Distributing Listening Materials for Use In Class and Outside

Bill Pellowe (Kinki University)

Featured speaker presentation at the Sojo University English Language Teaching and Learning Forum (Listening).
Co-sponsored by NanKyu JALT; Monday, February 2nd, 2015.

Class Sets of Devices

Advantages:

• The teacher has control over content, apps and connectivity.
• Uniform experience for all students

Disadvantages:

• Cost (devices, PC, storage, syncing trays)
• Numbers and storage limit class options:
  • If you have 40 devices, either the class size is limited to 40, or you can only use the devices if your class has 40 or fewer students.
  • If the devices are stored in a classroom, you can only use the devices if you are scheduled to use that classroom.

Class set guidelines:

1. Sync all devices to one computer.
2. Put a number on each device.
3. Assign a number to each student.
4. Have a place for each device.
5. Keep them locked up, and control the key.
6. It's best if students use their own earphones.

(1-5 from Vincent (2010))

BYOD

"Bring Your Own Device" Concerns:

• Distractions of games and videos
• Unmonitored social networking leading to bullying or predation
• Consumption (and creation) of inappropriate content
• Social status and stigma of devices

(Pantagos, 2013)

• Some students don't have devices, so the teacher should have some extras.

(Brown, 2014)

Essential Concerns

• Storage
  • Amazon Cloud Drive
  • DropBox
  • Google Drive
  • Shared Web Hosting Service, such as LinkSky
• Distribution
  • Physical medium (ex: students bring memory stick)
  • Online link to content (class webpage, posted QR code, etc.)
  • Podcast
• Notifications
  • Send students messages
  • Students subscribe (MailChimp, blog, podcast)
  • Print QR codes to be displayed
  • No notifications: add new material at regular times
  • No notifications: give all material at once

Sharing Files

You can put listening files onto a web server and give students links to those files. If you're using DropBox or GoogleDrive, you'll have to "share" the files first. The URLs might be long, so you may want to create QR codes.

Share a DropBox file

Share a Google Drive file

Make a QR Code with the QR Stuff site

Create Podcasts (The affordable, least-technical way)

If you have a DropBox account, you can use JustCast to create a podcast. The free version of JustCast limits your RSS feed to 3 items, while the $5 per month version doesn't have this limit.

(Please note: In this video, I download the RSS file to show you the contents. However, you would probably never have to download that file for any reason, so don't let that part of it put you off.)

How do students subscribe to the podcast? This is probably the easiest way:

1. Copy the URL of the podcast web page.
2. Make a QR Code of that URL.
3. Students can use the QR Code access the page on their phone
4. If they have a podcatcher (podcast app) on their phone, they can subscribe. Otherwise, they can click the links to listen online.

This video illustrates these steps:

Create Podcasts (A pricier, more technical way)

If you're using a shared web hosting service such as LinkSky, you can install WordPress (a blog content managment system) and use the PowerPress plug-in for podcasts. Your website will have an administration section (usually called "control panel") where you'll find an installation button for WordPress. This video illustrates the process:

How to make a podcast episode with WordPress (note that the audio file had already been uploaded to the web server)

References

Brown, I. (2014) "Blended Learning With Student Smartphones", JALT 2014 (JALT's 40th Annual International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, November 22, 2014.

Chartrand, R. & B. Pellowe (2007). "ELTPodcast.com - A Podcast and Website for Students and Teachers of English". In Thomas, M. (ed.), Wireless Ready e-Proceedings - Podcasting Education and Mobile Assisted Language Learning, pp. 66 - 72. Available online: http://wirelessready.nucba.ac.jp/Chartrand&Pellowe.pdf

Panagos, T. (2013) "The Future of Education: BYOD in the Classroom". Wired. Online: http://www.wired.com/2013/09/the-future-of-education-byod-in-the-classroom/

Pellowe, B. (2006). "QR Codes and mobile language learning. JALTCALL 2006 Conference, Sapporo Gakuin University, Hokkaido, Japan, June 3-4, 2006. Slides and handout available online: http://www.eltpodcast.com/qrpres/

Vincent, T. (2010) Classroom iPod touches & iPads: Dos and Donts. Online: http://learninginhand.com/blog/classroom-ipod-touches-ipads-dos-and-donts.html