Tech Tips Tuesday

This Week's Tip: Education Podcasts

I'm starting with my new class today so I'm going for an easy Tech Tip this week. I actually started listening to podcasts before I even began blogging. I was amazed to see that I could download podcasts for free and enjoy Professional Development on the go - while running, driving to work, going for a bike ride, vacuuming the house, pulling weeds in the veggie patch etc. I still enjoy listening to these podcasts and find myself connecting with the people who produce them through Twitter and other online social media.

Here are some podcasts I recommend to get you started:

The Tech Teachers: Ray is a Physics teacher and Hollye is a Spanish teacher. In their show they talk about education and technology and where they overlap. It was through this show that I found out about Twitter, Flip video cameras and a range of apps for my iPhone. I love this show because it's informative, but also because it's fun to listen to Ray and Hollye as they interact. They do Christmas specials where they talk about some of the latest technology that you might like to buy as gifts.

Allanah Appleby's Showcase: This podcast is a great example of how podcasting can be used in the classroom. I'm still to explore this one more, as there are SO many episodes. Episodes are fairly short (generally under about 5 minutes) so can be listened to or viewed quite quickly.

Ed Tech Talk: There are a number of shows available from Ed Tech Talk.com. I enjoy listening to Ed Tech Weekly for useful links. (Episode 100 is a recap of the 100 best links). The Conversations Show gets you thinking more about education topics, particularly the future of education. And Parents as Partners helps you to consider ways to involve parents in the school community and gives you a greater sense of the issues pertinent to them.

K12 Online Conference: I am always recommending this podcast in one form or another. It is not an ongoing podcast, but rather broadcasts a number of episodes by different creators during October. These episodes can then be accessed at a later date. I have enjoyed the sessions in both the 2007 and 2008 conferences and look forward to what 2009 has in store. This conference is a great introduction to a variety of technologies and their use in the classroom.

Kid Cast: This podcast is about how you can use podcasting in the classroom. Dan Schmitt goes through important considerations from a pedagogical standpoint and conducts a contest each year to find the best educational podcasts being produced. He has a particularly useful video episode where you see him outlining uses for podcasting in the classroom.

Not Your Average Teacher: These guys are beginning teachers who talk through some of the challenges they face.

Successful Teaching: Pat Hensley shares her expertise in these podcasts. I enjoyed listening to the episode on Getting Ready For The First Day as I got ready to face my new class!

SMARTBoard Lessons Podcast: Here's a great podcast for tips on using Smart Boards in the classroom.

Moving at the Speed of Creativity: I haven't tested this podcast yet. It looks good and I've downloaded a bunch, but am yet to listen to them. Let me know what you think if you beat me to them.

Link 4 Learning: Come on, you've got to let me add my own one in! This one is my podcast with tips for parents for getting to know their child's teacher and supporting their child with reading. I'm hoping to do a series on supporting children with Mathematics, but have been lacking the motivation!

All of these podcasts are available through iTunes, or you can enjoy them on their home websites by clicking on the links above. Let me know the other podcasts that you enjoy as I'm always on the lookout for more.