Week 12:

Idea One:
I got an idea when doing the readings on podcasting  (which I found very interesting)  the idea was this:  The readings shared many of the ways in which podcasting is a great tool, from the ability to learn and share a new language, to being able to listen in portable media players.  However, in one of the stories, an undergraduate is using her portable media player to re-listen to a podcast she thought she had missed a detail in.  That got me thinking:  Why not have the podcasts automatically transcribed, so if you miss something, you don't have to search for information in an audio file?  This idea made me wonder if it was commonplace, or if there are currently tools to use to accomplish automatic podcast transcription.  After searching the nets, I think I have found an idea that is taking shape in theory and technology, but is likely a few years off.  I found some subscription services that will do it for you for a price, and some search engine's that were attempting to accomplish it, but no free services for the end user.  I'm guessing five years will change this.  I look forward to a time when I can choose to have text read to me, and to have audio transcribed for me, according to my taste or environment.

#2: Right to Copy?
This article re-enforced the importance of creating a whole policy about school copyright.  Administrators, Educators and students all need to be educated.  Policies have to be drawn.  Punishment for violation have to be standardized.  This week really had educated me on how I need to help with this function at school.  However, to be honest, this is not one of the aspects of the job that I look forward to.