Journal # 8

Making Field Trips Podtastic!
By: Aliece M. Weller, John C. Bickar, and Paul McGuiness

This article shares a new perspective of learning that involves the use of handheld wireless technology to help guide students on fieldtrips to such places like museums and exhibits. The idea that the authors are focusing on is using podcasting to help guide the students through their exploratory visit to different places. Podcasting can be very beneficial for students in a learning environment. Some of the advantages are that they can take digital photos and videos, record audio interviews of other museum staff and visitors, record notes in a variety of text and audio formats, and access additional information via the Internet on topics of their choosing. This idea works great because it can get students very engaged in what they are learning and observing. Not only does podcasting help the students with their learning experience, but it also satisfies the National Education Technology Standards and the temporary skills of digital literacy, inventive thinking, and effective communication.
A couple downfalls to using podcasting during fieldtrips is that there is not as much human interaction going. I feel that while it is a great idea to use podcasting while on these interactive field trips, it also does not make sense that there would be less interaction going on because each student would be so consumed in doing his or her own thing. Another downfall that may occur is that the teacher may be creating more work by having to create each podcast.
Podcasting seems to be something that will become more familiar in education. It is an exceptional tool to not only use to teach the students but, also to keep them up on their technological skills and knowledge!

Questions

What do you think is a downfall to podcasting during fieldtrips?

I feel that a huge downfall to this is not enough human interaction. I think that fieldtrips are meant to not only learn something, but also fun! I think that many children look forward to getting out of the same setting they face everyday, and when they go on a fieldtrip, they get to have a bit of fun. Using these podcasts, make the trip more individual rather than interactive.

Would you use podcasting during fieldtrips in your class?

I am not sure if I would use podcasting for fieldtrip because I would want the interaction with my students. If there was a way to incorporate podcasting for part of the trip and also have interactive activities for the other part, I would probably use it.