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Written evaluation of Podcast Project carried out by Lingdale Primary School, Redcar and Cleveland supported by funding from the Northern grid for Learning 2006 - 7
Evaluation of Northern Grid Project
Title
Primary Podcast
Background
Children were to be introduced to this new media and use it as a stimulus for speaking and listening skills to be developed. This S&L development was initially aimed at developing language skills to assist writing.
Name of School
Lingdale Primary School
Location
East Cleveland
Size
NOR 140
Type
Primary
Context
In an Education Action Zone with poor literacy achievement. Particularly writing. Initially developed with a Y3 class
What They Did
We initially created links with a school in the USA. They sent us Flat Stanley to look after and to return with a diary and description of our local area. We used this to create an audio diary and description of ourselves and our area using Audacity and Northern Grid Audio Networks.
Curriculum Focus
Speaking and Listening
Aims and Objectives
To develop children’s ideas about speaking formally to an audience who doesn’t know us.
Extend ICT skills and children’s interactions with the school website.
Allow SEN children ability to create reports on cross curricular themes.
To develop use of Northern Grid facilities- Audio Networks.
How the activities fit with work pupils are already doing
This linked well with children’s speaking and listening activities.
It was also used for ICT in manipulating sound.
Equipment
Laptops, microphones/ headphones
Sound recorders- PDAs
What the teacher/other adults did
I produced a series of lessons to show how to use and edit with Audacity. The children then described themselves and the area for the American children. They then edited themselves to ensure a quality product was created. They then were shown how to download music from Audio networks into their piece and edit that accordingly.
What the pupils did
They produced a report about themselves and the area they live in to tell children visiting the area what it is like. They edited it themselves and imported music.
What was produced
A podcast with descriptions of Lingdale and the children in Year 3. Download the mp3s below
Podcast 1 
Podcast 2
Podcast 3
How was it used
It was used as an introductory link between the 2 schools in the UK and USA. It also allowed children to hear how they speak and sound to others and addressed issues around when to use more formal language. This was then used in more formal report writing.
Overall conclusions from the project so far
The children have enjoyed the project. They have developed an understanding of formal and informal speech and when it is appropriate to use both. The Audacity program was fairly easy to use for both teachers and children and developed their ICT abilities greatly. They were able to apply the skills of cut and paste used in a word processing package in a sound editing program.
Positives and Negatives
Positives- Developed S&L skills. Allowed SEN children to produce a quality finished product to the same standard as all other children. Developed ICT skills.
Negative: Technology/ Network issues around running and opening large files on school network. Saving large files on limited Network space.
Use of PDA as sound recorder- Cheaper, easier to use recorders on the market.
What would you do differently if starting the project now:
Use it with older children Y 5/6, who can be more independent in their ICT skills
Reactions of those involved:
All children and adults enjoyed the project. Other adults and children not involved became interested. Made children think more about the way they speak and are heard by others.
Future developments:
The project is to develop next year with training and development for Y5/6 teachers and pupils to use on their own projects. They are to produce multi media presentations around a local history topic.
It was time consuming because the teaching of the ICT part had to be completed before it could be used as a speaking and listening activity. This will change as more children become comfortable with using the software.
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