Peas in a Pod: Podcasting for Teachers and Learners

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This workshop will demonstrate how we have been using podcasts to engage and extend the experience of secondary students in the English classroom. Podcasts to extend access to relevant content; podcasting for providing feedback to students; podcasting for creative learning. Podcasting allows teachers in remote areas to access professional learning and to create learning communities. The delineation of the roles of the educator and the learner are made more fluid, and invite us to extend our theoretical understanding of educational processes. We will share the ways in which we have uploaded and downloaded podcasts, including: direct, integral use in classroom programs; the extension of able students; the engagement of uninterested students; the sharing of learning and knowledge amongst professional colleagues. The session will examine some of the practicalities and difficulties we have encountered. Participants will have the opportunity to share thier ideas and experiences as pod-people. Whilst experience with i-Pods and downloading audiofiles is not required, a little familiarity will mean participants will be able to contribute actively.

Stream: Curriculum and Pedagogy; Student Learning, Learner Experiences, Learner Diversity

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Debbie de Laps has been engaged in a range of aspects of Secondary English teaching for the past 17 years, including English as a Second Language, Middle Years English and Post Compulsory English. She has been Chief Assessor for English Language and has been the chairperson responsible for setting English Language examinations for the Education Department in Victoria, Australia. As Executive Officer of the Professional Association for secondary English Teachers for the past 5 1/2 years, Debbie has managed state-wide training programs for teachers on behalf of the education authority, as well as large-scale lecture series for senior students and an extensive program of seminars, workshops and conferences for English teachers.

Greta Caruso has a long career in English teaching with all age groups, from primary to secondary to tertiary levels. She is a dynamic, innovative and inclusive educator who always experiments before asking her students to attempt something new. Greta has a passionate interest in film and e-learning and inspires her students with her enthusiasm and her skill. She is currently Head of the English faculty at a co-educational school in Melbourne and an active member of the professional association, VATE.