I think podcasting definitely has a place in the educational system. It is a great tool that can be used effectively. If a student is away on athletics or misses class for any reason, they can simply listen to the podcast and not miss anything. Even if they do attend the class, they can listen to the podcast as a way to gain further understanding of the knowledge or as a way to study before a test. The only concern I have with podcasting in education is the idea of what it might lead to down the road. Bruce Thornton mentioned this in the Fresno Bee article when he discusses the idea of "podcasts being one more technological change pointing to a future where students are not in the classroom with a professor." Podcasts are a great tool, but I think it is important to remember they are just a tool. People learn in a variety of ways and it is the job of the educator to teach to the different modalities so that students have every opportunity to learn. I, for example, do not learn very well audibly, I am more of a visual learner.
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