofer said.
Menchhofer said he hopes to be able to upload the podcasts to the school server in the future, but the teachers could save the podcasts they developed on Fasimpaur’s Web site, too.
During the 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. workshop, the teachers were equipped with a headset, music clip CD and instruction packet to help them along, as they used the Audacity program to make an audio podcast in the morning and Windows Movie Maker to make a video podcast with a Flip Video in the afternoon.
“I work with schools on using mobile technology, whether it be with podcasting, handheld computers or laptops,” Fasimpaur, who traveled from Long Beach, Calif., to St. Marys, said. “I’ve given workshops across the country with teachers and in the classroom. I also do a lot of professional development training.”
Fasimpaur began the presentation by giving examples of what teachers have done in the past with podcasts and the teachers brainstormed ideas that they could use in their classrooms.
“They can be used as introductions to homework assignments or as homework assignments,” Fasimpaur said. “Or they could be steps in a math problem. Different kids can have different projects, and it’s useful to reach kids who are on different learning levels.”
Fasimpaur said the podcasts are also useful as a communication tool to get information to parents.
‘It’s a lot more than your basic newsletter,” she said.
The group could also add music that Fasimpaur provided to their podcasts, but could not use their own music because they don’t own the rights to the songs.
McBroom Language Arts and Reading teacher Polly Ruedebusch made a vocabulary podcast, while West Elementary third grade teacher Jenny Van Gundy advocated the use of Smart Boards in classrooms.
West Elementary fourth grade math teachers Sam Hinker and Scott Newcomb made an audio podcast that would help introduce PDAs to their students.
“It’s an audio lesson to help them get familiar with it,” Hinker said. “They can type, journal and do flashcards.”
Students can also access Excel spreadsheets and helpful links on the textbook company’s Web site.
“It’s another way of reaching kids,” Hinker said. “Instead of having to hear us all the time, they’ll be getting information from another source. They’re really excited about using them.”
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 October 2008 )
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