This article discusses the integration of podcasts into a ESL
listening strategies course. Podcasting was chosen as a way to introduce and
implement more CALL activities both in and out of the classroom. There was also
mention of the 'normalization' of CALL activities, at which point the presence
of technology would be so embedded in the learning process that it would become
invisible. As shown in this study, podcasting seems to be an excellent addition
to language learning. One of the problems that was raised in this article was
the potential disconnect there could be between what students were doing in the
classroom and what they were doing with CALL. I imagine that if these podcasts
were not created specifically by language teachers to meet their individual
needs, then they would be restricted in their use by both students and
teachers. One way of reducing this type of disconnect would be to make use of professional learning networks. With this type of network, teachers could share podcasts
and accompanying activities which they created to supplement a textbook or explore
a certain aspect of the grammar. If teachers do not have to spend an inordinate
amount of time in making these podcasts, then this piece of technology could
become much more normalized in the language classroom.
Hi Megan, you've proved an excellent point about the "disconnect" between podcasts as resources and the course curriculum. I had never found a solution to this myself, so I disregarded them for a long time (especially since some of the ones that were most suitable were not free). However, you're completely right about how PLNs would resolve this discrepancy, I love the idea! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Megan, I enjoyed your post. I have not really thought about how to implement podcasts into a class yet, but I do agree that if it could be done without too much hassle, it would be an invaluable resource. I wonder if some supplementary classes could also be built "around" certain podcasts. In Taiwan I took advanced language classes that were built completely around recorded radio plays. The textbook consisted of transcripts and vocabulary lists of actual radio plays broadcast in China. It was pretty fun to listen to those dramatic plays! I think something similar could be done with podcasts. The trick would be to figure out which ones to use....and of course, someone still has to come up with the written materials. Maybe it could be a group effort coordinated by PLN.
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