Admittedly, like much technology, I was unimpressed with the
concept of podcasts until I hit page 36 (yes, I realize that’s like 3 pages
into the chapter). I like the concept of
a professor setting up lectures that students can access when they need help
with something. If the professor gets
similar questions throughout several terms, he or she could set up a pod cast
covering that topic. Sort of like a FAQ
page. This could be done school wide
instead of being tied to a specific course.
For example, a student taking a physics course may struggle
with a mathematical concept. That
student could look up the problem problem (ha-ha) and get a refresher on how to
complete that particular mathematical operation. The same podcast could be used to help a
student in an accounting course, research course, etc…
After reading through the information on podcasting, I came
to realize that it could be an extremely useful tool in an online or a
traditional course. For students in a
traditional course, they could have 24 hour access to the professor. I even think of my kids when they are doing
homework and can’t remember what the teacher said about a certain subject. It would be nice if we could go back and
listen together then I could help them through their homework.
Roy,
Hi Roy!
ReplyDeleteYour example of an instructor using podcasts as a sort of FAQ is one that I thought was good as well. It would require a lot of work at first, but just think of the library one could build! Great potential to minimize work!
You mention an example of being able to help your kids with homework if you could reference a video. Some teachers are going to "flipped" classrooms for just this reason. What if the student watched the lecture prior to class and then went to class to do the application exercise? They wouldn't have to comprehend the information only hear it the first time, and noting the difficult concepts. Then, the teacher can elaborate and offer opportunity to practice the concept in class. Here is more information on flipped classrooms and using screencasting if you are interested:
http://flippedclassroom.org
If you are not aware of the term screencast (I wasn't), I found this definition from wikipedia:
Screencasts can help demonstrate and teach the use of software features. Creating a screencast helps software developers show off their work. Educators may also use screencasts as another means of integrating technology into the curriculum. Students can record video and audio as they demonstrate the proper procedure to solve a problem on an interactive whiteboard.
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for the link Vianne! I recall some courses like this in my undergraduate studies. The only problem was that it seemed like only about 50% of the students actually watched the darn thing ahead of time. The professor was then forced to replay the video or whatever at the beginning of class. Hopefully things have advanced a bit further, or perhaps the professor just needs to omit anyone that doesn't attempt to participate. I see great value in a more proactive approach by students, such as this flipped class.
DeleteA lot of this tech, like the screen cast, sounds like it could be great for online learning. I love the idea of a flipped classroom, but I would argue that it is not much different than telling your students to read the chapter prior to class. Not saying that it is a bad thing, but your students would have to be self-motivated for it to work. Regardless, I think I would have liked that option when I was in a traditional classroom.
DeleteRoy,
Greetings, Roy and Vianne. Interesting discussion. Just by the thoughts and ideas that have been presented in this blog, alone, one can only imagine the immense amount of technology this is "out there" and even yet to come.
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful that I have been involved in the EDACE program as an “older” parent and adult learner; the insight and experience that this curriculum has provided me is priceless. I can now relate to technology, both the need for, and the tendency for “overload”, more than I ever could have prior to this educational encounter...Not to mention the “cool” factor regarding my children! Definitely even more priceless!
As we look to the future of technology, like both Roy and Vianne mentioned, concepts and tools such as http://flippedclassroom.org , podcasts asynchronous learning is more and more likely to become the norm vs. the exception. With the knowledge and reality of our global learning environment, the educators of tomorrow, along with the current educators of today, must be open to the fact the needs of learner of the 21st century [and beyond] are more “learner centered” than ever before. King and Cox (2009) state “…we call for educators to accept the challenge and meet the needs of 21st-century students, not only using evolving technologies to make learning more interactive and efficient, but also preparing students for work with the 21st-century workplace, a workplace that demands collaboration and technological savvy” (p. 268).
The reality is “the times are a changing” and we as educators and learners need to be aware and as open minded as possible to the engagement that technology offers on several different levels; in the home, in the classroom (virtual and physical), in the workplace and in the global marketplace of the future. However, as mentioned in a few of my other postings, I believe it is critical, as current and future educators that we not lose the personal touch with our learners; whether it is virtual or face-to-face.
Thanks for sharing!
All good things…
Alici
You've brought up some great positive aspects of audio/video tools in the both the online and offline classrooms Roy. What do you see in the way of negatives though?
ReplyDeleteI heard something yesterday about a county in Iowa that is attempting to re-think the school week for their K-12 schools. I've posted a link below that briefly walks though the plan to have Mon-Thurs required, while making Friday optional as a sort of "review" or "additional help" day for students that want or need it. This plays somewhat into your idea of posting information for students to use a refresher or FAQ. This obviously doesn't have as wide of a scope of helping, but for the students that prefer one-n-one time, it would be great. Let's see if it actually gets approved though.
http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/WACO-Planning-Four-Day-School-Week-172771201.html
J,
DeleteThe biggest drawback that I see to this technology is over dependency on the part of the teacher; expecting kids to teach themselves from the videos. After my interview for this week’s assignments, I asked the teacher about technology in the classroom. She stated that she felt it was a good thing, but is scared because she has seen younger teachers who don’t know what to do when the tech doesn't work.
At a recent church conference, one of the speakers stated that with Internet usage a lot of people were ‘of’ the world, but not really ‘in’ it. I think this tech is a good thing in general, but I do worry that we are moving to a point where kids are getting too little human interaction. An example would include online high schools. I recently read a study that with all of the online interaction, people tend to feel lonelier.
Roy,