· Identify a current technology that has emerged in the last few years that shapes learning or productivity in your industry.
- What problems or challenges have been associated with this technology?
While there are a plethora of free podcasts available for teachers and students to download the difficulty lies with the capacity to listen to the podcasts. The simplest way to retrieve and listen to a podcast is through the use of a desktop/laptop and speakers. This works really well if you want the entire class to listen to a particular episode but what happens when students are conducting research projects, listening to different books at a listening center, or trying to create their own podcast? For these situations it would be better to have access to MP3 player or iPods, headphones for all students, headphone splitters for students working in groups, microphones, and quiet or sound proof areas to conduct podcast recordings. While some of the items on this equipment list are not costly when you add up the cost of the equipment for numerous sets for a class of 20 to 25 students the total equipment cost can be more than the teacher or school is able to supply.
- What societal need does it meet, and what are its benefits?
Podcasting is a new and exciting way to propel our students forward in the digital communication age. This new medium will give students a way to get excited about listening to books, hearing the news, and what students their own age have to say and what they think about the world around them. Listening to podcasts from experts in the field will draw the students in to a wide variety of subjects and in turn the ability to podcast about their own learning will validate the process, making it meaningful and worthwhile.
- What would make this technology even better, avoiding the pitfalls you identified?
Affordable equipment that is accessible to all schools, teachers, and students will be the first step to more classrooms participating in podcasting. While we are on the right track, as the price of iPods decreases, there is still room for improvement.
Resources
iPod graphic retrieved from http://ithinked.com/archives/2007/11/page/2/
