FINAL EXAM II OF ICT

Questions:

2a. What is fodcast?

2b. How can Fodcasting be useful for learning languages?

Answers:

2.a. Podcast is an effective tool for honing pronunciation skill. It enables us to learn listening and pronunciation through audio or even video files. Podcast is easy-to-create audio files that can be uploaded to the Internet and to which users can subscribe. Podcasting in recent years, Internet audio has greatly increased in popularity (McCarty, 2005). One recent example of Internet audio, a podcast, is an audio file that anyone can create using a computer, microphone, and a software program. Once posted to the web, podcasts can be accessed, downloaded and played to a computer or MP3 player. The popularity of podcasts can be linked to their simplicity in creating, editing, publishing and listening to them. Due to the increased popularity of podcasts and ownership of MP3 devices, the use of podcasting has begun to find its way into educational settings. It is also known as a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that could be downloaded.

2. b. Podcasting enables students or even the teachers to learn the language especially in pronunciation or listening skills. Podcasting can empower students by giving them opportunities to create and publish for a real audience (Stanley, 2006) and facilitate recording and distributing news broadcasts, developing brochures, creating or listening to teachers’ notes, recording lectures distributed directly to students’ MP3 players, recording meeting and conference notes, supporting student projects and interviews, and providing oral history archiving and on-demand distribution (Meng, 2005). More specific to language learning, podcasting has several theoretical underpinnings in second language acquisition (SLA) research. Swain and Lapkin (1995) recognize output as essential for second language learning. One strategy they suggest is having students listen to themselves as they edit their output, and then go back, listen again, and revise as necessary. They can also receive feedback from other students and their instructor. This type of approach could be quite useful in podcasting as it is easy to record, re-record and listen to various segments of a podcast. After students record podcasts, they can listen multiple times, edit their podcasts and comment on their classmates’ recordings (see also Lord, 2008; Meng, 2005). Although we know that the use of audio in education is far from a novelty, podcasting and MP3 devices have brought a new found excitement to the classroom. Osaka Jogakuin College in Japan was the first school to provide iPods to incoming students. Podcasts downloaded to the iPods consisted of audio learning aids to help with the learning of English (McCarty, 2005). Podcasting trends can now be found Lara Ducate and Lara Lomicka Podcasting: An Effective Tool? Language Learning & Technology 69 .In different parts of the world—many universities and colleges3 are embarking on projects using MP3 devices and podcasting in innovative ways. So, it could help students or even the teachers in learning the language especially in pronunciation and listening skills. Students could learn language by this media easily. It may help them learn the language independently.

Ok, i think that's all from me. I need a constructive comment from Mr. Uray Salam and friends in this virtual class.

Wassalamu'alaikum wr. wb.

Thank you,

YUNIARTI

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