Podcasting...didn't work.

Part 1 – Identify an Instructional Challenge

Instructional challenge – creating a personalized and orderly learning environment.

Dr. Howard Gardner is famous for theory of multiple intelligences, arguing that humans learn in multiple ways:

1) Linguistically, 2) Logically-Mathematically, 3) Spatially, 4) Bodily-Kinesthetically, 5) Musically, 6) Interpersonally, 7) Intrapersonally, and 8) Naturally (through nature) – see http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.php for more information.

Far too often, teachers only present material in a way that appeals to students' linguistic and logical-mathematic intelligences. The problem is that some students' other intelligences are more prominent, and it is therefore easier to learn in ways that match those other intelligences (see http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp also for information about VARK learning styles, which operate on virtually the same principles). As I have taken education classes, I have had a chance to take part in lessons that focus on different intelligences and learning styles and have become a believer that teaching in a non-traditional is important to reach those students who might not learn best through lecture alone.

Part 2 – Technology Solution
For this reason, I have decided to investigate podcasting. Podcasts are audio or video files that I can create and that students can download at their leisure. With podcasting, I have the freedom to include many of the technologies and resources we have learned about in this class and present them in ways that appeal to my diverse learners. Podcasting is also helpful to all students because it puts the teacher one on one with them, and gives them a means whereby they can review materials if they didn't quite grasp it to begin with. Podcasting also helps students who might have missed a class session, as I could post the material on my website.
To learn how to podcast, I accessed http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com. Here is a picture of me visiting the website and learning how to podcast:

Next, I recorded my podcast using Audacity:

I exported my Audacity project as an mp3 file using the LAME for Audacity encoder:

I edited the ID3 tags:

Here is my mp3 file on an online storage website called box.net:

Finally, here I am creating my first podcast on my blog:

Part 3 - Reflection

For some reason, I could not get the mp3 file to play. My suspicion is that I never could get a direct link to the mp3 file (it costs money on box.net to get a direct link). I did, however, try archive.org and ourmedia.org, but neither came through for me. Hold on a second, I just thought of something. I am going to try it. Keep your fingers crossed!