I have started a new and very silly podcast for little lessons for elementary school. It is at http://feeds.feedburner.com/SubstituteTeacherPodcasts. Right now, all I have on it is a practice for the 7 times tables. I find that feedburner is a little slow (but extremely useful). Other sources have given instructions on how to embed the code in your web page. I might try that-- but for now I'll stick with this.

I realized something very important about podcasts. PEOPLE WILL ONLY LISTEN TO THEM IF THEY ARE INTERESTING!!! My son's guitar podcast was a great success (http://feeds.feedburner.com/WeArePlayingGuitar) because people want to listen to children performing and a teacher would want to give students that possibility. That is a great use for podcasting. Now , when it comes to teachers podcasting interesting tips or lessons, all I can say is that they better be interesting or heads will nod. I thought I might make a repititous podcast of the multiplication tables to put children to sleep at night. Then I thought, wouldn't it be great for kids to sing the multiplication tables, or make a poem and perform that in a podcast--now, that would be a favorite. I just think it's more important to let the students be the stars when you have the chance. Maybe I'll try it!

Well, I did it. I set up a Podcast. It is very simple but I managed it. The podcast of my sonplaying the guitar can be found at
http://feeds.feedburner.com/WeArePlayingGuitar
I think these podcasts would be great to have children perform (music or recital). Next I will try to think of a lesson that would be good (not boring) to podcast and give that a try. This is so much fun.

I have created a test mp3 file and am trying to set it up so that it can be fed with an RSS feed to an Ipod or other MP3 player. My mp3 file is at:
http://www.kljerometeach.com/katevoice.mp3
Wish me luck. I must paste the URl as a separate message. We'll see.
I have just discovered that I must convert the entire blog to an rss feed. So I am using a podcast blog at http://catnap25.wordpress.com
Mt podcasts will be there. My discussion of the process and other fun things will be here. Bye for now.

I thought creating a podcast would be difficult, but it is not too bad.I found directions on how to set it up in a wonderful article "Podcasting in the Classroom" by Brian Flanagan and Brendan Calandra from the November issue of Learning and Leading with Technology. There are probably other places that have directions too. So far I have downloaded Audacity (free) and the necesary MP3 converder library (lama-also free) and have managed to make an MP3 file of my voice going "testing testing testing." I downloaded stuff to Itunes last night. Now my next setp is to upload my MP3 file to my website then set up an Rss feed , but one thing at a time. I just want to get the one file up and see if it works. Then I will do the RSS feed and then I am actually going to have to think of something useful to put up there. I like to actually do these things because I can't really consider using them until I know the technical details (just the way I am). I'm sure teachers have some qualms too, when something is new. So if I make my media presentation with screen shots and show them how to do podcasting--that would make me very happy. Bye for now

I have chosen podcasting as my authoring tool. I like to use a tool that I haven't used before, and play with the technical side a little bit first. I'm very hands on. Last night I downloaded Spanish lessons for beginners who were traveling. They are phenominal. My daughters 4th grade teacher lets them download a song (free song) as a reward. I read about another 4th grade class that does podcasts all the time. There are so many possibilities. I thought I would try an experimaent and let my son make an MP3 file of one of his guitar solos and put it on the web and load it onto our Ipods. He was thrilled. I can see doing even English projects with students this way. Having them create a poem or short story and load it onto the net and back down to an Ipod. I think they would be really look forward to school , as well as learning something. Of course, there would have to be some security involved-- but a lot of learners are audio learners and alot of learners learn by doing , abd there is that sharing social component which is so important today. I think, if I can manage to do that I would be very happy.