THE POTENTIAL AND POSSIBILITY OF PODCASTING!

Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages – March 5, 2010

Anne Hlas & Jessica MillerUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

What is podcasting?

Defining podcasting

iPod + broadcast = podcast Audio or video files available online Episodes released regularly Subscription possible through RSS feeds

Types of audio podcasts

Scripted (eg: an original or existing text) Cinderella with script

Unscripted (eg: conversation, interview) Interview of a local figure

Types of video podcasts (1)

Straight from camcorder (eg: a play, a demo) Goldilocks

Edited video (like a TV show) Description of a kiwi farmer

Types of video podcasts (2)

Animation (for the artistic ones!) Fable: le corbeau et le renard

Storyboard (eg: pictures that match a story) Christmas at school

Silent podcasts

Newsletters Pictures

Benefits of podcasting in general

Reach students outside of the classroom (lectures-on-the-go)

Stay in touch with alumni and the community

Address different learning styles Builds upon already popular student

activity

Benefits specific to SLA

Increase input and output of target language

Interactive and engaging formats Crisp sound quality Self-paced control May easily incorporate the 5 Cs

Listening to podcasts

Podcasts created for non-natives Podcasts created for natives Wide variety of cultural topics

Most downloaded podcasts(for a native audience)

Most downloaded podcasts(for a non-native audience)

Some of our favorites--Spanish

Website Topics

Notes in Spanish http://www.notesinspanish.com/

Pop culture, current events

Cody’s Cuentoshttp://www.codyscuentos.com/

Children’s stories

UW Madison-Spanishhttp://spanport.lss.wisc.edu/resources/podcasts.html

Listen and Draw, Cultural news and interviews

Caltech Video podcast about the Universe-Spanishhttp://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/espanol/podcasts/hues/index.shtml

Pictures and text about different facets of the hidden universe. (NASA)

Some of our favorites--French

Website Topics

Radio France Internationale http://www.rfi.fr/

Current events, society

Learn French by podcast http://www.learnfrenchbypodcast.com/

Vocabulary, current events

Learning Frenchhttp://www.french-podcasts.com/

Culture, society

French today – Learn with audiohttp://www.frenchtoday.com/

Grammar, tales, novels, poems

Planning a student-created project

Set your goals and objectives Plan for the technology Establish student groupings, themes,

and number of episodes Let students create a practice podcast

How to podcast: the basics

Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Microphones Headphones A server to store audio files

Odeo http://www.odeo.com Hipcast http://www.hipcast.com School server

Audacity tutorial

Download Audacity for free at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Podcasting in a French class

300-level university course Conversation and composition class on

cinema Weekly audio critique posted on website Included in larger portfolio project

Benefits

Watching movies with a goal Transitioning from writing to speaking Regular assessment of speaking skills Audio memento of a semester’s work Serve the community

Podcasting in a Spanish class

300-level university conversation course In pairs, students were required to:

One theme 3 podcasts (introduction, top 10, debate) Speak spontaneously

Prior to creating podcasts, listened to examples

Assessing the podcasts

Self-evaluation Peer-evaluation

Benefits

Self-evaluation Awareness, noticing, and reflection Reduced anxiety Negotiation of meaning

Infinite possibilities

Reviewing movies, books, articles, etc. Debating, expressing opinions Explaining content Songs with gestures Describe and draw Interviewing locals Creating a story

What kind of podcast would you integrate in your courses?

What about you?

Material available at:http://people.uwec.edu/millerjs/

podcasting

GraciasMerciThank you