Personal On Demand

PODcasting sets up a connection between a website and your computer so that new shows can automatically show up when available (Podcasting-In Plain English). Anyone with a microphone, computer, and connection to the web can create their own show and make it available to everyone else in web-land. Is podcasting something you are wanting to do? Do it now, tweak it later, but check out this article in About.com for guidance. When you come across a great podcast you can subscribe to the site and, as long as you have a podcatcher, you will receive any new shows automatically. You are then able to download your podcastings to any portable device and listen to them anywhere you go. Just make sure the battery is charged! I guess what I didn't know about podcasting is the names. I knew all of this could be done, I just didn't know it by name. So when I saw at the first of the semester we would be learning about podcasting, I didn't know what to expect. 

Lets compare podcasting to another Web2.0 tool from a previous blog post, VoiceThread. From what I understand the difference between the two is that Voicethread is an interactive tool that allows us to attach images and record audio comments to an online PowerPoint presentation, which could be viewed and shared with others. And although you need a microphone and computer for both, the Podcasting can be downloaded to any portable device. Podcasting is also like a personal broadcasting show. I would love to hear indepth comments to help better distinguish between the two. 

I personally do not have an MP3 player or iPod of any type. My girls have iPods and my husband has an iPhone, but I have not taken that leap. I find myself too busy to listen to music other than when I'm in the car, and even then I listen to whatever comes on. I see how I could benefit. There are times when I could have download a lecture from a class or a song I was practicing for church choir instead of being tied down to my computer. Other than that, I am not too familiar with that type of portable devise.

I have been very interested in investing in an iPad to utilize with my students. A teacher I work with uses an iPad with his students and I love the possibilities. Most of my students are cognitively below grade level. I could use the iPad to engage the student while teaching them numbers, letters, colors, shapes, even words. My behavior students could earn time on the iPad and then in turn learn while they play. Hook the iPad to the projector and it becomes an interactive game for the whole class. The great thing about the iPad versus the computer is there are apps that can help the students work on fine motor skills, too. The possibilities seem endless. Feel free to offer up any other ideas!