EDM Podcasts

The first podcast I listened to was Facebook: It's in class! But can it be useful in class? I listened to this one because this is close to the topic that my group was assigned. The first thing I noticed were the uh and ums. I could also hear them laughing when they messed up. I could hear what sounded like papers moving in the background which was a little distracting. I did like that they joked about facebook and made it a little more personal. The next one I listened to was titled How Technology is used in the College of Education. I thought they started off great but I could tell that they were probably reading the information straight from the paper. They gave examples of how to use technology which was nice.

The next podacst I listened to was about Burpback Education. While listening to this one I had to turn the volume up very high to hear what was being said. They started off loud but trailed off towards the end of their sentences. I liked that they talked about why they wanted to teach the certain grade levels that they chose. I liked that they also gave examples of burpback education and how to avoid them. However, they talked very fast so it was hard to catch everything that was being said. The last podcast I listened to was What I learned from Randy Pausch's Last Lecture. This was one of the podcasts done in our class so I had to turn the volume up to the max to hear it, but that could not be helped. I like how they started the podcast but they also spoke very fast.

I was unable to listen to my podcast because it said error every time I clicked on it. I would say that after I listened to others I would have done ours a little differently. We were reading directly from the paper also so I'm sure that people could tell. Other than that I think all the podcasts were pretty good, especially since this was the first time for most of us. I think with a little more practice we can all make great podcasts. This assignment was a great start and we can only learn from our mistakes.

My Conversation with Mr. C!

For this assignment I was able to contact Mr. C’s fifth grade class located in Noel, Missouri. I think his blog is pretty much amazing, especially since this is the second time I have written about it! I asked him a few questions about using blogs in the classroom and his response was much more than I expected! I am sure everyone else will love it too, so check it out! I have posted our conversation and the link to his answers below.

Samantha said...

Mr. C,

I absolutely love your classroom blog! I am a junior at the University of South Alabama majoring in Social Science Education. I am doing a project that requires me to make an electronic contact with a teacher from another state. If you don't mind I would love to ask you a few questions about your blog!

Samantha Mason

Wm Chamberlain said...

Of course I am willing to answer your questions. You can leave them on the blog, or you can email me at wmchamberlain@gmail.com.

Sam said...

Thanks so much!

I was just wondering what it is like to use a blog in the classroom? How do your students use it? Do your students like having a class blog? What made you decide to create a class blog? Are their parents able to check the blog? In what ways do you think your class benefits from having this kind of technology in the classroom?

Thanks Again!
Samantha Mason

Wm Chamberlain said...

I turned your questions into a blog post. If what I did doesn't work, let me know.

http://mrcsclassblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/answers-to-ms-mason-questions-my.html

Mr. C

Sam said...

I want to thank you and your class so much! The information was great and the way you chose to answer the questions was awesome! I plan to use this type of technology in my future classroom as well and I think your blog will be an excellent building block!

Thanks Again!
Samantha Mason

Maine Podcasts

For this assignment I was asked to listen to two podcasts. Both podcasts were made by the Maine Department of Education and the woman talking in them is Judy Chandler. The first podcast is titled Mathematics with Technology. Some teachers erase technology from their math classrooms for many reasons such as not enough time, need to get to the end of the book, or they just do not believe in it. However, technology is essential in students learning math. Technology was actually included as one of the six critical principals in having a quality math education. Their are many tools in technology that engage students.

The second podcast is titled Thinking Mathematically. In most math settings they learn example by example in the text book. Some students are unable to learn by this. They can memorize formulas but they still may not know how to use them. Mathematics takes thinking. I believe technology can be an outstanding way for kids to connect with math. I was always horrible in math. I hated going to class, doing the work that I did not understand, and no matter how many times the teacher showed me how to do the equation I still never fully understood it. I wish my teachers would have used some sort of technology in my math classes. Maybe I could have made a better connection than I did using the examples in the book.

