The goal for the series overall is for students to experience Earth Science not only in a different format, but with a different emphasis. Through the vicarious experience of listening to my personal experience and enjoyment of far flung natural phenomena and places, I hope students learn that the content in the course is worth knowing because of the travel experiences they might like to experience or imagine.
My own experiences in the classroom have led me to believe that many high school students love to learn about what their teachers do outside of school. While this isn't an appropriate subject in its entirety, it certainly makes for more entertaining lectures when it pertains to the content of the course. A podcast of personal stories relating to Earth Science content may activate an affective response in the listener, if the drama and comedy of personal experience can be infused.
Since I am not super tech saavy, I think I will be doing audio only.
Audience
Students in middle school, mostly struggling students. The audience is as large as the number of students across the country enrolled in the course, which could number in the thousands at any given time.
The need being met is trying to find another route for students to connect with content. Of course, it is supplemental to the lessons themselves and will not include all of the information present there, but will hopefully spark some interest.
When will your audience listen to your podcasts? Students may listen to the podcasts at any appropriate time. Since either classroom teachers or homeschooling parents who administer the use of our online courses, it would be up to the student and teacher to work out the times. They could be assigned as homework, classwork, or extra credit.
Why will they subscribe? Why won't they unsubscribe? They will subscribe b/c they podcasts will be hilarious and super interesting. They will be interested in the content because they will associate it with my narratives.
Content
This series calls for personal stories that are relevant to the chapters in the Earth Science course. I think what state and national standards call for are the facts concerning the science, but I think what is required for interest is a personal connection to the phenomena being described. So, the podcast provides a different way of approaching the content. It is by no means comprehensive, but it does provide narrative and a human voice that text does not.
Ep 1 Close Encounters of the Everglades Kind
Narration of my own visit that includes
Description of a unique ecosystem (only one, so literally unique)
Lake Okeechobee overflows its banks annually into the world’s broadest stream, the Everglades.
Mix of national parks and private lands
US Army Corps of Engineers Restoration project
Alligators and even crocodiles (only ones in America!)
Invasive Burmese pythons
My close encounters with silly people and wild animals
Ep 2 Trek Across the Lava Flows of Kilauea
Interview with Kamooali’i, God of Steam; Pele, goddessof fire is busy with new vent on Kiluae’a, and the rising seamount to the south east
Scary story of night time hot rocks, mildly burning acid rain, and the cranky vulcanology students
Quick bit about me not being steamed alive for taking rocks and angering Goddess Pele
Ep 3 Gulf Coast Hurricane Adventures
Story of my participation in three Hurricane relief trips from 2004-2006
Focus on only one, mention other two
Explanation of vulnerability of Florida
Explanation of the disappearing Mississippi delta deposits south of New Orleans and the resultant increasing exposure to full force of hurricanes.
Anecdotes concerning the aftermath of Katrina
Will you need to include references or attribute sources in your podcasts? Address copyright issues.
Not really, b/c it is all personal experience, or from government sources.
What is your reasoning behind the type or style of educational podcast you chose? What stylistic approach will you take for each episode?
I think it will be the best way for me to make an entertaining broadcast. Students see textbooks and instructional films often, but not the experiences of individuals.
Stylistically, I'm attempting an extemporaneous style. It means more flubs, but less acting and a more genuine sound.
Discuss your plans for the format you intend to use for each podcast?
Each episode can stand on its own relative to the other podcasts. This is because different students may be accessing them in different orders.
What is the length of each episode? On what schedule will episodes be made available?
Describe any recurring elements in each episode, for example:
# Intro/Extro music clips
# Segment start/finish audio clips
Seperating the more informational segments from the more narrative bits
Will you need to make any special arrangements to record your podcasts?
None other than awareness of background noises. Birds snuck into my intro.
What are the standard settings for optimal quality of the media format you chose?
mono, 16bit, 22.5 mhz?
Evaluate & Refine
I looked for pops and crackles on the wave form and edited them out manually. Beyond that, I thought more about what I was saying than what it sounded like. I listened to the quality of my voice, however, I need to do a listening proof/edit where I concentrate on sounds and not what I'm saying. Background sounds are still escaping my attention. also I used a volume leveling feature to maintain the volume throughout the episode. Finally, I edited out about a fifty umms and pauses. I think more outlining of content might help, but as I was telling stories and recording, I found I would remember details that I could not remember when writing an outline. So, I am not sure which method would be better.
Design Idea
Audience
Content
This series calls for personal stories that are relevant to the chapters in the Earth Science course. I think what state and national standards call for are the facts concerning the science, but I think what is required for interest is a personal connection to the phenomena being described. So, the podcast provides a different way of approaching the content. It is by no means comprehensive, but it does provide narrative and a human voice that text does not.Ep 1 Close Encounters of the Everglades Kind
- Narration of my own visit that includes
- Description of a unique ecosystem (only one, so literally unique)
- Lake Okeechobee overflows its banks annually into the world’s broadest stream, the Everglades.
- Mix of national parks and private lands
- US Army Corps of Engineers Restoration project
- Alligators and even crocodiles (only ones in America!)
- Invasive Burmese pythons
- My close encounters with silly people and wild animals
Ep 2 Trek Across the Lava Flows of Kilauea- Interview with Kamooali’i, God of Steam; Pele, goddess of fire is busy with new vent on Kiluae’a, and the rising seamount to the south east
- Scary story of night time hot rocks, mildly burning acid rain, and the cranky vulcanology students
- Quick bit about me not being steamed alive for taking rocks and angering Goddess Pele
Ep 3 Gulf Coast Hurricane AdventuresWill you need to include references or attribute sources in your podcasts? Address copyright issues.
Not really, b/c it is all personal experience, or from government sources.
- Ep 1
- http://www.nps.gov/ever/
- http://www.evergladesplan.org/index.aspx
- http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Everglades/index.htm
Will definitely have:Format
# Intro/Extro music clips
# Segment start/finish audio clips
Evaluate & Refine
I looked for pops and crackles on the wave form and edited them out manually. Beyond that, I thought more about what I was saying than what it sounded like. I listened to the quality of my voice, however, I need to do a listening proof/edit where I concentrate on sounds and not what I'm saying. Background sounds are still escaping my attention. also I used a volume leveling feature to maintain the volume throughout the episode. Finally, I edited out about a fifty umms and pauses. I think more outlining of content might help, but as I was telling stories and recording, I found I would remember details that I could not remember when writing an outline. So, I am not sure which method would be better.