CHS New Media Class (MP2) Book Podcast

This year, we're trying something different in New Media.  At the start of the marking period, pairs of students selected a book from a list provided by the instructor, read the book, then participated in a podcast recording in front of the entire class.  Students presented the subject matter and their opinion of the book and answered questions from their peers.  A number of books inspired some lively discussion!

The podcast is 2.5 hours long (good books generate great conversation); below are the show notes with the approximate time each podcast starts.  Enjoy!

Ellipses, the CHS New Media Podcast (Download the file via right click + Save Link As)

Episode 1

Introductory song: Twitter Tweetin’ by Carrie Dahlby (courtesy of Music Alley)

Announcers: Chris Napoleon and Francesca Resnick

1 minute: No Safety in Numbers by : Podcast by Ms. Gesin and Francesca

• Summary of the Book
• Personal opinions on the book and its characters
• How the book relates to the The Breakfast Club
• Criticism of the book
• Closing Summary

28 minutes: The Dinner by Herman Koch: Podcast by Ashley and Shannon

• Summary of the Book
• Thoughts and predictions of how the book will end
• Analysis of the characters
• Comparison between the United States and the Netherlands, where the book takes place.
• Personal opinions of the book
• Closing Summary

41 minutes: Free by Chris Anderson: Podcast by Megan and Jake

• Discussion about how companies make money from free services.
• Story about the Monty Python Youtube channel and marketing plan.
• Four separate Free Marketing Plans discussed in book
• Direct Cross
• The Three Party Market
• Freemium
• Non-monetary Markets
• Overall opinions of book
• Closing Summary

1 hour: Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie: Podcast by Jackie and Margaret

• Summary of the Book
• Personal opinions of the book and of the TOMS business plan  
• Personal experiences that relate to the topics discussed in the book
• Discussion about the future of the business world  
• Closing Summary

1 hour 15 minutes: What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis: Podcast by Ailsa and Chris

• Summary of Book’s main points
• Analyzing Google’s philosophy
• Customer Service Discussion
• Discussion about the openness of the web
• Overall Opinions of the book followed by class debate and discussion
• Closing Summary

1 hour 40 minutes: The Facebook Effect by David Kirkpatrick: Podcast by Andrew and Ronak

• Purpose and importance of the actual Facebook Effect
• Comparing/Contrasting “The Facebook Effect” and “The Social Network”
• How Mark Zuckerberg really started Facebook from his dorm room
• Exchange of opinions on David Kirkpatrick’s writing and questionable objectivity as author.
• Discussion of Mark Zuckerberg’s character and personality
• Analysis of David Kirkpatrick’s predictions about Facebook in the future
• The Importance of Facebook in modern society
• Closing Summary

1 hour 59 minutes Monkey Wrench by PJ Tracy: Podcast by Evan and Jake

• Summary of the Book
• Opinions of the Book
• Class-wide discussion regarding violent video games and mass shootings.
• Observations of the actual reality of the book
• Audience questions and answers about which video games they wish were real
• Are violent video games and weak gun laws the cause of these shootings?
• Closing Summary

Closing song: Facebook Me by Jeff Kornberg (courtesy of Music Alley)