My thoughts on podcasts, video, screencasts, and live streaming

The technology discussed in this chapter really shows how easy it can be for teachers to post audio, video, and a mix of both on the web.  This technology allows you to give information to students over the web without being even close to your students.  This is a dun and easy way to assess your students learning of the material as well.  If you are teaching them something new you have them create a video or a podcast and assess them on their knowledge of it by listening or viewing it.  Many students learn in different ways.  As a teacher you can help students learn by using audio, video, and a mix of both.  This chapter made it seam very easy to use and add to the web what your or your students have created.  I took a geography class this summer and it was all online.  Our teacher used a lot of screencasts to help explain labs that we were supposed to do.  That is a very helpful resource because it is hard to understand what a teacher wants out of an assignment by just reading directions that can sometimes not make sense.  His screencasts allowed him to explain it to us like he was right there talking in person.  As a future teacher I could see myself using some of these different technologies because I think students can learn a lot easier if they see things visually.  I feel that it is a very helpful resource to get information to your students without you being by them.  They can also be used as great reminders before and after class to help students out.  If a student is sick or can't make it to school for a little while, this technology could be a great way to reach him and he would feel better because a teacher can explain homework expectations to a student better then a student that is bringing that homework home to him.  I am planning on teaching science and for labs screencasts, videos, or podcasts can be a great way to show students different things because labs are such a visual thing.  I feel that these technologies are very adaptable for education purposes and they seem pretty easy to use.