How Podcasts Can be Used in the Classroom
Incorporating educational podcasts into your normal classroom schedule can be a great way to allow your students to learn in a fresh and interesting way. Here, the educational technology providers at Techmart offer ways you can incorporate podcasts into your lesson plans and watch your students succeed while having fun.
Why are Podcasts a Useful Classroom Tool?
Podcasts have been used as a learning tool in classrooms for over a decade due to their accessibility and variety—not to mention, podcasts tend to peak students interests since they add a fresh element to an otherwise regular day of school. Podcasts are a video stream of audio that is topic-specific and available in video, PDF form or otherwise, and can be downloaded to almost any technological device to be used as a valuable teaching tool. Podcasts can be funny or educational and cover any subject for almost any length of time. Whether you want to provide your students with an informational clip on current events, an educational discussion on mathematical tips and tricks or a simple, entertaining video to allow your students to laugh and relax, there is a podcast that exists to meet those requirements.
In What Ways Can I Use Podcasts in the Classroom?
There is an infinite number of ways to incorporate podcasts into the classroom. For instance, podcasts can be used to introduce guest speakers to your students, listen to music, exercise critical thinking skills, teach English as a second language, assign audio narratives, practice grammar and provide educational resources, among many others.
You can even use podcasts in the classroom that involve student participation and cooperation to achieve a hands-on experience that builds teamwork and critical thinking. For example, you can use podcasts to hold classroom debates, give presentations, hold fake interviews or play interactive games.
What Podcasts Can I Use in the Classroom?
Because the most common use for podcasts is research and education, there is an endless array of podcasts to choose from that can be easily woven into your daily classroom schedule. Popular educational podcasts such as Brains On! Science Podcast, Serial, TED Radio Hour, Tumble Science Podcast for Kids, Storynory Stories for Kids and Radiolab are just a few of many podcasts available that can be used in the classroom.
Brains On! Science Podcast is an educational science podcast that is hosted by both kid scientists and public reporters and Serial is a season-long mystery thriller based on true stories. TED Radio Hour is a narrative that explores ideas and inventions that offer a journey into the mind and Tumble Science Podcast for Kids tells stories about fascinating scientific discoveries. In addition, Storynory Stories for Kids provides a weekly fairytale, story, poem or romance and Radiolab is a popular kids’ radio show that will peak your students’ wonder and curiosity. Most of these podcasts are both free and G-rated, making them perfect for upgrading your classroom experience.
Can I Make My Own Podcast?
One of the most effective ways to utilize podcasts as a teaching strategy is to create your own. In order to make your own podcast that is unique to your needs, you will need a digital device, such as a computer or smartphone, and a microphone. You can make a podcast on audio softwares such as Audacity or Garageband and play it through a compatible program such as SoundCloud, Windows Media, Google Drive or QuickTime. By creating your own podcast, either by yourself or with the participation of your students, you can incorporate subjects and themes that are specific to the needs of your curriculum.
The Educational Technology Suppliers at Techmart Can Help Your Upgrade Your Classroom
With the innovation of classroom-centered technology, there is no better time to incorporate podcasts into your lesson plans. Podcasts can be a strategic way to change up your teaching tactics and introduce your students to something fresh and exciting, and can even help students better absorb information and perform better on tests. The educational technology suppliers at Techmart are passionate about how technology can better enhance the classroom experience and offer a wide range of educational technology devices that you can utilize in your classroom. For more information on how Techmart can help you upgrade your classroom, contact the educational technology suppliers at Techmart today.
