Webcasting

Recently I was intrigued by creating a live webcast through ustream.tv in a matter of five or so minutes. This site not only allows you to create live webcasts, but it also allows you to record them for access at a later time.  I showed this Web 2.0 technology to my school principal and within minutes she wanted a quick lesson on how to create an account and then recorded a webcast. Minutes later she emailed her faculty with a link to her webcast that focused on upcoming events at my school.  Upon arriving home that night I reflected on how I could get teachers excited about using ustream.tv.  Think about a teacher being able to host a live webcast at night that helps prepare students for an upcoming assessment.  Think about a teacher creating recorded webcasts focusing on remedial concepts or for enforcing newly introduced material and posting the links for student access on the school website.  All of this for the cost of a $30 webcam.  Students inevitably will eat this up.  It is, after all, right down their alley when it comes to watching live or recorded video clips.  Only, through ustream.tv, they are being taught on their level of technological expertise.