Podcasts are not something I have used a lot in the past simply because of my own personal learning style. I have a difficult time just listening to someone lecturing or reading without having anything else to follow along with. I previewed the Teachercast podcast series and I found there to be a wide variety of topics available. I chose an episode titled “Using Office 365 for Professional Development” that was published on September 21, 2016. This was part of the Microsoft Innovate Educator Expert Spotlight Series. It was informative but it just wasn’t something I could stay focused on. I found myself getting bored. Another podcast that I previewed was from NPR. It was from the Pop Culture category and it was titled “Fall Movie and Television Preview” which was published on October 7, 2016. I found this podcast more interesting simply because this is something that I personally enjoy. Pop culture is something that has always captivated me so I was interested to see if this would be easier for me to listen to. I did like it better than the Teachercast episode but I still found myself tuning out from time to time.
I do think that podcasting can be valuable in the world of education. There is a wide variety of topics that can be very specific in content. It can be beneficial to those teachers who want to implement a flipped classroom because the podcasts can serve as lectures that are listened to outside of the classroom. Students are already accustomed to accessing content from iTunes and other podcast sources as well as listening to audio and video at any time through their personal devices. It is something that they feel comfortable using and they can subscribe to various feeds so they can receive notification when new podcasts are available. I can see them working better in a social studies or language arts class and potentially not as effective in a math course.
Visual Learning Tools
Visual learning tools are essential in today’s education world. Visual media as a means of communication is at an all-time high. Visual learners make up 65% of the population and most of us process information based on what we see (Bradford, 2011).
There are so many Web 2.0 tools that are available to make it easy to integrate visual tools in the classroom. It also allows opportunities to differentiate and offers a variety of ways to complete assignments. Instead of using traditional programs like PowerPoint or Word to create assignments students can use a wide range of visual tools that fit their learning needs to create presentations and projects. Students are becoming more comfortable with this alternative tools and know which ones they feel more at ease using. Students are allowed to use their own creativity while demonstrating what they have learned.
One visual tool that I have used with great success is PowToon. You have the ability to create a customized video presentation. It is very fun and easy to use. You can use the animation features that include a variety of characters and effects. You can also record and edit audio within the program. It is free to use to create up to a five minute video or you can pay for a subscription which will allow access to additional features and longer videos. I created a video on Digital Citizenship using PowToon and then uploaded it to YouTube.
Differentiation is one of those terms that gets mentioned a lot yet so many people are still unclear how to do it correctly and some teachers don’t do it at all. It was surprising to learn that in a study completed in 2005 by the U.S. Department of Education , “whole-class instruction was the most common format experienced by secondary students with disabilities as well as students in regular education academic classes” (Hobgood & Ormsby, n.d.) This same study also showed that “only thirteen percent of secondary students with disabilities in general education classes experienced substantial curriculum modification or a specialized curriculum” (Hobgood & Ormsby, n.d.). Teachers feel overwhelmed trying to find ways to make learning individualized. The beauty of technology is that it can provide easy solutions to help make differentiating lessons a reality.
Web 2.0 tools are a valuable resource for teachers who have a wide range of ability levels in their classroom. There are so many websites that allow students to learn and create on their level so that they can gain a sense of success and accomplishment. Using Web 2.0 tools that complement a flipped classroom environment allow the teacher more class time for differentiated student-centered learning. With technology students can work collaboratively which can help improve students’ performance. There are so many options out there that can make implementing differentiation in everyday lessons possible.
References
Bradford, William C., Reaching the Visual Learner: Teaching Property Through Art (September 1, 2011). The Law Teacher Vol. 11, 2004.
Hobgood, B., & Ormsby, L. (n.d.). 7 Inclusion in the 21st-century classroom: Differentiating with technology. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/every-learner/6776
McCue, T. (n.d.). Why Infographics Rule. http://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2013/01/08/what-is-an-infographic-and-ways-to-make-it-go-viral/#e64d0c7353c3
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.