Have you ever felt like you just can't reach your students? They speak the language of technology while you speak the language of, well, teachers. But what if there was a bridge between the two? In this professional training course for teachers, you'll learn how to make a podcast that creates a memorable learning experience for your students. You'll find their interest reignited when you start using their favorite formats: audio, images, and video. You won't even need an iPod or a big budget to harness the power of podcasting in your classroom.

Over the next six weeks, we'll create three podcasts: one audio, one enhanced, and one video. As we make our masterpieces, we'll talk about the four steps of podcast planning, the best free software to use, common pitfalls and problems, and smart ways to integrate this exciting medium into your everyday curriculum. You can expect students to be more engaged and retain knowledge longer if you teach them in this exciting digital format!

As an added bonus, there's nothing quite like helping students discover the pleasures of putting their favorite gadgets--like headphones and computers--to work for school projects!

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Syllabus:

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week One

Wednesday - Lesson 01

Have you heard about classroom podcasting and wondered what the big fuss is about? Well, get ready to discover a new way to marry your students' interest in technology with their schoolwork! Whether you're recording lessons or your students are recording their own projects, it's a win-win situation. In today's lesson, you'll learn what podcasting is, why it's transforming everyday teaching and learning opportunities, and how to communicate with your tech-savvy students in their language.

Friday - Lesson 02

Podcasting began as a great but humble idea: to record audio programs and make them accessible to people around the world at any time, day or night, present or future. As soon as it caught on, people started wondering, "Why can't we also make graphic, text, and video programs that are available round the clock for subscription?" Today, there are three types of podcasts: audio, enhanced (audio, text, and images), and video. We'll talk about the characteristics of each in today's lesson.

Week Two

Wednesday - Lesson 03

There are four steps to building a solid educational podcast: planning, recording, producing, and publishing. Today, we'll tackle the first and most critical step: planning. As we talk about theme and purpose and the best ways to align our ideas to our curriculum, we'll plan an audio podcast to share book group with one of our students who is out sick. You'll get a lot of hands-on planning practice as you learn techniques the pros rely on.

Friday - Lesson 04

With a plan in place, we're ready to record our podcast. Are you ready to discover Gcast, a powerful audio podcast recording application? I hope so! It's free, it's easy to use, and it's always effective for turning great ideas into wonderful podcasts. As we work with Gcast, we'll discuss helpful tips for recording podcasts the right way the first time.

Week Three

Wednesday - Lesson 05

Now that we've recorded our audio podcast, we have to produce and publish it for mass distribution online. After all, people are clamoring for our content! In this lesson, we'll use Gcast to produce our recording, add a musical introduction, and package it for sharing. Once we're packaged, we'll upload our podcast to iTunes. I know you're going to be impressed with the final podcast when you see it up on iTunes.

Friday - Lesson 06

Well, we've recorded our first podcast. Can it get any better? Oh yes, it can. Today, we're going to plan and record an enhanced podcast using PowerPoint slides and PowerPoint's own recording feature. If you don't have PowerPoint, don't worry--we'll walk through a free trial download. Enhanced podcasts are a terrific step up, allowing us to punctuate our message with images, text, and fun transitions.

Week Four

Wednesday - Lesson 07

Now that we've made our PowerPoint podcast, we have to produce and publish it for the world to see. This is where the process can get a little confusing because we need another free program to turn our PowerPoint recording into a podcast. But don't worry--with authorSTREAM and a few helpful tips, you'll soon be podcasting to your heart's content. Learn the secrets in today's lesson.

Friday - Lesson 08

We've tackled audio and enhanced podcasting. Now what? It's time for the video! I know what you're thinking:"But I don't have video equipment!" Well, you won't need it. Today, we'll plan a simple video podcast and then use stock footage to bring it to life. Once you start experimenting with video podcasts, you'll be hooked. It's a blast!

Week Five

Wednesday - Lesson 09

In this lesson, we're going to turn our stock video into a video podcast masterpiece. We'll produce it with skill in Windows Movie Maker, a free program that's already on your PC. Soon, you'll be using it to make cuts, add music, and edit your video seamlessly. Once you've produced this podcast, you'll publish it so others can examine your handiwork.

Friday - Lesson 10

Now that you've made some podcasts, you're probably itching to start using this technology in your classroom. Well, that's what we're going to do today. Get ready for lots of fun integration techniques that will have you on the right track the first time. Whether you teach first grade or twelfth, you'll enjoy the variety of ideas in this lesson.

Week Six

Wednesday - Lesson 11

It's a wonderful educational experience to make your own podcasts. But what if you don't have time? Not to worry--thousands of teachers are sharing their podcasts with the educational community online. Today, we'll talk about smart searching techniques you can use to locate and then evaluate ready-made podcasts. This takes less than half the time of making your own podcasts but doubles the learning power.

Friday - Lesson 12

Podcasting is surely here to stay, but as with all things technological, it's sure to undergo some changes in the near future. In our final lesson, you'll discover what's on the horizon for classroom podcasting and how to stay abreast of classroom technology trends. Hey, it wouldn't be so bad to be the school's podcasting guru, would it?

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Lori Elliott.

Lori Elliott's podcasting journey began when her son brought home an iPod. Soon after, this veteran educator started wondering, "What if I could use audio and video recording as a way to reach my students and help them share ideas with each other?" With nearly 20 years of classroom teaching experience and countless opportunities to train other teachers in technology, Lori has a passion for bringing podcasting to the classroom. With her secrets, you'll soon be able to speak the language of your digital native students.

Requirements:

Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins (two free and simple downloads you obtain at http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and Get Adobe Reader).

Student Reviews:

Reviews coming soon! Please check back next month.