Journal 10

Shein, Esther (October 2008). Making History. The Journal, Retrieved December 2, 2008, from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23394

This article is about a teacher, Jennifer Dorman, who used the Discovery Education’s Streaming and PowerMedia Plus programs to create a podcast assignment for her students. The assignment placed the students in the midst of key moments of WWII, where they would reenact and report on the events as if they were happening live. The students were given raw material to work with as well as the background information so they would understand the event they were doing. Dorman also used podcasts in her classroom for vocabulary reviews and to study for tests. She used the podcasts for the students to be motivated and study for their exams. This approach helps produce new levels of motivation and engagement for the students. This situation in the article is being used to promote the use of technology within collaborative activities in the classroom. It helps the students to understand the bigger picture and also helps the teacher to become a more effective instructor.

1. What do students learn from using the technology in a collaborative setting?

The students will be motivated in doing the research and learning about the project. They are able to be as creative as they would like while learning to analyze what is going on around them. Working with a group helps the students to learn to listen to others, problem solve and ultimately work as a team.

2. In what ways can a teacher use a podcast in a lesson plan?

The idea of placing the students in the past is a good one. The students would be able to give a “news cast” from the time period they are assigned and can be as creative as they would like to be. Also having a podcast as a tool of studying would help the students to stay focused and really review the material when a test came around.