Thursday, August 20, 2009

Who listens to the radio?

Podcasting is the latest technology in the age old media of the radio broadcast. Digital technology means that now you can select what you want to listen to and when. It also means that anyone can broadcast through the net, not just radio stations. Personal listening devices like ipods (ipod + broadcast = podcast) have become ubiquitous so content flourishes like pats in a paddock. As Youtube has done for T.V viewing, podcasting has made audio files accessible for a range of purposes, education being high on the list.

Diverse learners benefit as podcasting is easily accessible and a cost effective way for “delivering research content or lessons to students who need remedial or extended support. While auditory learners particularly benefit” Krieder-Eash (2006)

Modelled reading for lower grades could be delivered to a select group with ear phones attached to an ipod. This type of delivery has been around for many years but with digital technology the content at once becomes local and then much more international as the subject matter can be distributed to make it authentic. As stated by the West Australian Department of Education and Training “Creating a podcast allows students to share learning experiences. It provides them with a world-wide audience that makes learning meaningful and assessment authentic.

1 comment:

  1. May I just say that I love the titles for your blogs!
    I'm also enjoying your insights on these new technologies that we are all investigating and exploring.

    ReplyDelete