Maybe you don’t have time to sit down and sift through the latest education blogs for ideas and inspiration. If the thought of trying to carve out more hours in your day leaves you feeling overwhelmed, this list is for you. Podcasts are a great way to get information when you’re travelling to school or waiting at an appointment. Podcasts don’t force you to find more time in your day; they give you the opportunity to capitalize on all the dead time that already exists in your day by simply downloading the .mp3 or syncing a podcast to your iTunes account on your smartphone. Even though podcasts have been around awhile, a lot of people still don’t utilize the hundreds of free podcasts available on the Internet. Now is a great time to start. Below are a list of educational podcasts you should look consider:
TED Talks: I have yet to listen to a TED talk that didn’t inspire or ignite new energy for an idea or topic. Subscribe to TED’s education podcasts to hear from some of the brightest minds in academia today. A History of the World in 100 Objects: The British News Company has a great podcast for anyone teaching history or a related discipline. Freakanomics: explore "the hidden side of everything," telling stories about cheating schoolteachers and eating champions while teaching us all to think a bit more creatively, rationally, and productively. The Freakonomics Radio podcast, hosted by Dubner, carries on that tradition with weekly episodes. Prepare to be enlightened, engaged, perhaps enraged, and definitely surprised. ESL: The website, “English as Second Language” offers a weekly practical podcast that concentrates on everyday topics for those learning to speak English. The podcast comes with a learning guide as well. Douchy's Biology Podcast. This Podcast is produced for Unit 3/4 Biology students More information is available at www.andrewdouch.com.au. The content is delivered in an entertaining way and could be useful to students in ACCORD. G.A.M.E: Gamers Advance Meaningful Education is a site developed for people who want to use gaming to help in the educational process. For anyone who is interested in the creative potential of gaming in education, their webinar series is available to download in podcast episodes produced monthly. Infinite Thinking Machine: This is a high-energy TV show specifically targeted to educators, parents, and students who are interested in technology ieducation. They were nominated as one of 2012’s best Edublog podcasts. Nerdy Cast: Hosted by Nicholas Provenzano, this podcast emphasizes pop culture, technology, and how it relates to and affects education. Expect funny! Blog Talk Radio: Their Therapy and Learning Resources podcast is great for educatorsof children or those with learning disabilities and other handicaps. Examples of topics include stuttering, organization, picky eating, and vocal health. Grammar Girl: This site offers regular podcasts for anyone interested in teaching grammar or learning it for themselves! British History: For history buffs, this website hosts regular podcasts that focus solely on the history of England from the Ice age forward. China History: Another history podcast that focuses on Chinese history starting 5000 years ago and proceeding to today. Smart People Podcast: Picking smart people’s “oversized brains” is what this podcast is all about. They interview people from various industries to bring their listeners episodes that satisfy those of us with insatiable curiosity. Radio Lab: Podcasts for the curious mind. Broadcast on over 300 radio stations across the United States, Radio Lab explores science, philosophy, and the human experience. How Stuff Works: You never know what you’re going to get with this podcast. Expect topics that range from cars to food to pop-psychology. StarTalk Radio: A podcast series that focuses on all things extra-terrestrial. Topics include stars, the big bang, space travel, black holes, and more. Ropecast: Mini-podcasts designed for those who love English culture and language. The five-minute episodes are available once every two weeks. eCorner: This podcast, titled Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders, explores the principles that create successful business owners and leaders. Chemical Heritage Foundation: A science podcast that focuses specifically on chemistry. Each episode looks at past breakthroughs and the effect it has on present and future scientific research. Educate: This website offers a large database of podcasts for all subject areas and disciplines. They are specifically designed for classroom and student use. The database makes it easy to search by topic or theme. Audiria: A podcast for those interested in learning the Spanish language. Each podcast is rated with a difficulty level or listeners can choose podcasts that concentrate on specific areas. The History Chicks: A fresh look at history through factual and fictional characters. Podcasts go into detail about the time period, culture, and typical lifestyle of the person highlighted in each episode. Math Mutation: Short podcasts that explore mathematics. Topics cover strange and quirky concepts that aren’t normally taught in school. Astronomy Cast: This website offers a weekly podcast centered on astronomy concepts like planets and cosmology. The Naked Scientist: Cambridge University researchers and physicians are behind this podcast filled with humor and levity as they explore a diverse set of science topics. Their goal is to strip science down to its bare essentials. The History of WWII: Ray Harris, graduate of James Madison University and history buff, brings listeners a bi-weekly podcast of WWII facts, trivia, and information. Classic Poetry Aloud Index: Podcasts of famous poetry. You can browse through themes or poets to find one that interests you. BBC: Browse through podcasts about psychology, science, technology, or politics. The episodes are available for 30 days and updated weekly. NOVA: Offered by PBS, the popular TV program also offers podcasts on a variety of science, human interest, and engineering topics. NASA Science Casts: These video podcasts are short, fun, and bring unusual science topics to light. Podcasts are based on historical space missions completed by NASA. Practical Money Skills: Podcasts that focus on financial literacy. Topics include how to afford college, tax preparation, and budgeting. Read more: http://newsroom.opencolleges.edu.au/features/50-educational-podcasts-you-should-check-out/#ixzz2IqwJ6hA9