Podcasting

This week we had to create a podcast!  At first I thought, "A Pod-wha?"After reading the resources and allowing myself time to play around on my computer to really learn what I can do with it, I think I've figured this thing out.  I first downloaded Audacity.  This came at the perfect time because I also had to create a custom CD for our jumprope performance so our songs would match the exact amount of time needed for each trick.  I took my laptop to school and interviewed two groups of  four students in my middle level and high level math classes.  I asked the students questions to see how their technology use at home compared to their use of technology at school.  I asked them to share the kinds of things they are able to do with technology.  At the ages of 10 and 11, they can do amazing things.  I also asked them to share what they would like to learn to do and their thoughts on technology.  

After interviewing my students I played around with Audacity to edit the tracks.  I cut, pasted, merged, and added other recordings of my voice to tie it all together.  I then exported the file and uploaded it to a hosting site.  I used PodcastMachine.com to upload  my podcast and I will include the link at the bottom of this post for you to listen to my final podcast.  

At this point my students are fairly happy with the amount of technology they get to use at school.  In January we got class sets of netbooks for each 5th grade classroom and the 5th grade teachers have eagerly been incorporating these into lessons and projects as often as possible.  The use of technology really can engage students in their learning.  One student in my high class said it best, "With the netbooks, we actually learn new things."  

Podcast Interview