Web 2.0 Phone Applications..

"Maxwell Smart's infamous shoe phone pioneered the mobile phone way back in the 60's.  Discover the phone evolution with the millions of useful quirky and even bizarre applications now available for download to smartphone and ipads"

This is quoted directly from the RCC Library that are now offering free on-line short courses on phone applications!
How great is it that Libraries are offering such courses and are now working on a range of different 'draw-cards' to keep residents active within their local libraries!!
This is a course that I'm certainly keen on.

pod casting..

Pod Casting..hmm.  This is a technology that I haven't really considered in terms of a Higher Education teaching tool...however..as we are learning through this course, a paradigm shift is apparent in education-one that is changing the historical pedagogical approach to teaching.  That is, the top-down approach to teaching is being replaced by collaborative learning, which technological advances are driving.  Pod casts in teaching and education generally are certainly on the up turn- this said, as we are aware, many educators are not quick to adopt new technologies :).  I am certainly part of that group, but am trying to break free of this.  I was not aware that pod casts were not audio only!  It's great that pod casts can incorporate a range of other media files such as graphics slide shows etc.  So again the life-long learning continues for me.  As educators, it is important that we work to meet the diverse needs and learning styles of a wide range of students.  Due to the fact that many students already use such media tools in their own personal lives using pod casts and creating materials via such tools creates a familiar environment for continued learning.
So the advantage of engaging students via pod casts:

• The pod cast can be started anywhere, paused, restarted, stored and viewed at a time suitable for the student
• Audio benefits vision impaired students
• Allows for convenient access to materials

All this said, I do believe such tools may be applicable to some courses more than others.  In my current situation due to the self-paced external nature of WIST- there are no set lectures or tutorials for students to either view or attend.  However in an undergraduate perspective I can see this as being a tool that will grow in momentum amongst educators.