While lecturing is not the primary way most teachers deliver instruction these days, there are times when it is the best way to introduce new material, explain a complicated concept, and really connect with your auditory learners.  But what about students who are absent for key lectures, or need to hear information more than once?  They can sometimes feel as though they are at a disadvantage.  But now, thanks to the recent purchase of a Zoom H2 digital field recorder, MPS teachers are now able to easily record and post audio files of portions of their classes to their Web pages. 

DHHS Spanish teacher Kristin Mancini was the first to try out the Zoom, and the results were fantastic.  She simply placed the device in the front of her classroom, hit a record button, and proceeded to capture the next 15 minutes of her lesson.  The Zoom recorded a stereo mp3 file to a removable SD memory card, like the one in your digital camera.  After some minor editing and a few clicks of a mouse, posting the file to her Blackboard course was relatively easy.  Putting a “podcast” lecture on a Contribute Web page or Edublog would be a snap as well, and I’m happy to help any teacher who’s interested.  World Languages department coordinator Nancy Girald was so pleased with the sound quality that she decided to purchase a Zoom H2 for her department.  With a price tag that comes in under $200, it’s well worth the investment.