Arthur Phillip High School
"Magic in the classroom"
During recent time, the proliferation of Apple iPod technology and broadband Internet access have played vital roles in the phenomenon that is the podcast – the development of audio and multimedia programs delivered over the Internet as a “radio show”. Downloaded in the familiar MP3 audio file format, podcasts are generally played directly through the Web browser or transferred to an iPod from which it can be accessed anytime and anywhere.
While podcasts are generally seen as a new medium for entertainment and news, at Arthur Phillip High School staff and students are discovering their enormous potential in extending and enhancing the learning experience. According to the school’s principal Lynne Goodwin, with Apple notebooks as the platform, they have taken the podcast concept and are turning it into magic in the classroom.
“As teachers, we have found something new and wonderful that excites the students and produces very real outcomes in the classroom,” Ms Goodwin states.
At the ground level of the classroom magic happening at Arthur Phillip is GarageBand – a component of the Apple iLife suite of software (packaged with every new Mac). Designed for audio recording, editing and mixing, GarageBand, with its powerful Web integration, has found enormous favour in the podcast community.
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