podcasts and vodcasts

Podcasting and vodcasting are excellent tools for developing oral reading fluency and writing skills. They cater to all learning styles both in the viewing and creating arenas and promote active participation and engagement with a learning centred focus.

In order to create a podcast or vodcast, students need to research, plan, and write scripts, view and review and make judgements regarding the quality of the production. Podcasting and vodcasting provide an excellent collaborative learning tool and enable the learners to appreciate and reflect on the joint construction of the finished product.

Podcasting and vodcasting promote good writing, speaking, and communication skills and are useful as an interesting and motivating activity which can be both authentic and relevant to the learners. Podcasting and vodcasting can be used across all KLA's to develop reading, speaking, writing, communication and listening skills. With minimal assistance, young learners can develop their technology skills, acquire information and integrate technology into their learning via the use of podcasts and vodcasts.
It is important that young learners are able to interact and communicate knowledge to real audiences, this aids in the development of a sense of audience and purpose when reading, writing, and speaking.

The viewing of vodcasts and the subsequent learning that takes place after the viewing can be student directed, with the learners deciding what action they choose to take on the topic. This promotes student self regulation and can (if carefully guided)lead to deep involvement and active citizenship within the classroom. Above all, podcasting and vodcasting enable learners to look outside the box that is the classroom and really connect with the world around them.

Click here to view a vodcast that I found