Podcasting: Fabulous Classroom Innovation or Just Another Excuse to Play with Garage Band?

To start, a brief update on Comic Life:

I started using it today in my Creative Writing class. So far so good! The students are using it to convert one of their longer stories to a graphic novel. They are frustrated that I won't let them use copyrighted pictures, but they're getting over it...

And...the issue of the week; podcasting.

I'm a bit behind on my own podcast at the moment, what with the end of the quarter and all. I was upset at this until class tonight when we learned how to record a Skype conversation. Before that, I didn't think I had anything worth podcasting about. I mean really, nothing. I think, for my first real attempt, I'm going to do a Skype interview with my brother, who now teaches south of London, about the differences he sees in our systems and what kinds of things he has to do to comply with standards. I might be the only one that finds this interesting, but that's okay. It might be good to play for my students this spring when they all start to complain about having to take MCA tests. I'll show them the podcast and say, "You're not alone. Suck it up!"

I was reading the ning tonight and saw Scott's post about hating his own voice. I feel exactly the same way, so unless I either become intoxicated or get over my own self deprication, I don't see myself being overly creative with the podcasting medium. I will DEFINITELY have my kids work with it. I subscribe to a few podcasts such as "Car Talk", "This American Life", and "The Onion Radio News". I especially like the format of "TAL" and "TORN" as and English teacher because they lend themselves so well to storytelling. I think it would be engaging to have students mimick the style of one of these shows, much like they did at West with "A Prairie Home Companion". With a "TAL" format, we could focus on personal narratives, autobiographies, or interviews. With "TORN" we could concentrate on news reports and, more importantly, satire!

I'm a little scared about teaching them the technology after the great wiki debacle of 2008, but after a nice Christmas break, I think I'll have the courage to tackle such a daunting task...or at least have a little less sanity making me more prone to engage in self destructive behaviors. Only time will tell...