How Audacious are YOU?

Sorry, I couldn't resist!  I've been busy researching up on this handy tool called Audacity, a free audio-editor and recorder.  Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be drafting a blog post on podcasting.  Heck, I didn't even know what it was until a few weeks ago, so this a "I'm just getting my feet wet" kind of day. As with many other platforms I've come across recently, I'm giving some careful consideration as to how I can imbed said tools with meaningful instruction in order to (1) bring my pedagogy into the 21st century and (2) instill the fundamentals of digital literacy.

Hicks (2009) is just chock full of innovative ways to better contextualize these digital platforms within the classroom.  How about some "book talks," podcast style?  Ingenious, I know!  Consider the old fashioned, we've all done it a million times, book report.  Sure, we need to have our kiddos reading, comprehending, and reflecting, but might it be more engaging for them to verbalize their thoughts using a tool like Audacity? I'm thinking book reviews for same-age or younger peers.  Trust me when I say podcasts take just as much (if not more...) preparation than a hand-written book report or dare I say, diorama.

You see, students will still be doing plenty of writing because time/storage space is limited.  In order for these podcasts to be effective, students need to hook their audience, maybe add music to the intro, vary the tone, pacing, and pitch of their voices, all while delivering a clear, compelling message!  See, our students really are digital composers!

I found this helpful how-to video on YouTube, targeting Audacity's fundamental features.  First, make sure to download this *FREE* program.  Then, this tutorial will visually walk you through each step.



For another neat take on how podcasts have surfaced in the classroom, I recommend reading and listening to Dawn Reed's students' responses to their This I Believe assignment here.  Each student identified one of his/her key beliefs and included personal stories and reflections to bolster his/her position.  While it looks like the project has not been updated since 2008, I found many of the writing samples and accompanying "speeches" to be highly moving.  I really liked this response, A Walk in her Shoes, sharing just how crucial it is to lend a helping hand to those in need.

Personally, I think there's an interesting sense of reciprocity between the written word and speech. The way in which one writes a formal paper might be drastically different from how/she speaks in everyday conversations.  So, when students are given the task of designing a podcast, they will have to give some real thought on how to appropriately structure their writing and delivery to make a compelling argument.

Am I off my rocker here, or do you see the potential for podcasting in the classroom?

photo credit: _Hadock_ via photopin cc