Migrant students use podcasting technology to develop career objectives and improve their English language skills

As part of the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s summer migrant education program, middle and high school students developed a series of podcasts about their future careers.

“We integrated computers and careers to teach students career planning and technology at the same time,” said migrant education student support specialist Jon Iannacone. “Career planning is crucial because as immigrants from Mexico, most of our students’ parents know little about the American educational system or job market. We fill in that gap and teach the students what they must do to prepare for college and employment.”

According to Iannacone, most of the migrant education students have little, if any, access to computers at home.

“The vast majority of our students come from low-income households and do not have computers at home,” said Iannacone. “This creates a learning deficit when it comes to computer skills. This class (the summer migrant education program) gives our students the chance to become more computer and English literate.”

Middle and high school students enrolled in the summer migrant education program met four days a week during the month of July at Fred S. Engle Middle School. To create their podcasts, they used Internet-based research to explore their career options. Students researched college admission requirements and educational requisites for careers that interested them. They also studied the various opportunities and options available to them in their fields of interest.

For example, ninth grade students Ana Carmen Mireles and Maria Juarez are planning on pursuing careers in law. After researching her options in the summer migrant education program, Ana would like to open a private practice.
“I want to have a good future and to be able to provide for my family while helping others,” said Ana. “Opening a private practice will help me do all that.”

Maria, however, would like to work in the public sector: “I want to be a government lawyer and help people who don’t have money,” she said.

The girls not only have a better understanding of the type of law they would like to practice but also what it will take to achieve their goals.

“We will have to study for seven years,” said Maria. “Four years in college and another three in law school. Plus, to get into law school we will have to prepare for the LSAT. When we are finished law school, we will have to pass the Bar exam.”
After compiling their research, students then used technology to create podcasts that featured their career aspirations and highlighted their interests and their goals.

According to the on-line reference site Wikipedia, a podcast “is a collection of digital files residing at a unique Web feed address. Unlike radio or streaming content on the Web, podcasts are not real-time. The material is pre-recorded and users can check out the material at their leisure, off-line.” The migrant education students’ podcasts will be hosted on the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s Web site so that students may show them to family and friends.

The Chester County Intermediate Unit operates the Migrant Education program in Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties and the City of Philadelphia. The Migrant Education program is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and provides supplemental educational services to the children of migrant workers.