Project Podcasting

Following joint research into the new approaches to learning needed to support students who, for differing reasons, cannot access lifelong learning by full-time attendance at a local training centre, Leeds City College has worked with partners from Greece, Latvia, Poland and.

The aims of the project were to:

• Review the use of podcasting (audio/media broadcasting over the internet) to promote independently accessed learning for a wide range of target audiences disadvantaged in their access to learning, eg by disability, geographical location or working patterns;

• Develop appropriate resources / standard protocols to meet the growing demand for a flexible approach to learning by a growing number of learners who need to fit working life into the framework of learning new skills;

• Involve students from each partner organisation to meet the first two aims of the project and to develop their own employability skills – commitment, self-confidence,  team working, use of own initiative – all in demand by employers across Europe.

The project was disseminated through the project blog and facebook; in addition, each country followed the Project Dissemination Action Plan to maximise national awareness of the project (copies of all supporting documentation  in Report Annexes).

Created:

• e-learning platform: http://www.actione-learn.eu/podcasting, created by Action Synergy (the Greek partner of the project) which hosted details of the assignments and tasks of the students as well as the project documentation,

• blog for use by students: http://www.podcastingeurope.blogspot.com, was created with the use of the “blogger” platform,

• Facebook page of the project: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_213464445352430&ap=1, the project created a facebook page in order to maintain informal communication and contacts between its members,

• Technical Handbook: Created to provide guidelines and instructions on how to use the tools which have been used and / or developed for the project,

• student visit documentation which was used to support student participation in each visit to show the “distance travelled”,

• Video / Audio Podcasts: Created through the co-operation of students from all partner countries.

- organizations carrying out educational activities for adults,

- organizations or centers vocational training,

- vocational schools.

- Park Lane College Leeds (UK),

- UETP Action Link / Action Synergy S.A.(Greece),

- Riga Teacher Training & Educational Management Academy (Latvia),

- Vilnius Pedagogical University (Lithuania),

- Grup Scolar Dimitrie Leonida Petrosani (Romania).