Podcasting and Videocasting
By: Nicole Stewart
Podcasting has come a long way in the last couple of years. From a personal standpoint, this class was the first time I have every used podcasting. It was interesting creating a podcast and I believe that through the use of podcasts and videocasts many helpful things can be completed in the media center.
The book, Library 2.0 and Beyond, gives a definition from The New Oxford Dictionary for podcasts stating, "a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for download" (Courtney, 2007). Podcasts are videos recorded or created with images that have sound recording with them. Podcasts are not a way for two way communication. Podcasts are for one person to create and one person to watch.
How can podcasting be useful in the media center?
There are many different ways podcasting can be used in the media center. Here is a list of ways podcasting can be helpful:
- booktalks
- discussion about displays and exhibits
- individual podcasts
- interactive podcasts
- professional development
- helping students learn about the media center and procedures and routines
- daily news
- upcoming news or event advertisement
- story time
There are many of these podcasting techniques that I have seen through different media center websites. One media center website that I have viewed in the past created book talks for different series of books for students to watch at home. These book talks would also include students discussing the book and asking questions to help other student's comprehend what was being read that week. I believe that a neat way for podcasts to be used in the media center would be to send out media center news updates for teachers to view and also for students to view. These could be tailored for either the teachers and students and would help with communication. Another form of podcasting I have used through University of West Georgia courses is the individual podcasts. I have created a podcast, but have also watched other podcasts that professors and other individuals have created about specific topics. I think that individual podcasts would be helpful for teachers to view from a media specialist about policies and procedures for the upcoming school year and other information that the media specialists would need to share. Podcasts make communication come alive. Podcasts allow for someone to share information and ideas without writing or typing out the information.
Videocasting is the same concept except a video is recorded of a person and the video is watched by individuals. Videocasting and podcasting can be used in the same ways. I have found video casting to be helpful in my course work through UWG and believe that videocasting allows for a better understanding than an email. The viewer is able to see what the persons reaction is to information that is being shared, but once again this form of communication is one sided. There is not exchange of communication. It is for one person to record themselves while the viewer watched the videocast.
It will be interesting to see how podcasts and videocasts are incorporated into the media center in the future. I firmly believe that this will be the future of communication and sharing information. Pod/videocasts can be overwhelming and seem like a foreign way of communicating, but when learned and used they can be helpful tools that make communication easier and less time consuming for everyone involved.
References
Courtney, N. (2007). Library 2.0 and beyond: Innovative technologies and tomorrow's user. Westpoint: Libraries Unlimited.
Wonderful job on your blog! You included a lot of interesting information that I didn’t know about podcasting and videocasting. I like how you said “podcasts are for one person to create and one person to watch.” I think that is key for people who are using podcast as educational tools. Knowing that, there leaves little room for miscommunication about this tool. Media specialists can use podcast in many ways. Booktalks would be a great way to introduce books. News and/or announcements for upcoming event such as Bookfairs is also a great way for media specialists to use podcasts.
ReplyDeleteVideocasting is also a neat too to use. I like how it is similar to podcasts except there is a visual and audio of the speaker, unlike a podcasts where you only hear the speaker. Videocastiung is a great way for teachers and media specialists to use if they need to demonstrate certain points. Overall, these two tools are definitely beneficial in the educational environment.
Nicole, you added a great idea to the use of podcast by stating they are good to do for library routines. That is an excellent way for patrons to understand how their library works and what procedures to follow for book check-out among other things.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that podcasts and videocasts make things come alive for the person watching versus using e-mails or them reading over a document on a procedure or assignment.
Thank you for the ideas as I really do want to collect as many as possible so I can use podcasts to the fullest.
Marilyn Richardson
You have hit on an excellent use for podcasts - lit circles. In talking about having students discuss a book and asking questions in order to improve comprehension, I thought of the teachers who have to sit in multiple lit circles and work with students. By recording those sessions, the teacher can go back and refresh his or her memory on that great point that a student made or make a note about something that was said that indicated that a student might need more guidance in developing his or her reading comprehension.
ReplyDeleteAnother good use would be to provide students with an opportunity for increased collaboration if you let different circles hear what the others were saying. As I am not a literature or elementary teacher, I am not positive how the circles work, but I believe our school rotates through the books in the reading plan throughout the year. So if one group reads Charlotte's Web in September and another group doesn't read it until January, you could still have collaboration without calendar restraints.
Great blog! I love the ideas you have on how to use podcasting in the media center. I had never thought of using them for professional development. This is usually an area teachers seek so they can grow and learn methods and ideas for their classroom; however, usually do not have the time to stay after school for professional development. This would allow them to watch it whenever they had the time. I also like the idea of the daily news. Teachers could use this show in their classroom to help communication efforts between the SLMS and the students. This could be a weekly report from the SLMS to share new materials, current contests, information about library programs, current events, or other fun topics.
DeletePodcasting and videocasting should be used in the school library media center. Pointing out the use for book talks with podcasting would be an inventive idea. Having a videocast on new release day or books recently read by students is an idea I would like to implement when I become a media specialist. Students also could develop their own podcast on the books they read.
ReplyDeleteHaving videocasts of meeting that teachers could watch on their own time would also be a benefit. Your article has sparked a number of uses of pod/videocasts that I have not thought of before.