Creating a Vodcast (Video Podcast) to Enhance Language Learning

The demography: Asa Clark Middle School is made up of many students who are invigorated by technologically challenging work. In this community, being on the cutting edge is prized, but school just cannot keep up as well as we would like, as we do not have all of the materials we need to do so. However, in order to be relevant to our students, we need to be able to challenge them in their own way, and according to their own interests. Thus, I have created a lesson plan that ties into their strengths and teaches the curriculum in a very thorough way.

Research shows that you learn up to 95% of what you teach, so by having students teach the curriculum to each other and others who are interested, I am hoping student achievement would improve.

Here is the lesson plan proposal:

1. Assign a topic to each group of 3-4 students.
2. Review functions and basic training on Audacity and Windows Movie Maker.
3. Direct students to plan the steps or concepts they need to show on the Vodcast.
4. Students write script and record script on Audacity.
5. Students edit audio product using Audacity.
6. Students import finished Audacity audio file into Windows Movie Maker.
7. Students listen to audio and write down ideas for the visual aspect of their Vodcast.
8. Students take photos, find clip art, and create video of all necessary items and import to Windows Movie Maker.
9. Students edit all visoal elements to match with the audio.
10. Add titles and visual effects, as well as any additional audio (MP3, etc.) that may be needed.
11. Burn to CD/DVD/publish on school network.

The materials I would need that my classroom does not already have: cameras/video cameras and a qualioty microphone.