Podcasts!

I have heard of podcasting before. There is actually a weekly podcast that I follow. I find it convenient because I can listen to it while I am driving if I decide that I don't want to listen to music. It's nice because I can just listen to it from my phone or iPad, given that I have wifi. I first experienced educational podcasts last summer term. My professor used podcasts to give lectures, and read through PowerPoints she had uploaded. It kind of brought you closer to the professor since you were able to hear her voice. 

I had actually considered using podcasts as a teaching tool before. I really have been thinking about having a blog (or wiki page!) made for my future class and podcasts would be easy to link or embed on to a page like that. I don't think I would allow students to listen to said podcasts in class, though. Integrating technology has its disadvantages because you never REALLY know what the student is using their electronic device for. Though it would be good to acclimate them to the podcasts during class, the possibilities of them just listening to music seem to high. I would have to figure out a way around that (with any technology, really).

Technology has negative, obviously, but I firmly believe that the advantages highly outweigh the negative. The internet has brought us all closer together. I am a tech abuser. I sheepishly admit to being the girl with her phone in her hand at dinner. But I also admit to finding good uses for it as well. I have found long lost friends and cousins through Facebook or extensive google searches. I've learned how to say phrases in different languages through google translate. I have found new cuisines and crafts on Pinterest. There are so many amazing things the world wide inter web has to offer that the negatives are almost not even there.