Week 9 – Podcasts, Videos & Downloadable Audio

To teach is to learn twice over. - Joseph Joubert

By now, everyone knows YouTube and its subsidiaries (e.g. TeacherTube, even FarsiTube, which my daughters love!). I’ve enjoyed the entertainment aspect for years. I used to not consider using web-based videos as a classroom resource, since most sites are blocked by LAUSD. For other sites, streaming videos were subject to the Internet working, or working too slow. However, once I figured out how to convert files, they are now a staple in my curriculum. Just today, I had a scheduled author visit, who wanted to show a video she had made as part of her presentation. Although I had offered to prepare anything she needed for her presentation, she didn’t tell me she needed access to YouTube until she arrived at our school (with her camera crew – more on that later). All efforts failed to circumvent the block so she rescheduled for another day. Of course I had to use Plan B for the classes I had scheduled! Point – videos are a vital aspect to engaging students. It takes planning and preparation to streamline their use.

In undergraduate school, I had the opportunity to work in college radio (MIT’s WMBR) as an engineer (11pm – 3am shift). I had obtained my third and second class engineer’s license. If I had stayed in Massachusetts, I would have gone on for my first class license and probably made it a career. Point – this exercise allowed me to think about the progression of digital media over 20+ years. With podcasts, anyone can become an “air personality”. It’s an effective communication tool for those who prefer to be “off camera”. I linked a podcast for educators to my Blog since teachers are following.

I first used audio books as a parent and found them a wonderful resource. With my first iPod, I started importing books on CD. Having been an ELL teacher most of my teaching career, I am an advocate of audio books for language learners, struggling readers and those with time constraints. And I certainly welcome tips on resources for free e-books. I hope future funding allows us to purchase and use them more.