Even though the class is over, I am not done blogging!

This blog started as a class assignment in the Integrating Technologies into the Curriculum class. I enjoyed it immensely as I like to express myself through my writing. At least for a little while longer, I have decided to keep the blog up and contribute to it.

I was very pleased today to find out I was the recipient of the W.W. and Dorothy Lee Memorial Scholarship. I feel honored to be a part of a great institution where students are valued for hard work. Thank you.

Audio/Video Podcast: Pros and Cons for Adult Learners

I admit I never paid much attention to podcasts before this class. I have an iPhone and never even clicked on the “Podcasts” prior to last week. After reviewing the topics I found on there I am certainly going to find different things I find interesting to listen to, especially language ones.

I think audio/video podcasts (from here referred to as podcasts) are a great tool for both the learner and the educator. There are many pros regarding podcasts. The educator has the ability to post important information that the learner can review for tests or post a lecture that the learner can go back and listen to at his/her convenience (King & Cox, 2011). Podcasts are also very convenient and easy to access on a phone or mp3 player. The learner can listen at home or traveling on the go (King & Cox, 2011) basically anywhere now when before the listener had to be at a computer (Turner, Clark, & Dabbagh, 2011). They seem to be great for the student who is more of an auditory learner. Also, podcasts are easy to make and the educator can be as creative as he/she wishes to be. Another pro is that many colleges and universities post podcasts that one can have access to which would be a great learning tool for anyone interested in a topic. The listener would have the same information that a student at one of the colleges or universities would have (Sprague & Pixley, 2008) as part of an informal learning activity (Robinson & Ritzko, 2009).

As there are pros for the podcast, there are also cons. By using podcasts, educators may get away from the idea of facilitative learning and get more into idea of banking education in which the information is given to the learner (King & Cox, 2011). I think it is a great way though to supplement other technologies or explain things that students may have a difficult time grasping. Another con is that the educator has to be careful regarding copyright issues if he/she wishes to add music to the podcast. If music is used that cannot legally be used, it is on the same level as plagiarism (King & Cox, 2011).

I think I am going to make some podcasts as part of my training program. They would be super easy to make, especially for topics that I cannot find that have already been made. It would be easy too to make scenarios for the trainees to listen to. Additionally, the trainer and trainee could record different scenarios that can be used for future trainees. I think as a training tool, the uses of a podcast are limitless.

References:

King, K. & Cox, T. (2011). The professor’s guide to taming technology. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Robinson, S. & Ritzko, J. (2009). Podcasts in education: What, why and how? Proceedings of the Academy of Educational Leadership, 14(1).

Sprague, D. & Pixley, C. (2008). Podcasts in education: Let their voices be heard. Computers in the Schools, 25(3-4), 226-234.

Turner, J., Clark, K., & Dabbagh, N. (2011). Podcast use in higher education: From the traditional lecture to constructivist learning environments. International Journal of University Teaching and Faculty Development, 2(1).

Podcast-Interview with Edith Ramage, Pittsburg State University

I enjoyed making the podcast more than I thought I would. I wanted to try adding music to it but needed to be careful about not adding music illegally. After a Google search, I found www.freemusicarchive.org and figured out how to credit the musician after finding something I liked.  I did the voice recording in QuickTime Player, transferred to iTunes, and then transferred to iMovie where I completed the rest of the podcast.

I enjoyed talking to Edith. Unfortunately, she had been out of town all week and could not catch up with her until the end of the week.

References:

Lobo Loco (Schweizer-Gerth, W.). (2016). Wind Whispers Love BEG. On Waiting for YOU. Göppingen, Germany.