Cast information from a Pod...Indeed.

Podcasting. Sounds like a fishing technique doesn't it? Well for your information, it's most definitely not! Podcasting is a utility that allows users the option to listen to whatever they want, whenever they want. Whether that be audio tours (i.e.) educational zoo walk-throughs, talk shows (i.e.) news, training (i.e.) jobs, or story telling (i.e.) duh, telling stories. According to http://www.podcasting-tools.com/what-is-podcasting.htm, "Podcasting is the syndication of audio files using RSS." Instead of reading a piece of material, boring, one can listen to it!

Teachers can use this technique all sorts of ways! For example, an audio archive of Shakespeare, or audio walk-throughs of a lab assignment. Student's can use podcasting as a utility to study notes or guide them through an assignment. It gives student's a sense of powerment by choosing their own technique to study. Anything you could read, you can put it on podcasting. I think this is awesome! I already have an ipod, so I'm experienced in the music archive. It is very useful and it stides to express ones individuality by allowing users to download any type of music on their pod. The only downside is that it's not always free. However, the benefit of not listening to the radio play the same thing is worth the $1.00 per song to me!

AVL in the house!!

Yes, you can actually access the Alabama Virtual Library at your very own house! Amazing? I think so! AVL is also accessible at any campus library too, allowing students to research any piece of educational material their curious mind desires. Educational newspapers, articles and magazines can be accessed via EBSCO, electric library, gold periodicals, and SIRS. There are also online encyclopedias and the Scribner's writers series. Oh yea, and have I mentioned all of this is FREE, easy to access and very comprehensive! Children can also be tested on their research skills by taking the grade level courses at any time.

Not only is research a skill needed throughout life for researching past history, but it's also useful for acquiring new coming information as well. It's absolutely beneficial students be taught this skill at an early age and AVL allows elementary kids to start their educational process by making research fun and easy! This not only helps children to acquire skillls needed for their future, but it's also beneficial for adults too! What college student doesn't love that? I know I do!

Accessibility to ALL!

Wow! I'm completely impressed with Mr. Sullivan's powerpoint! I would have never guessed there were so many alternate ways for the disabled to use the Internet. Not only can partially blind people use the World Wide Web via Zoom Text and Magic, but completely blind people can too! That's absolutely amazing. Jaws, Window Eyes, Via Voice, and Dragon Naturally Speaking are all helpful softwares to access the Internet more easily. This is not only beneficial to accessibility, but it also goes to show that disability is only a word in the technological world!

This is beyond excellent for future teachers because in the class room, disabled students can do everything everyone else can do! In addition, the student's self esteem is not altered by a difficult task enabling them from fulfilling their outmost best.