Video podcasts for lessons

There is an increasing range of video podcasts now available via the Internet - another useful resource for imaginative and ICT-literate teachers. Often, such podcasts are not too long and ideal for sharing information, introducing a topic, research or stimulating discussion.

This is a brief overview of the video podcasts that we have carefully selected and listed in our "Podcast Directory for Educators". They are all "family friendly" and suitable for use with children and young people at home, school and elsewhere.

• Mabry Middle School, located in Marietta, Georgia, USA has published a number of video podcasts on different school based topics via their Podcast Central channel.


• Frank Wise School is for special needs children in Oxfordshire, UK. They produced a video to capture their school's council election on the Frank Wise School podcast channel.
  


• Ideal for the older student, the FutureMedia News podcast channel includes video podcasts covering a variety of technology-based news stories with Taylor Barcroft.


• From the ESOC Audio News channel, a video podcast about the latest science results from Saturn and its moons, entitled "Huygens - One Year On".


• In the Inside Africa podcast channel, Dutch film maker Tim Metz tries to give young people a different view of Africa. He looks at both the beauty and the problems of daily life in the continent.


• Short video stories from the world of science, including excerpts from television programs, video dispatches from producers and correspondents in the field are included in the NOVA Vodcast podcast channel. Suitable for a broad age range.

• The Raycrafts' Americana podcast channel publish episode on a range of popular topics, including everything from autograph baseballs, toys, vintage advertising, stoneware and the dealers who are selling them in the USA. Suitable for a broad age range.
  

• For college and university students, the University of California, USA, has the UCTV's Health and Medicine podcast channel presents practical advice and the latest research.
  


• The Ventriloquy podcast channel, based in Singapore, includes a range of video podcasts covering geographical topics within this part of the world. Another useful resource, particularly for older students.


• Rich Dupuis, a Canadian English teacher living in Japan, has created some entertaining videos on cultural and spiritual topics for his Vid Ricco Presents podcast channel. Some of his videos are humourous and suitable for a broad age range.


• The WDEVN - All about the Living World podcast channel has produced a number of video podcasts of general interest about "living the life" in Asia. Suitable for a broad age range.
  

Some of the podcast channels contain only videos, others feature an occasional video podcast. You are able to play the video podcasts online with our podcast player - just click on the play button adjencent to the podcast information. To locate the video podcasts in the channel listings, look for one of these symbols:

for video podcasts using the codec for movie files compatible with video iPods

for video podcasts using this general video format

for video podcasts using this traditional video format.

Some thoughts on using video podcasts in classrooms is included in the Educator's Tips section of our podcast directory.

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