Podcasts and learning

Image by derrickkwa

Just finished listening to Robin's Top 5 podcast about tips for using Google. Was glad I did as the other day I was desperately trying to locate Google's Wonderwheel but couldn't remember what it was called or where to find it. (Kept ending up on the page with all the cool tools, like Google Alerts and Voice, but had forgotten about the search sidebar.)

Listening helped reinforce for me what some of the best uses of the technologies we have been talking about are. They are great Introducers: ways to get a preview of information into the hands of our learners before they get to us. And they are great Reinforcers: ways to quickly and easily remind learners about the learning they have already done in hopes that they will use it. (As Tom is fond of saying, Repetition, Repetition, Repetition!)

Of course, these technologies can be used for the presentation of new knowledge, but depending on the interaction level, may not be as effective as some other methods of facilitation.