Thing 7: Podcasting & Screencasting

Let me start by saying I don't have a lot of experience with this and can't believe that I have waited this long to check it out. Not only are there a million things that I could create to share with my students like book reviews or how to actually find books in the library but it would be a great way for struggling students to get their thoughts out without having to worry about writing them down. Last year I made a book talk video using an iPad that I posted to my website but it is nothing compared to what I could do!

A million ideas are running through my mind about how I could use podcasting and screencasting with myself and my students. Just to name a few- book reviews, showing students how to use shelf markers, beginning of the year procedures, how to use OPALS, searching for books and looking on the shelves for books and other materials in the library and to show teachers how to search for resources in the library and where to search for them. I can't even being to tell you how useful it would be to record everyday things that students need to know in the library (like using shelf markers and where things are located) so that when a student is absent or a new once comes to the school- which happens all the time- and I would not have to spend all that time explaining and re-explaining those things. It would be great to have something that can be used as a reminder as well because we all know how students can forget things that were learned the day before.

I decided to use AudioBoom to explore. There is a lot more to the website then I originally though and I got lost clicking on things and going from one thing to another. I am usually a person who will teach myself how to use something and find that by clicking and exploring is when I learn the most. There seemed to be a decent amount of categories to choose from and even though they didn't all appeal to me that was okay. If I was using this with students I would definitely want to be careful because they could be clicking on something that was not appropriate.

The recording part was so easy! It took me only a minute or two to figure out how to record my voice. What took me long was to actually save a recording because I did not like my voice. I had fun playing around and practicing by saying some silly things.

Check out what I made!
https://audioboom.com/boos/3156429-mrs-cohen