Podcasts?

Podcasts are kind of like the old-time radio series, but you have more control.  You download it, listen to it, maybe replay it.  You can download one episode, or all available episodes.  They're a great way to get information out to listeners.  The episodes can be engaging (some not so much) and they can be almost any length.

In a classroom the possibilities are endless.  In reality, students could create podcasts on just about anything they are studying.  They could create podcasts about each stop on their travels along the silk road, the oregon trail, a journey through the amazon.  They could create podcasts on mathematical theories, or a chapter by chapter analysis of Wuthering Heights or Their Eyes Were Watching God.

The best way for a student to show that they've learned content is for them to teach it.  This is true not just at the k12 level, but for students of any age.  We use this concept for other trainers that I work with.  We know we really know our product/content when we can teach it and answer questions effectively.

Podcasts give students the opportunity to showcase what they've learned and make it available to others, be it students, staff, faculty or the world.  Podcasts are super easy to record, edit and produce and don't require much in the way of special equipment or software.  Ultimately podcasts can be used as an alternative assessment because it can show how well they have learned their content while giving them a real-world experience.