Stanford Podcast

I recently watched a video podcast made by Stanford University. The podcast was titled "Growth" vs "Fixed" Mindsets in Learning. At first there was some debate over each mindset, then they decided to teach children the growth mindset in an educational setting. The first half of the students went through an eight session workshop studying work skills and personality skills. The second half of the students only received study skills. They said the study skills were great and they thought they would be motivating, but the end result was not good what so ever. This was because they had no personal motivation to put their studies into practice.

The group of students with work skills and personality skills did exceptionally well. They were taught with the Growth mindset method. "Your brain is like a muscle, it gets stronger when it is used." Their connections increased over time and their intellectual skills grew as well. They are now doing research to see if race car drivers can benefit from the growth mindset.

I believe this type of growth mindset needs to be used in every classroom. A student can be taught anything, but they will not learn it unless they can use it themselves and see it in practice. It is completely true that your brain gets stronger if you use it. I want my students to understand this.

Video Podcasts

For this assignment I was asked to watch video podcasts on iTunes. The video podcast that I found to watch was titled Super Why Episode 102 - Hansel and Gretel by PBS Kids. In this episode they talk about reading. Cartoon characters are used and are designed to attract young elementary level children. There is a main character named Wyatt and he travels through a bookcase to find different activities to do. He goes on picnics with his friends who are different fairytale characters.

Wyatt calls super readers when there is a problem and they meet in the book club. I can see where a type of video podcast like this can be useful in the classroom. This type of video can be very interesting to elementary age children. It is full of bright colors and allows the child to become a part of the video. The characters talk to the viewer, not just among themselves. I think this video is a great way to help children with reading.

iTunes Podcasts

This was my first time actually exploring what else is on iTunes besides music. I found the podcasts to be pretty interesting, some more than others. The first podcast I listened to was the smart board lesson. This podcast was about how smart boards can be incorporated into the classroom, and the different things teachers can do with smart boards. I can actually relate to this podcast because in eighth grade my classroom had a smart board. We all thought it was really cool that our teacher was teaching us using the smart board. We had fun with it in the classroom and it gave us a new, fun way to learn. Of course our smart board was nothing like they are today. Students can now listen to podcasts via the smart board. They are able to stop, rewind, and pause the material as needed. The students also seem to be more engaged in their learning when they get to use this kind of technology.

The second podcast I listened to was Kidcast. In this podcast I learned about ways to keep students active while listening to podcasts. Some of the tips included creating an outline for students to follow, and having some sort of question or quiz at the end of the podcast. I think this is a great idea because if students are only listening to a podcast their minds can wonder away from the information. If they have a reason to stay on task, such as a quiz after, it makes it easier for them to pay attention. I know this would work for me now.

The last podcasts helped me to better understand how to create effective podcasts. Each of the podcasts focused on technology and how to use things such as facebook, blogs, computer applications, etc. in your podcasts. I think that podcasts can be very effective in the classroom. I also believe that if they are conducted in the right ways that the students can gain much needed confidence for the future. It is a good idea to prepare your students with podcasts, making them create some of their own, so in the future it will not be a new topic for them. They will know how podcasts work and what is needed to make them effective.

Podcast Reviews

The first podcast I listened to was Lessons from Life: The Last Lecture of Randy Pausch. I think there are a few things that could have made this lecture better. The information was given very fast. Maybe speaking slower would have made the information come across a little more clear. I know they were probably a bit nervous, but it also sounded as if they did not practice it before hand. Practicing does not mean having to memorize your page word for word, but knowing most of it can help eliminate some of the “uh & um” spots.

The second podcast I listened to was Blogging – Podcast #2 (#1 of Ms. Averitt’s Class). The speakers in this podcast speak very clear and slow. This gave me time to comprehend what was being talked about. I liked how they gave the background information on blogs for people who are not that familiar with them. The only thing I noticed was that it sounded like they were reading the information straight from the paper. I will try to make mine a little more personable.