Tag: General

Well, I’m not really a new kid on the block. I have been working with NASA’s DIY Podcast since its beginning. I am Denise Miller, the educator behind the podcast modules. I write the overviews at the beginning of each module to support school curriculum and national education standards. I review the video clips to make sure that they are going be what you and your students need. I have collaborated on several of the blog posts. But now, they’re mine … all mine. HA! I’ll be using the DIY Podcast blog entries to help you use this cool technology with your students.

I’ve taught eighth grade science, algebra and pre-algebra. I enjoyed using different methods for presenting lessons including demonstrations, discrepant events and PowerPoint presentations. If I were still in the classroom, I would create podcasts for my students to download to their MP3 players or computers so they could have repeated exposure to their lessons. I would assign podcast building projects to accompany some units. To me, podcasts are the PowerPoint presentation of the 21st century.

I came to work at NASA because I was using NASA lessons in the classroom and I had participated in NASA activities. I wanted other teachers to know about the cool and FREE stuff that NASA has for students and teachers.

The DIY Podcast is another example of cool and free NASA stuff. It is also an exciting way to use NASA multimedia in the classroom.

OK, really … the blog isn’t ALL mine. I would like your help with it. I want to use it to start a conversation between teachers, to trade ideas on how to make the most of this educational tool. No doubt about it, we can learn a lot from each other.

We’re excited to introduce the Do-It-Yourself Podcast activity in the For Educators section of NASA.gov. We’ll provide audio and video clips of astronauts performing work in space and on the ground. Your students can preview and download the clips to build their own podcast or similar audio/video project.

Learning modules on the DIY Podcast page will be categorized by topic to assist students with creating projects about a subject of interest. Each subject module includes video and audio clips, images, helpful information and links to related resources. A variety of audio and video clips will be provided to enhance flexibility and creativity. Students can create video or audio projects using free or inexpensive software on Windows or Macintosh computers. You and your students are encouraged to distribute your NASA projects through podcasts, social networks, Web sites, CDs, DVDs or any channels that you choose.

Today’s digital environments give students the tools to actively create and share content, not just passively consume it. Researchers say students who create and evaluate media are deriving a sense of competence, autonomy, self-determination and connectedness. A Pew Internet & American Life Project study finds the majority of American youth using the Internet are involved in some kind of content-creating activity, such as blogging, making profiles, sharing photos and videos, creating Web sites and remixing content. NASA Education’s DIY Podcast activity is designed to actively engage students in science, technology, engineering and math.

The Do-It-Yourself Podcast Blog will give you updates on our progress. We’ll let you know when additional topic modules are available and offer tips and suggestions for incorporating the DIY Podcast into your classroom. We hope you’ll use the Comments feature of the blog to share your ideas and experiences with teachers and students. Let us know how you’re using the DIY Podcast material and what we can do to make it better.

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