One of the most important aspects of the Neo-educational style to implement is an educational setting focusing around the student. Creating lesson plans which mostly involve the teacher and not the students has proven to be archaic and ineffective. If used irresponsibly, Podcasts can become an additional aspect of preventing student centered strategies. Used appropriately, podcasts can be excellent resources for instruction. I elected to do a collection on FDR's New Deal, as it is one of the most important presidential agendas and historical events in American history.
The only problem with podcasts is that they are just another form of lecture. Effective when used properly, dull and uninteresting when used poorly. The Unit would be on the New Deal and its impact during that period of the 20th century. The first thing I would do for the lesson is possibly show newspaper headlines from the period prior to the New Deal, making it relevant and accessible to students. The following website is excellent for locating various old newspaper covers without a fee.
http://xooxleanswers.com/newspaperarchives.aspx
Next, I would implement a KWL chart for the students. My aim in conducting this is to gain a general feel for how much the students already know about the New Deal. Activating prior knowledge is essential for the inquiry learning process.
After, I would then proceed to show some clips from the podcast collection. The collection looks at the New Deal from various angles, such as economic, social, and executive power. I would play clips of the lecture for the students, ask them discussion questions about the the pod casts. I would them have them do a sort of compare/contrast chart, defining the arguments among the various lecturers.
Finally, after the lecture and discussion, I would close by having the students listen (just as those with the radio back in the 1930s) to some of FDR's most relevant and profound fireside chats.
The following is an excellent website to use for Presidential resources.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/medialist.php?presid=32
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This definitly sounds like a great way to incorporate podcasts in the classroom without letting them become the center of learning. I think the fact that you end your lesson with the actual fireside chats would really connect students with the material and really inspire them to get excited about studying history, especially with all these new technologically advanced strategies.
ReplyDeleteYou describe a great way to not over use podcasts in the classroom. I agree with you that by misusing podcasts they are rather worthless as instructional tools. The way you outlined how you would use podcasts in your lesson tells me that you are trying to keep the podcast special by pulling it out only to emphasize a certain point. I like it. You could also let your students make podcasts paralleling the newspaper articles you linked, maybe they could act like old timey journalist, if that' not totally over their heads.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about podcasts--they can be just as bad as lecture, or potentially worse because the teacher can just sit there and make students listen without having to anything. I like that you didn't just describe other things you could do in addition to using the podcast, but gave a step-by-step lesson.
ReplyDeleteI really like the lesson that you have created for the New Deal. I like that you have students looking at newspapers and listening to fireside chats as these are great primary sources that can really promote discussion. I agree that podcasts, when used incorrectly, can be dull and really not teach students anything. I liked that you had students actively engaging with the podcasts through discussion questions. Nice uses of the KWL chart in your lesson plan too! :)
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