YackPack (Podcast Report #4)

YackPack is a simple, fun, and private way for you to send and receive audio messages to people who are also in your “Pack” or “Packs.” You have the option to create and belong to more than one Pack. You can have a Pack designed for work, one for family, and one for friends. You, as well as everyone you would like in your Packs, must have a YackPack account. YackPack provides an easy method of recording. Simply click on the pictures and names of the people who you want to receive the message. Click Record and begin recording your message. When finished with your audio message, click Send. Ta-da! Your audio message is sent!

I found YackPack to be very intriguing. It only seems logical that you can talk faster than you can type or write. What a perfect way to get a quick message to someone without taking the time to write it down. Teachers could record lessons, oral notes, or lectures, and students could access them outside of the one time they hear it in class. Business people could record meeting content and relay information through a podcast rather than face-to-face. In class, we also talked about using YackPack when grading projects. The worst part about giving a project in the classroom is the time it takes to give each kid the feedback they deserve after the work they put in. It can take hours and hours to write or even type all you want to say. How fun (and maybe a little easier for the teacher) would it be for the students to get their feedback in a YackPack message rather than on a paper rubric? You could send class announcements or reminders about due dates using YackPack. The only roadblock I can see is that I don’t work for a district where the students have school email addresses. I would venture a guess that most students have a personal email account but not all. Again, how do we keep things fair and reach our students without access to a computer or the Internet? It is a never-ending battle.