VODCASTS FOR EDUCATION

This week I actually came to face the term “vodcast” and looking into it I realized I have used them so many times, especially with some college courses. It turns out to be a very convenient way of following up a theme with the videos coming to you whenever they are available. I liked the term “video on demand” used by Christopher Breen in his article “How to create a vodcast”.

What is a vodcast? Videos streamed through a feed, so they can be viewed by anyone . They can consist of episodes, become a series... the important thing is that they are usually grouped for a specific purpose and they are viewed "on demand".

I see many uses for this in education. A teacher can keep the class interested by expanding on themes that cannot be explained in deep when there are time constraints... Creating these video on demand streaming can be a source for a bonus question on a test, or simply encourage the kids curiosity about a theme. Dedicated videos delivered in such a way can make a class come to life. The kids could make a closed circuit streaming of weekly assignment, maybe “acting out” the theme of the week... This could also be a way for school teachers to deliver the class to kids that cannot physically go to school because of a temporary illness, or to make a whole curriculum available through streaming it (and then keeping it for future references). The beauty of it is that whenever a person can view it then it can run. And the information is always there to be used.

You Tube is one example of a very successful and popular vodcasting collection. Whenever you create a video, everyone subscribed to its RSS will gain access to it instantly. The beauty of having RSS is that it does not rely on a person looking it up... making it very convenient especially for the new generation (who want everything new right now). The whole file can be downloaded without problems to any media for later viewing (if downloading is allowed).

Some people and some organizations have their own place in their servers where they allocate their videos, and provide controlled access to specific people. This is very useful for training purposes. In education, this can actually provide a video collection of tutorials, of specific-themed informational videos and documentaries, and of courses for expansion or self growth.

The right images and sound allows for teaching the old stuff in a new, “you are there” way. This can give wings to virtual field trips, virtual classrooms, virtual hands on work, virtual job demonstrations, virtual travels... There are no boundaries for enhancing interactivity in the classroom using vodcasts.