week6-1) Discussion Questions 5: More about Podcasting

•Discuss the following terms

  * RSS-Really Simple Syndication "RSS" is about getting live web feeds directly to your computer
   *SNS (microblogging) -Social Netwok Service, a system offering to the public top-quality DNS service for your brand.
   *podcatcher (iTunes)-an application you can use to subscribe to podcasts; the podcatcher automatically downloads podcasts as they are posted to a site.

•In what aspects podcasting is different from other audio-visual materials? Why are these differences/unique characteristics meaningful for L2 learning and instruction?
Podcasting offers some interesting advantages, compared to others technological tools. The most important one is the capability for it to be used anytime-anywhere. In a society where time is the most essential resource, this characteristic has allowed podcasting to reach an exceptional position. The creation of small and portable MP3 and Video players has allowed users to decide where and when they want to listen to podcasts, according to their needs. Moreover, podcasting provides another interesting advantage: users can do other tasks (e.g. cooking, taking notes, driving, running, strolling, travel to work) while they are listening
to them.

•Podcastinig doesn't seem as popular in Korea as in other countries such as U.S. China, and other western countries. Why do you think so?

English education in Korea is focused on English for exams, so most students study only written form of language. Therefore English learners have less attention on spoken language compared to written language and podcastinig doesn't seem as popular in Korea as in other countries such as U.S. China, and other western countries.