1  Using podcasts

Podcasts can be used in similar ways to streaming audio and video. The main difference is the fact that they can be downloaded and stored on your computer or Mp3 player. This means that you can find and select podcasts to use with your learners and prepare material for their understanding. Furthermore, since podcasts are portable, easily distributable and can be played on a variety of devices, listening activities can provide self-study activities or be set as homework. 

1. Extensive listening

Podcasts from any of the sites below offer students the chance to listen to a huge variety of authentic recordings. If you have computers available in your lesson, ask them to choose a podcast they wish to listen to. These podcasts are usually around 30 minutes. Issue a universal worksheet, which sets tasks such as:

• Summarise the key points of the podcast.

• Note something which surprised you.

• List three new / useful terms in the podcast, and explain their meaning.

Students can listen to the podcast at home; listen more than once; listen to selected parts of the podcast several times; or pause at will in order to take notes.

2. Intensive listening

Many podcasts are short sound-bites and can be studied intensively. To download a podcast before a lesson, right-click on the podcast link, click on 'Save as' and then you can save the file on to your computers’ hard drive. Note that the speakers on a laptop computer may not be loud enough for use with larger groups, but you can play a podcast from an iPod or other Mp3 player linked to external speakers. There are some ready-made podasts written for language learners available on the web, including lesson material.

Follow-up: You can email the podcast to students. Alternatively, you can give them the website address and they can download it themselves.

3. Homework

How many of your students have an Mp3 player? Many mobile phones can play back Mp3 files. You can listen to a podcast anywhere.

Learners can be encouraged to find podcasts that meet their interests and start to download and listen to them on a regular basis.

Here are some podcasting sites with ready made podcasts for the visual arts:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/nr/programmes/artsonsunday

·  Art a GoGo- with podcasts of art news, reviews, and commentary

·  artPod- a video podcast by Artnode that features video artists

·  The Arts of Honolulu- podcasts on the arts in Hawaii

·  Coloring Outside the Lines- a podcast by artist Kevin Mason

·  CraftyPod- pods on craftmaking

·  Leisure Arts- this has pods that explain painting techniques

·  KCRW's Art Talk- with discussion on art in the southern California area

·  Southwest Art Virtual Gallery- with video and audio pods

·  V&A Museum- with podcasts from this UK art museumhttp://www.podcastingnews.com/details/artagogo.libsyn.com/rss/view.htm

http://www.vmfa.state.va.us/artonair_listen.xml

http://www.podcastingnews.com/forum/links.php?id=338&sid=53a082083c929a42b935ad81b7843080   (choose from many)

http://design.schoolofvisualarts.edu/weblog/

Students can also make their own podcast about a topic and load it onto a site like this one for others to listen to and for you to assess- why should all assessments/ evaluations be in writing? All they need to make a podcast is a plug in microphone that you can pick up for a few dollars and Windows Sound Recorder which comes free on your laptop or on school computers.  You or they can then load it onto a site like this one.