Podcasts

Podcasts in the Library

Podcasts can be an effective tool to use in both the classroom and the library, and they are great for all ages.  One example of using podcasts in the classroom include transforming student presentations to verbal presentations through the use of a podcast.  Students can also produce interviews to present to peers.  They can also be used as a reflection tool for student learning.  

The library can stay current with today's technology by implementing podcasts.  They can be used to promote the library, especially book promotion.  Podcasts are a great way to produce book talks, provide storytelling,  or to premier your library newsletter.  They can also be used for book reviews and reading incentive programs.  Students can also use podcasts in the library.  They can produce a podcast to share research to others, conduct interviews, share creative writing, and to have book readings.  

Podcasts are a great way to improve student engagement and creativity.  They allow for students to develop public speaking and communication skills.  They also allow students to work on the time management skills and marketing skills while promoting their podcasts to others.  Podcasts are a great way for students to use problem solving skills when using computational thinking.  They are an excellent way for students to show mastery of their learning and to help them become more successful.  

Types of Podcasts

SoundCloud- is a resource for podcasts where users can upload their podcasts for free.  However there are some limitations for the free version.  For me, I didn't find this as user friendly as others, which is why I did not choose to use it for my podcast.

Audioboom - this is another resource for podcasting, however this one is not free.  It costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year.  There is also a limit of only five podcasts per month.  Because of the cost, I did not choose to use this one for podcasting. 

Podbean - this one is my favorite so far.  As a beginner to podcasts, I found it easy to use when creating and sharing my podcast.  There is a free option, however you will have access to a lot more tools with a subscription.  Because of its easy use, I chose to use this resource when creating my podcast.

Click below to read my podcast, along with Jennifer and Diana!

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-q5zqq-112e51b

Cartoons and Comics

 My students love to both read and write graphic novels.  These resources are something I would absolutely use in the classroom.  I was able to explore three different comic makers, and they all were a little different, but each was unique when creating a graphic novel.

Fotojet:

Fotojet is a free collage maker and graphic designer.  I enjoyed using Fotojet.  I was super simple to use and to share.  I like how it uploads right into your google drive.  Fotojet allows you to upload real photographs from the web, so you can customize your comic even more.  Fotojet is student friendly and allows for students to use critical thinking skills, which is something students need.  This one was probably my favorite of the three.  

Pixton:

Pixton is a great tool for turning students into comic creators.  It allows students to unleash their creativity while making fun, high-quality personalized comics.  Pixton is free to use, however, many templates require a paid subscription.  I felt limited on what I could choose from using the free version.  Still, there are a lot of tools that students can easily use to create and share their comics.  You can sign in right through your google drive and it is easy to share with others.  This is one I would try out in the classroom! 

Make Beliefs Comix:

Make Beliefs Comix is also a fun and engaging way for students to turn their storytelling into a comic.  Students can choose from characters, backgrounds, objects, dialogue boxes, and much more.  It seemed fairly simple to use.  However, I felt that the images provided was limited.  I also found it more difficult to share.  From my experience, in order to share, I had to share it to a social media site or through email.  I prefered how the other comic makers went straight into your google drive.  Therefore, this one was my least favorite to use.