Broadcasting to the world
The power of real world audiences can not be under estimated for enhancing the learning of students. There are many web broadcasting tools available to provide access to a safe real world audience. The TVT group will take a look at the following tools and share their thoughts.
These groups will brainstorm list of possible instructional applications and rank most favorite to least favorite application,
Podium: Sherner could really see this as a useful tool when interviewing say, a Veteran, for a Veteran’s Day Project in Social Studies. Interviews could be recorded with this tool and then uploaded to a blog for students or anyone else to listen to. Students can then listen to projects created by their peers and comment.
UStream: Like Bret said, this would be great to broadcast student performances (raps, skits, etc.) to parents or other classes. A “real audience” does make it more meaningful and purposeful for students.
Vyew: Not too familiar with this one…but from a brief review of it, it seems like it would be very neat for collaborative learning. I could see someone using this in an interdisciplinary court case between English & SS…say the Scopes Monkey Trail or Korematsu V. US about Japanese Internment during WWII.
Ustream can be a powerful tool, but again you need to make sure you have a purpose. Why would you use it? It also takes sometime to set-up.
Podium is an easy tool for students to use. Students can record and publish their works for others to view. It gives them a purpose for writing assignments knowing that someone else will listen.
We need more time to investiage vyew. Not sure yet the differences between it and ustream.
Ustream: Possible uses:
1. Stream music events, field days, poetry nights live
2. Stream lessons for mildly ill students, or students on vacation
Podium: Possible applications:
1. Students read books on tape
2. Students record music performances to critique and share
Vyew: Possible applications:
1. Use for web collaborating/conferencing between peers, parents, and other classrooms
2. Use to model new programs to students before they attempt it on their own
Our group enjoys using each of these tools. Each can be used for a variety of applications in the classroom. Primarily, we feel as if these tools can best be used to reach students that are absent or unable to attend certain class sessions. Overall, it helps us deliver content and information in a much broader manner.
one further thought— many of the laptops are chained to desks– in order to fully use video conferencing tools, we would need computers that we can use “unplugged” or we would need video cameras that are “plug and play” ready.