Podcasts are something I have heard a lot about but have never explored or done anything with. Richardson makes a convincing case, as with all the technology he talks about, about the great effects it can have in the classroom, but I am quite certain this is something I am not interested in using, at least ones of my own creation. I do feel that a podcast can be powerful if someone like an author of a book that we read in class has one, but I have no desire to create one myself. I like the idea of being able to record a lecture for absent students to listen to later, but I would be concerned that the students would stop coming to class becuase they can just hear it all later. It is a great way to create discussions and use for projects, but this just is not one of my favorite resources.
After exploring several podcasts, I have found myself interested in becoming a regular follower of a few. I did not realize that Anderson Cooper had a podcast. It is often hard to find time to watch the news, but I listen to my IPOD constantly, so it is a great way to access information. I also loved Grammar Girl. I do not like grammar. I dreaded the lessons in school and I dread having to teach them to my students, but this site makes some very confusing rules seem so easy. After spending just a few minutes with Grammar Girl, I am ready to subscribe to this podcast. It has so much info that pertains to my field, so it is not only going to help me, but it is going to help my students as well. When I am a teacher and am trying to teach a grammar lesson, there is a high possibility that my students may not understand what is going on, so bringing someone else into the class to help explain my point can be highly beneficial. The site is also a great resource for everyone just to brush up on their grammar or to actually learn something. I love that you can write in with questions and people respond to them as if it is a blog. This is brilliant because it not only helps people use their personal knowledge to help others, but learning from strangers can be very powerful. English has a ton of rules and exceptions, so the blog posts are also a great way to see some of those things in effect.
