Podcasting, finally...

A while ago now, I went to an in-service course for Modern Languages teachers looking at how podcasting could be used in the classroom. It was very interesting, but also baffling. The host, Ewan McIntosh of edublogs was talking about blogs, wikis, audio editing etc. At the time, the extent of my ICT skills were based around a couple of decent websites, and occassionally using the whiteboard in my classroom. I didn't have a clue what a blog was, never mind a podcast. It was round about this time that I set up the blog. In that time, I feel that I have learned so much, and have been able to bring a lot of this into the classroom. Except for the original idea of podcasting. I was thinking about my s2 who are doing a 6x6 on Japanese Natural Disasters, an activity that I have suggested they construct a news bulletin around. I thought it would be really good if we treated this as a real broadcast, adding volcano and earthquake sound effects, while the groups read their news reports. I hope to use the programe suggested at the in-service, Audacity. We will record what will hopefully become a podcast, although I am finding it very hard to convince my classes to bring their work to a wider audience-initial bursts of enthusiasm are tempered by worries over who will hear/see this! I am still waiting to finish the leaflet videos because of this reluctance, although by next week, there will at least be photographs of the displays of work on your blog . Regardless of this, I may use these podcasts myself from time to time for revision.
Other work tomorrow-s4 Paris Basin case study (although some in the class have been asking for musical relief in the form of 'I've got a brand new combine harvester'), s5/6, Dorset Booklet, s3 Post-it activity for limestone on classtools, and all three will hopefully be using the wiki. Hopefully do some weather forecasts with s1, using some of the activities here .