Podcasting

Right now, I see podcasting as mainly a teaching tool, another access point for students to receive information. This could include such things as lectures and project instructions. I think I would want these to be redundancies, though, rather than primary tools because some students may lack appropriate access to the podcast technology. On my wiki, I downloaded a podcast that could serve as the first part of my mini-lecture on the opening unit in English Literature. I could also see using podcasts to break down steps in projects like the research paper. In relation to the brevity of the wiki podcast, I think I would want to continue to limit my podcasts to no more than 10 minutes because 1) students' attention spans aren't very long and 2) shorter podcasts are easier to produce.

I can also see using podcasts for outside resources. The Education Podcast Network, for example, has links to series devoted to dramatic readings from and lectures on Shakespeare and to creative writing tips. I can see these resources being helpful to students. Maybe some sites would include interviews with famous authors, professors, or other experts.

The one area of podcast utility that I'm not completely sold on yet is having students podcast. It would seem to me that almost any projects involving student podcasts would have to be creative group projects like putting together a dramatic reading as a radio play. I suppose, depending on the class, that some students might be capable enough to podcast their own interviews with experts.

In any case, I'm sure that the use of podcasts in the classroom will continue to grow.

Other language arts podcasting resources:
Literature Podcast Directory
Writing Podcast Directory
Books of Our Time

General podcasting resources:
Apple Education Podcasting
Podcasting in Education - University of Minnesota
Podcasting in Education - Shaun Else