Podcasts and Digital Storytelling #diglitclass

Learning about using podcasts and digital storytelling as an educational resources has been very interesting.  Honestly, using these as tools in the classroom is something I had never really considered.  I won’t lie…I thought that I would be able to listen to the first episode of the ‘Serial’ podcast and write this blog post at the same time.  False.  I wrote the first two sentences almost an hour before I started writing the rest.  I became so engaged in the story that I couldn’t listen and write at the same time.

After reading some articles, like What Teens are Learning From ‘Serial’ and Other Podcasts, and listening to the first episode of ‘Serial’ myself, I’m really starting to get why teachers are using podcasts as a teaching tool.  In the article, it says that learning through listening, as you would listening to a podcast, has its educational advantages.  The author, Linda Flanagan, states that students have the ability to listen two or three grade levels above what they can read.  Listening to the spoken word also help those whose primary language is not English, according to Flanagan.

Not only did I read up on using podcasts in the classroom, but I also read on using digital storytelling as a classroom resource.  One of the articles, Meaningful Stories: How Teens Connect with StoryCorps and Podcasts, goes into a little more depth about other digital listening methods.  I couldn’t come up with the right words to describe what StoryCorps actually is, so this is what comes from the About section on the website, “StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.”  I really think that this is an incredible concept.

StoryCorps is actually doing a repeat event of something they did last year, called #TheGreatListen.  Basically, students are encouraged to have conversations with their elders about their experiences and record them.  Then you should upload the recording, which will be archived in The Library of Congress.  There are so many stories from my family that I may never know, and therefore not have a chance to share with my kids.  The next time I have a chance to sit down with my grandma, or some of my older uncles, I would like to take the time to do this.

With kids always having their heads stuck in either a phone or a tablet, I think this is a great way to help improve listening.  I would really like to introduce my kids to podcasts in the hopes that they will improve their listening skills.  I feel like there may be some points that I’m leaving out; but honestly, I’m going to go listen to some more ‘Serial’ episodes right now.