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Email, Mailing List & Podcasting
In Web-based learning context, messages from teachers to students can be in one-to-one mode or in one-to-all mode. A typical example of one-to-one online communication is E-Mail. This kind of communication can also occur in course management systems where there is built-in private messaging facilities. One-to-all mode is mainly represented by the instructor who sends information to all participants of a course. This can be simply sending e-mail to a list of recipients or using a mailing list to send out news letters. Examples of mailing list systems include Sympa, Mailman, etc. In addition, you can also send emails to a list via Google Groups, Yahoo Groups, and Topica’s free service.
If pure text seems boring, podcast would be a better idea for instructors to convey information to students. Podcast is a convenient way of automatically downloading audio or video files to your computer. You can then play this audio or video on your computer or transfer the files to a portable MP3 or video player. 'Podcast' generally refers to audio. 'Video Podcast' (or 'Vodcast') refers to the distribution of video files in the same manner. Click here to watch a presentation on podcast.
Links to Resources
Examples of Using Mailing List in K-12
Auburn Primary School publishes Oracle every week on Wednesday, which is their weekly newsletter. In addition to the What’s On, which keeps parents up to date with the busy school calendar, parents can also read student work, find out who are the Students of the Week and check out the class that will be presenting at the Friday assembly (3.00 pm in Term 1, 9.00 am for the remainder of the year). The school provides parents with a mailing list facility for them to easily receive and read the newsletter: http://www.auburnps.vic.edu.au/text/subscribe_to_the_mailing_list_a1dn.htm
Kogarah High School also publishes newsletters keeping parents up-to-date and parents can subscribe to the mailing list to receive the messages: http://www.kogarah-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/admin/newsletters/mailing_list_application.html
Examples of Using Podcast in K-12
Orange Grove Primary School's Year 4 / 5 class students publish podcast episodes every month on their own podcasting website: Podkids Australia. Go to the website, and have a look at the lower-left corner of the homepage where there is a subscrition portal to the Podcast. Once there are new podcast episodes released, the subscribers will automatically receive the content.
To promote the use of podcast in teaching and learning, Mr. John Larkin from St Joseph's Catholic High School develops a series of podcast workshops to help other teachers in the school to prepare, manage and publish MP3 resources for their face to face and online courses, develop scripts and supporting materials for MP3 communications, and choose an appropriate curriculum objective (knowledge, skill and/or attitude) that is best taught and supported using the MP3 medium. Learn more about it at http://www.larkin.net.au/024_podcasting.html
Podcast Sites for K-12
ABC Radio: Podcasting: Latest podcasts from ABC radio
Apple Podcasts: Want to listen to your favourite radio shows and audio programs anytime? Just subscribe to the podcasts you want and iTunes takes care of the rest.
BBC: Big Toe: Big Toe is part of a BBC trial offering some programmes as downloads and podcasts.
Digital Podcast: Children's Music: Music podcasts for kids.
Educational Podcast Network: Wide range of podcast programming that may be helpful to teachers looking for content to teach with and about, and to explore issues of teaching and learning in the 21st century.
Podcast Directory For Educators: UK directory listing podcasts for educational use.
The Kedou Kids Pod: Hear my story, see as I grow and change, play with the magic stickers that I've created specially for you, and watch out for more of my adventures.
Podcast Ideas and Tips for K-12 Teachers
Exploiting The Educational Potential of Podcasting: This article provides a brief overview of podcasting and how to create and listen to podcasts available on the Internet.
Podcasting: Schools are increasingly using the internet to promote what they do, and to celebrate the achievements of their children, and podcasting is an excellent way of doing this.
Technology in Teaching: A podcast exploring everyday examples of technology integration within the classroom, with a particular focus within the primary classroom.
World of Media: The World of Media newsletter is available cover-to-cover in an audio podcast. Check the September issue (Page 5) for ideas for creating podcasts in your classroom.