Podcasting

I have been around podcasting for quite a while now. To be more exact mainly in terms of Video podcasting. Much to what I know about podcasting in general is fair. I on several occasions worked with friends on a podcast and even a video podcast a while back. I think podcasts can be used in the classroom in many ways. If a student is not there that day you can have videos and materials loaded up and put in a syllabus of what was covered on that day and have the entire lecture down. Or if the students only got half the notes they can go to the podcast and listen to the lecture and write down more notes. Even listen to parts they did not fully understand. You can also use podcasting to reach more people than just your students in class you can reach people all over the world.
Podcasting is similar to some aspects of web 2.0 tools that it is online and almost anyone can use it, but it is entirely different. Podcasts are user generated and can only be edited by the one who made the cast but usually means they have to reshoot the information. Versus web2.0 mainly wikis everyone can edit them. Podcasting is another form of social media. Anyone can make a podcast if they have the right equipment and anyone can listen to a podcast from anywhere. Part of the reason why I like podcasting as a medium, as long as you have the means you can listen to it anywhere. Podcasting can and very well be used in the future of teaching in terms of reaching people. It is a medium that has not fully been explored and is something I feel that should get looked into more.
I do own an mp3 player; more exactly I own a first generation Zune. I use it to listen to music on my way to class since I commute from Sulphur Springs to Commerce every day so for roughly 40 minutes each day I’m listening to it. Would I use an mp3 player in the classroom that remains undecided? Sometimes I feel it is a distraction, especially in class when I hear a phone go off or see students just listening to their mp3 player or texting instead of the lecture. I think it could be used but has to be monitored heavily to be used in classrooms. And also depends on the subject that is being taught if that medium could be used. I think the advantage of online communication tools outweighs the disadvantages. The main disadvantage being losing personal communications with the student. The main advantage is a student can listen to the same lecture he or she did not understand or even write down more detailed notes. And another advantage is you can watch or listen virtually everywhere.