Podcasts, YouTube, and of course, Blogs ... these are all terms that we hear in the world of ICT. As teachers we are encouraged more and more to include them in our teaching. Until recently, I was skeptical about building assignments which guided students to using all of these digital technologies - I thought they were just fun distractions.
My skepticism may have been unfounded because recently I found extreme joy in creating my very first Podcast. Yes, it was fun, but what struck me immediately was the sense of ownership I felt in completing a piece of work that would be available on-line, to whomever decided to listen. This provided me with significant motivation to ensure the finished product was ... great! Nobody wants other to think they only produce mediocre work.
If teachers are able to capitalise on this level of enthusiasm and ownership in their students by using digital technologies, then I say "go for it!" Perhaps my earlier views were based on more trivial exercises are perceived to be valuable because they involve a computer and the internet. The key is to build activities which help students develop a sense of identity or attachment with the finished product. That why making YouTube movies can be a terrific exercise too! More on that soon.
Anyway, if you are interested in hearing my very first podcast, go to:
http://edubio.posterous.com/inquiry-noun-an-act-of-asking-for-information
The podcast lasts for about 10 minutes and discusses Inquiry Based Learning (and its application in Science education). The material was co-produced with a friend of mine: Erik Miller, a fellow Teaching Candidate at the University of Melbourne.
My skepticism may have been unfounded because recently I found extreme joy in creating my very first Podcast. Yes, it was fun, but what struck me immediately was the sense of ownership I felt in completing a piece of work that would be available on-line, to whomever decided to listen. This provided me with significant motivation to ensure the finished product was ... great! Nobody wants other to think they only produce mediocre work.
If teachers are able to capitalise on this level of enthusiasm and ownership in their students by using digital technologies, then I say "go for it!" Perhaps my earlier views were based on more trivial exercises are perceived to be valuable because they involve a computer and the internet. The key is to build activities which help students develop a sense of identity or attachment with the finished product. That why making YouTube movies can be a terrific exercise too! More on that soon.
Anyway, if you are interested in hearing my very first podcast, go to:
http://edubio.posterous.com/inquiry-noun-an-act-of-asking-for-information
The podcast lasts for about 10 minutes and discusses Inquiry Based Learning (and its application in Science education). The material was co-produced with a friend of mine: Erik Miller, a fellow Teaching Candidate at the University of Melbourne.
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