[senit] Communication work and podcasting

Hi Sean

Hi Richard,

thanks for your interest. The aims were individual for each of the  
eight pupils in the class, very much focussing on the verbal skills.  
If you have a look at the pdf of my reflections towards the lower  
right of the page you can read what I had set as a target for each  
pupil and how I felt they got on in meeting that.
The equipment was an iPod with a Griffin iTalk microphone, but pretty  
much any hand held digital sound recording tool would probably do, as  
long as you can easily connect it to download the files. Due to my  
only working with the class for one hour a week I then took the  
recordings and edited them on my laptop, using Sound Studio. I happen  
to prefer this programme, but Audacity would do the same job. I then  
took each individual pupil's sound file and assembled them into a  
sequence in Garageband. I exported this and used Kudlian's Podcaster  
software to mark the chapters in the sound file and add still images,  
so that it became an 'enhanced' podcast. And of course a digital  
camera to grab photos each week. This is now all streamlined in one  
programme - the new version of Garageband.

Up to that point it was all pretty straightforward; the next step is  
uploading it to a blog so that iTunes can access it and then we can  
all find it using our copy of iTunes. A friend of mine helped to set  
up a blog for us to use and showed me how to make very simple  
entries, and was even able to make some online space available to use  
WebDav to get the files stored and accessible. This is the stage  
where without his support I'd have got completely stuck, and also  
where I feel that Local Authorities and Regional Broadband Consortia  
could easily provide expertise and services with very little cost -  
if you take a look at his site on how to do it you'll see that most  
of the software is openly available or very cheap:
http://mlearning.rave.ac.uk/mlearning/home/main.htm

Lastly, yes you'd be welcome to visit some time. We have a programme  
of open mornings, so all you'd need to do is phone or email the  
school office:
01295 263520
info at frankwise.oxon.sch.uk

Hope our ex-pupils are doing well (for those who don't know  
Oxfordshire LEA, they have a policy of pupils in special schools  
leaving at 16, but the FE colleges frequently can't provide suitable  
placements for them. About 4 of our pupils in the last 3 or 4 years  
who've had to go out of County are now enjoying Richard's company at  
Meldreth).

All the best,

Sean O'Sullivan
sean.frankwise at easynet.co.uk
Deputy Headteacher
Frank Wise School, Banbury
http://www.frankwise.oxon.sch.uk

http://www.parkroadict.co.uk

On 17 Sep 2006, at 11:24, Richard Walter wrote:

> Hi Sean
> I've just revisited your info on the podcasting sessions.
> I'm interested in finding some more about it.
> What were your overall aims for the sessions?
> What equipment did you use?
> Was your focus on increasing the verbal skills of the pupils, or  
> others?
>
> I hope your well otherwise,
> I would like to visit Frank wise school sometime, do you think that  
> would be possible?
>
> Richard Walter
> Meldreth Manor School