Thing 22: Podcasts

Thing 22:  Pod-casts

     Wow... talk about sensory overload!  There are so many pod-casts readily available that you can spend hours searching for useful feeds.  As I began to search for useful sites, especially pertaining to mathematics, I found Pod-cast Alley and Learn out Loud to be the most helpful.  Both of these websites were aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate.  I especially like the categories offered, paired with capabilities to refine searches to further narrow your options.  From the two, I personally prefer Pod-cast Alley the most, and I will likely utilize this site in the future.  The most influential component in favoring Pod-cast Alley is that you can view text overviews of the featured pod-cast sites, without having to actually access the site.

     In my search, I decided to subscribe to TILT - Teachers Improving Learning Technology, Teacher 2.0 and Math Tutor.  Each of these sites contribute varying components to aid in my personal development and instructional intelligence by exploring creative activities and Web 2.0 resources.  Teacher 2.0 is actually an audio feed which allows teachers to continue about their normal routines, without having to be locked to a computer screen; the other sites have informative videos to coincide with topics.

     I certainly feel that pod-casts are a great resource for today's classroom and I will likely join in the creation process.  I feel that it is important initially to continue and explore the resources already available to further define how I may best contribute.  No matter what level you consider as an educator, keep in mind that standards and styles vary by state and individual.  Therefore, if you want a pod-cast that directly reflects the style of teaching you provide, you will likely need to create your own, so not confuse students.  Keep in mind though that students need varying types of stimulation to be most effective, so maintain an open mind when incorporating different educational pod-casts, and technological resources, in the classroom. Here is a quick pod-cast of mathematic resources that I found to be helpful ("Math Fact Websites are Fun!"), maybe you will too!