Midrange
Hig h-end Project
$56–$80
$69
Snapkast (PC)
Snapzpro (MAC)
$56–$80
$69
Camtasia
Promethean Software
$250
Included with Hardware
$70
Wacom Graphire Bluetooth
Tablet PC
Microsoft LifeChat Wireless
Mic
$250
$600–$2,000
$40
Interactive Whiteboard
$2,000
$10
Samson Podcasting Mic
$150
$10/each
DVD Burner and Software
$100
$300
Tablet PC
$600–$2,000
Server with RSS
Capabilities
High End Media PC
N/A
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/MIIR
$1,500
via Teacher Tube, classroom computers, and DVDs. Students then watch the
vodcasts on their home PC, school PC,
iPods, video-enabled cell phones, or
home DVD players.
Students without high-speed Internet
connections are encouraged to bring in
ash drives and download the les directly from our school network. Students who
do not have ash drives are allowed to
check them out from us. Those students
without computers are accommodated
with DVDs containing the podcasts. Our
district has provided us with computers
that quickly process and burn the DVDs.
Class Time Before and After Vodcasting
Before Vodcasting Time
Warm-up Activity 5 min.
Go Over Previous Night’s 20 min.
Homework
Lecture New Content
Guided and Independent Practice
or Lab Activity
Time
5 min.
10 min.
30–45 min.
20–35 min.
With Vodcasting
Warm-up Activity
Q&A Time on Podcast with Chemical
Demonstrations
Lecture New Content
Guided and Independent Practice and/or
Lab Activity
0 min.
75 min.
Checking the Results
Exam
2006–07
2007–08
Unit 2
78.7%
78.7%
Unit 3
84.5%
86.8%
Unit 4
81.6%
80.7%
Unit 5
N/A
N/A
Sem 1
67.9%
66.2%
Unit 6
75.1%
74.1%
Unit 7
89.0%
81.2%
Unit 8
N/A
N/A
Final
73.9%
71.7%
Parents who at rst were confused
and skeptical have commended us on
better use of class time. Some parents
are even watching the vodcast lessons
and learning chemistry along with
their kids.
“I have to admit I was skeptical
about the podcasts at rst,” said Teri
Saxton, the mother of an 11th grade
AP chemistry student. “I had a fear
that they would reduce the amount of
direct contact with the students, and
questions about the lectures would go
unanswered. I am happy to say I was
very wrong.”
Some parents lauded the innova-
tive approach. “I bet it appeals to this
electronic generation just for a ‘cool’
factor, which is always a good angle
in education,” said Dan Heimerdinger,
the father of a 10th grade student. “It
is an introduction to a di erent teaching technique that might hint at some
of the things they will encounter in
college. It is similar to the lecture/
recitation set-up that most kids don’t
see until college. at will give them
some advantage.”
Another bene t of the new paradigm is that we have gotten to know
our students better. Because our role
is now to rove around the classroom
and check for understanding, we can
quickly assess student progress and
make immediate modi cations. We
o en nd ourselves bringing together
