Podcasting: successful educational tool

     

The word podcast derived from 2 words: iPod and broadcasting. As far as I could figure out from readings podcast is a type of Web 2.0 tool that includes video and audio files one can subscribe to. The “evolution” of podcasts started from 2004 and is dramatically increasing.

The readings proved that podcasts are a successful tool in education. The US colleges and universities have started to use podcasts for educational purposes. However, there are certain guidelines that need to be followed. Firstly, podcasts should be short and concise as the long ones will bore the listeners, secondly, they should be relevant to the course content and finally, they should not limit imagination or creativity.

I think one of the advantages of podcasts in learning environment was that it allowed students to have access to course materials 24 hours a day and they could download them easily and listen whenever they wanted. Even if students missed the classes they could listen to podcasts and catch up with the rest of the class. One major thread here was that the students would miss the classes but the opposite happened as students became more enthusiastic and interested in attending the classes so that they could take part in discussions and share their own experiences. Overall, learning via podcasting made students more enthusiastic, creative and ready to learn something new. Students could communicate with the course materials and offer their own interpretations on the topics discussed.

Thus, one of the articles talked about the main features of podcasting. One of them was learner choice and flexibility that podcasts offer. For instance, students could listen to a particular podcast several times whenever it was convenient for them. Another feature was to get the tacit knowledge of peers through various discussions. Tacit knowledge was the knowledge that one possessed through his experience or actions. Finally, the third feature was the sense of informality or friendly atmosphere that podcasts brought to academic learning.

A couple of years ago a research was carried out on the benefits of podcasting in undergraduate degree. The results showed that students were mainly positive about learning via podcasting and they improved their learning skills by engaging with listening materials and actively participating in exchange of ideas.

Moreover, podcasts focus on improving oral and aural skills of students both in classroom and outside the learning environment. Podcasting is some kind of “extension” of distance education as it could be implemented out of campus and students could listen to professors’ lectures and respond to these lectures by creating their own podcasts.

To sum up, podcasting has moved academic learning into the next level. It includes the following steps:

·         easy to access- can be easily downloaded and put in one’s iPod or mp3 player

·         access to course content and students can revise the materials before the exam

·         free of charge

·         interactive

·         includes a synthesis of different kinds of sources

·         stimulates creativity for real audience

·         connects informality to formal learning

·         students can be engaged in authentic activities

Weblogs in Schools and Blogs in Language learning

The term blog was introduced to public in 1997. Nowadays blogs are very popular and are used for various purposes. There are different types of blogs: personal, educational, etc. However, this post focuses on the role of blogs in education, mainly in language learning.

According to Will Richardson blogging is a specific genre of writing where one can link his/her ideas. He also talks about blogs as tools that help children become network creators and network learners. Likewise, blogs develop creativity as they are a place where each person can be reflective, problem-solving and do critical thinking. Blogs are very interactive as they allow us to communicate with others, share ideas and learn new things. Will Richardson recommends us to start from reading different sources. He brings various examples where children have used blogs and their writing as well as reading skills improved. Moreover, children are more enthusiastic about blogging as they create content not only for teachers but for real audience. Blogs foster collaboration as children start working together as blogging is a communication and networking.

Thus, blogs as tools can be used safely when clear instructions and clear goals are set on how to use blogs at school environment. I agree with him that one way to develop blog writing at schools is to start negotiating with parents and then with administrators as they are the key to a change in classrooms.

Speaking of role of blogging in language learning it is worth mentioning that blogs are easily integrated into language learning environment. If they are used properly they can serve as tools for successful learning. Blog writing gives the learners opportunities to develop their language learning strategies.

I would like to introduce blogging to my EFL classes as they are very strong tools of language learning. Firstly, parents should be informed about benefits of blogging and their worldwide use at schools abroad. Secondly, there should be access to technology at classrooms where I teach (unfortunately, EEC does not provide access to technology. Often times it is not so easy to conduct listening). In terms of assignments the starting point would be to make students write small essays and read other blogs.

What does it mean that the world is flat according to Thomas Friedman? What are some of those flatteners? What kinds of implications does this idea have for teaching and learning?

According to Thomas Friedman world is flat because technologies, habits and people converge. Besides, people work together and can collaborate.  He also mentions that the flattening of world has already happened in Russia, India and China. He says that there are three globalizations: globalization 1.0, that is, globalization through countries, globalization 2.0, that is, globalization through companies and globalization 3.0, that is, globalization through individuals.

Thomas Friedman talks about 10 flatteners and all these flatteners work together and that is why world is flat:

• the fall of Berlin wall which opened many windows
• Netscape went public-it gave internet to the world- people easily connect to other people
• Work flow (software)- people connect through applications
• Outsourcing
• Off shoring
• Open sourcing
• Supply chaining
• UPS
• Informing-collaborating with data
• Steroids-wi-fi

He also mentions things that converge. For instance, we should horizontalize ourselves, that is, change our habits in order to collaborate differently with others and to successfully interact with each other. His ideas can refer to teaching and learning in a way that teaching is also collaboration: with materials, students, other teachers, parents and the whole system under the term “teaching”.

Sugatra Mitra’s talk was rather interesting as he talked about primary education in remote areas. His findings showed that the remoter area was the worse the results were. His experiment proved that primary education could happen on its own. Besides, if they had access to the Internet, they could learn anything. It was pretty interesting that children were rather self-organized and worked well in groups. The most surprising fact was that they did not need a single teacher or instructor. They needed only a good computer and access to the Internet.

Digital youth portraits: What struck you most in these stories? What do these stories teach you? What do they mean for you as a TEFL professional in Armenia?

I am absolutely fascinated by all six stories I have heard. I know that the 21^stcentury is the century of technologies and that it is developing pretty fast but I did not know that it is ‘running’. I am struck by the fact that these children use technology so wisely and they can be a big change in this world. The story of Cameron struck me most because he was 11 but he was a computer genius for me. He was creating so many fascinating things, like i-movies, rewinding and many other things that I had never heard before. He was so creative and so talented for his age.  The story of Dylan was also impressive as he created a website that told people to be aware of violence against animals.

These stories teach me that technologies can help children to be more creative, problem-solving and actually do things that will help our planet to become a better place. Before I thought that children used technologies to play all kinds of computer games and spend their time in front of technologies. These stories prove that children can develop creativity with their help. Parents simply need to allow them to merge into the world of technologies.

As a TEFL professional in Armenia I realize that technology is a tool that opens a variety opportunities for EFL/ESL learners. One can learn a language online with the help of variety of resources, materials, forums, conferences. Besides, nowadays the language can be taught interactively and with great pleasure as compared to times when we did not have a computer or a cell phone. A year ago TUMO center was opened in Armenia; Yerevan. It is a place equipped with up-to –date digital technology and staffed by educators and media professionals where children aged 12-18 can attend classes on how to use technologies with purpose for free.

I also realize that in order to be a professional in TEFL I need to be “digitally” informed and prepared to satisfy the needs of 21^st century learners.