Week 10 Podcasts

The Tech Teachers

Episode Date: 12-11-06
Episode: 55
In this podcast, Ray encouraged listeners to use VLC Media Player instead of QuickTime, Windows Media Player, or iTunes. These popular programs cannot play all data files because they lack codecs- a device or program capable of performing encoding and decoding on a digital data stream or signal. I have experienced problems opening files on other media players but I was unaware of the cause. According to the Tech Teachers, VLC is becoming very popular. After browsing the following website: http://www.videolan.org/, I had a better understanding of what VLC was and its capabilities. To download VLC Media player, simply go to the website and click download now. This will be beneficial in the elementary school because students will be viewing a variety of files and VLC will be reliable on a Mac or a PC.

Geek!ed!

Episode Date: 01-03-07
Episode: 56
After listening to several different podcasts, Geek!ed! seems to be one of my favorites; the podcasters are personable and easy to listen to. I discovered that MySpace is not only used for fun but it can be a helpful tool for students to learn how to drop in html codes and remove advertisements from their sites. This gives the students the power to control the content of their page and prepare it for presentations. Creating a MySpace account would be great for students to learn how to create slideshows, improve written communication, and solve problems independently. After listening to this podcast, I am motivated to develop my own MySpace account and explore the possibilities!

Moving at the Speed of Creativity

Episode Date: 02-09-07
Episode: 130
Thirty years ago, people would have said that graphing the flight of a football by using an accelerometer was impossible. Today, this type of technology is being used in the classroom to enhance students’ learning experiences. Filled with astounding news, this podcast was interesting to say the least. Wesley Fryer interviewed “two of the representatives of Pasco, a company which manufactures over sixty different types of sensors and probeware for use in digitally-enhanced scientific experiments.” The devices can be used in the classroom, specifically but not limited to the subject area of science, to allow students to gather data and send it to the computer. I believe Pasco has hit the jackpot when it comes to motivating students to learn. By increasing direct experiences in the classroom, students will want to discover, create, understand, and learn. More information about Pasco can be found at www.pasco.com.