You Tube!

Schools either allow teachers to use You Tube, or block it completely, with the latter occurring more frequently. However, this flash based movie site does contain a wealth of educational videos and information. I believe teachers should have the freedom to use You Tube, while student use should be restricted. As we watched a You Tube video in one of my classes today, I realized how much better the video explained a concept than the traditional form of lecture would.

Podcasting

Almost everyone has an iPod or other portable music player. One frequently overlooked application on iTunes is that of the podcast. These "iPod broadcasts" are totally free to download, and can be put on any iPod. There is a tremendous potential for these in educational settings. For example, teachers could record lectures as a podcast, and students who were absent could be able to download the content and listen to it on their portable iPods. Podcasts could also be an integral part of out of school projects, and a fun way to get kids involved in the learning process.