I Columns Tech Talk Podcasts: Connections for students through listening and producing LuciusVon Joo Kanda University of International Studies, Japan Lucius Von Joo currently teaches at Kanda University of International Studies, Japan. He holds an Ed.M. in Comparative and International Education and has teaching experience in deaf education, elementary education and EFL/ESL in California, Japan and New York. His research interests include computer assisted learning, film and documentary content-based learning, student educational backgrounds and learning approaches, video-cued multi-vocal ethnography, and family and communities as educators. E-mail: lucius-v@kanda.kuis.ac.jp
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odcasts are an enjoyable resource, covering as many topics as can be imagined. They have opened many doors of interest for my classes and me. Listening to podcasts can be soothingly informative or it can be actively engaging if follow-up activities are used. The world of podcasts has grown to become a collective resource that covers almost every topic imaginable and, unlike when accessing videos or online articles, users tend not to skip around as much. Podcasts are linear, much like a novel following the host's topic. My classes and I have listened to many different topics and have even produced our own podcasts to be listened to publicly. As with any extensive resource, getting started with podcasts can feel overwhelming; however, listening to a show is really easy once you press play. There are numerous applications that provide a user-friendly interface to find podcasts and play them . This Tech Talk aims to point out and give one way to access, share and produce podcasts, calling attention to a high functioning resource. It will be separated into 3 sections: 1)
Podcatchers; 2) Podcast production; and 3) Suggested Podcasts for language learners. Just as in former Tech Talks, the sections can be read independently or in order. For each section, I will be mentioning the best or the easiest applications I have found and ways in which they could be incorporated for individual and classroom settings.
1) Podcatcher A Podcatcher is an application that locates, downloads and organizes podcasts to your computer or device. Apple (!OS) and Android devices have many different types of applications that play podcasts at the free and pay level. Unlike other applications, Podcatchers will serve
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