Podcasts in Schools

           Honestly, before beginning my library science courses just a year ago, I had only heard the term "Podcast" but had no idea what it was.  When reviewing the syllabus for my first course, I learned that we were going to be creating our own Podcast and I was actually pretty terrified.  It turns out that podcasting is simply the ability to create or listen to audio content either live or downloaded for later use (Wikispaces, 2012).  There, that doesn't sound so scary, does it?  Well maybe still a little if you have no idea how to begin.  Lucky for you there are some really easy, and more importantly FREE, tools available online for you and your students to create your own podcasts.

          The first podcasting site I tested out was SoundCloud.  It is very easy to sign up simply by linking to your Facebook account.  I only signed up for the free account which allows you 180 minutes of upload time, but there are also options for a Pro account for $7/month which doubles that time and includes advanced features, or even the ProUnlimited account for $15/month which allows you unlimited upload time.  I simply clicked the Upload button and was given a choice to upload a file or begin a new recording.  When you click the record button it will ask you for access to your camera and microphone.  Once you click allow, make sure you are ready to begin before pressing the record button because it starts fast.  Of course if you make a mistake, there is a button to start over thank goodness.  I suggest having a script because if not you may be starting over MANY times like me!  Once you are happy with your recording you can upload it, give it a name and description and choose whether to make it public or private. Overall, SoundCloud was very easy to use, even for a beginner.

          Signing up for AudioBoom was quick and easy, just create a user name, give your email address and create a password and your in. Or so I thought...Then I was taken to the next page that asked for my name, email, link to my current podcast, a name for my podcast, the country, the category, a description...oh gosh, when can I just record something?  Then I get to the next page and it dawns on me, I'm not exactly signing up, I'm basically applying to sign up!  After entering all that information I am taken to a screen that says they will review my information and if they feel I am a good fit they will be in touch.  So I can listen to other podcasts, but to create my own I need to be approved apparently.  In the mean time I can set up my profile and adjust my settings.  This has been a disappointment when all I really wanted to do is record my own podcast.  If your goal is just to listen to other podcasts then I guess this would be an okay site.  Otherwise you need to plan ahead and get preapproved before being able to record anything here.

          PodOmatic is another podcasting site that is easy to sign up for using your Facebook account. Then you are given a choice to sign up for the Free Basic account with 500 MB of storage, or the Pro account which runs around $120, but with a two month discount I was offered would have been only $100.  Right away at the top of my home screen I noticed a button that said Create a Podcast, so I clicked there assuming this was going to be easy.  Only there is no record button of any kind, only the option to add and upload a file.  So I had to open up my voice recorder and record my podcast, then upload that file into PodOmatic.  Gave it a name and a description and then hit publish.  It was fairly easy once I figured out what I needed to do, but maybe not so much for a student or someone brand new to podcasting.

          Out of the three sites I explored, I have to say that SoundCloud was my hands down favorite.  It was the easiest of the three for me to use and I believe students and teachers would feel the same way when trying to utilize any of these sites in a classroom or library.  Here is the podcast I created using SoundCloud (I'm kinda sick right now, so please excuse my voice)...

Scholastic Book Fair Promo, Fall 2016

          With the huge emphasis placed on differentiating instruction in recent years, podcasting is an excellent way to offer remedial or extended support for those in need, or an extra challenge for more advanced students.  It's also a fantastic way to enhance instruction for those students who are auditory learners.  Not only can students listen to gain information and knowledge, but they can also be creators of information recording their own podcast; discussing research, books they have read, conducting interviews, etc.  Teachers and librarians can also use podcasts as a way to share information with students, staff and parents about upcoming projects, events, trainings,and programs.  These are just a few of the endless ways to incorporate podcast into your classroom or library.

Resources

Eash, E.K. (2006). Podcasting 101 for K-12 Librarians. Information Today, Inc. 
          Retrieved November 12, 2016 from
          http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/apr06/Eash.shtml

Wikispaces. (Last Revision 2012). Podcasting in Education. Wikispaces. Retrieved
          November 12, 2016 from
          http://podcasting-in-education.wikispaces.com/#x-Finding%20Podcasts

Cartoons and Comics in the Classroom

          Creating your own comic strips and cartoons is a great way to reinforce concepts taught in the classroom.  It also give students a creative way to express their ideas and show what they know.  Here are three sites that you may want to explore for fun, easy and FREE ways to create comics for your classroom or library..

          The nice thing about Make Beliefs Comix is that you don't have to create an account, you can just jump right into creating.  It automatically starts you off with three panels, but there is an option to change to either two panels or four.  There are 13 different backgrounds to choose from, or you may select a solid color background.  There are about 50 characters available for use, and each one has 3-4 different emotions to choose from to fit a variety of situations.  You can then add word or thought bubbles, panel prompts, and a number of words and objects to enhance your comic.  Adjusting the location and size of the items is simple and after playing around with the site for just a bit, I was easily able to create this comic to go along with our upcoming book fair...

Because you do not create an account, you can not save comics in Make Beliefs Comix so make sure that you either print it, email it or save it to your computer!

          To use ToonDoo, you must first create an account, but it is quick to do and soon you will be ready to create your comic.  There are a number of layouts to choose from in different sizes, both horizontal and vertical, with 1-4 panels.  Once you select your choice, loading takes a while.  In reality it's only about a minute, but in a world where we want to click and be taken to the next step immediately it was a little frustrating.  Once the creating screen loads you will find a wide variety of different characters, backgrounds, props, text options, etc. to add to your comic.  It can be a little overwhelming at first with all the choices, but with so much to choose from you can really make a quality comic for any scenario.  With the click of a button you can change the emotion and posture of your characters, adjust the size, flip them around or rotate them to fit your needs.  I made this simple comic to show parts of the water cycle, but look forward to playing around more with this site to make a more involved comic.

          Like with ToonDoo, to utilize Pixton you must first create an account.  What I like about this site is that it gives you an option to either create a comic from a blank layout, or you can also create from a template, which is a complete comic that can be modified to fit your needs.  If you choose to start from scratch, there are many options to help you make the comic that best fits your needs.  Whether you want a comic strip, story board, mind map, time line, plot diagram, or poster, Pixton can help you create just what you need.  There is a large number of backgrounds to choose from and once you select the one you want, you are provided with an option for one, two or three characters.  Depending on the background you choose, the selection of characters you are offered is different and varies from about 6-8 characters.  You may then change the poses and the expressions of the characters to fit the scene and add your desired text.  You may also add additional panels as needed.  To make my comic in Pixton, I selected a template of an already completed comic and modified it by adding characters and speech bubbles with text. I was not able to download the comic with only the free account, but I could email it to get the link to share or save.

*After playing around and making three comics I was told that I had reached the limit of my free account.

          For a list of ways to utilize comics in your classroom, visit 25 Ways to Use MakeBeliefsComix.com in the Classroom. As far as using comics in the library or classroom, here are some ways to incorporate their use...

- Students can create storyboards for books they have read

- Students can create book promotions for books they have read

- Students can illustrate knowledge of concepts introduced

- Promote events taking place at school or in the library

- Just for fun!

          My favorite sites that I enjoyed using and plan to use with students are MakeBeliefsComix and ToonDoo.  I think if you want something quick and simple MakeBeliefsComix is the way to go.  However if you have more time and are wanting something more involved, then ToonDoo is a great choice.  I believe given time to explore and play around a bit, students will enjoy and successfully use both of these sites.