Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Podcasting

I learned quite a bit on podcasting for this week's lesson.  I never thought of video on demand, digital video recorders, and other instant media forums to be considered "podcasts."  I just seen youtube as a video website and an MP3 Player was just a new modern music player with the option to download movies, books, and music.  I now realize all these new-fangled things with different names are all commonly under one idea...podcast.  The paraphrased definition of podcasting is to record either media, voice, music, etc. and display it through the use of various media objects using the Internet, a computer, and a recording device.  Television shows can be watched when convenient.  Music, lectures, books, and videos can be heard through an ipod whenever demanded.  With podcasting, it allows us to have more ways to accomplish things at a convenient time in our busy lives.  I am an All-Level Special Education major. So, if I were to use podcasting with secondary level students I would probably implement it as a podcast of my lectures for MP3 Players or computers as a second option for after school homework.  For my younger grades, I could use podcasting  to show videos to watch on computer during an appropriate class lesson when it calls for it.  I think as soon as I have the opportunity to implement podcasting in the classroom, I will discover more ideas to using it.
Podcast is similar to the other Web 2.0 tools we have used so far because both have to have access to the Internet and have to a form of technology to expedite them.  However,  podcasts cover a wide range of technology and Web 2.0 is more created and stabilized through computer technology only.  I have witnessed Voicethreads, Wiki, and other Web 2.0 tools to be mainly used in education, and business environments; but I have also noticed podcasting to be part of a bigger part of daily lives for a much bigger audience.  I think increasing the work on combining the use of podcasting with web 2.0 would not only benefit the world of technology, but a world full of digital natives and learners as well.
I personally own an Ipod and I use it mostly for music; even though I can use it for much more.
I could use it in my classroom in a few ways.  I could allow those who aren't digitally priveleged at home to use it.  I can also use it as a sample tool in explaining and demonstrating how podcasting can work though an MP3 player.  I can use it as a reward incentive for those who have earned it.  Computer time is a big hit for positive reinforcement, so I feel an MP3 player could be also.  (I would of course have to delete all the music and add only school approved material on the player for the students.)  These are just a few of the many ways the MP3 player can be used.  As far as the advantages of using online tools, I think they are wonderful when it comes to sharing moments with others when they cannot be present such as those in the military or family/friends in another area.  However, there is such thing as too much technology. They can cause a separation in reality when it comes to the communication of other people.  I had to add a no cell phone rule at the dinner table because everyone was either trying to text, watch youtube, or play games on their phone.  I also notice the thing for dating nowadays is for students to exchange their numbers and communicate through texting on everything.  Technology can either allow the opportunity to make things more personal (such as Skype) or it can be overused all cause the ability for things to become less personal.  There is a fine line between the two and it's up to use to divert the difference.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Web 2.0

I found the web 2.0 tools that we learned this week in class to be very interesting.  I now know the difference between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, amongst other things.  I never even knew that there was a Web 2.0.  I just thought it was the internet.  I also never noticed that the interenet was actually "changing."  I just though the  people in the world were becomming more tech savvy.  The first thing that hit me was, "  Facebook is a combination of Web 2.0."  I just started using a website called pinterest.com and it is a form of social bookmarking.  I had no idea until this lesson.  I hadn't even heard of some of these tools until now.  I guess I took for granted the things I see everyday though technology.  I checked out one of the websites given to see how voice thread can be used in education and I thought it was awesome!  It was the one about the women of the world and it was neat how they had the kids read the history of each one of the women represented.  I think this would be a great thing to do with  reading curriculum.  You could have kids create their own active reading story book by using the voice thread.  It is educational, entertaining, creative, and fun for the students and the classroom audience.  I am glad I have the privledge to learn all these great new things, and I can't wait to get the opportunity to try  them in my classroom.  I am finally crawling out of the cave of techno-illiteracy and walking into the world of digital natives!