We’ve been writing and talking about how, for some users, podcasting can be made much easier by turning a podcast(s) into a phonecast(s).

We see it as a great way to take something that might be too complex or people just don’t want to learn about and turn it into something most people know how to do, dial 11 digits. Much more about phonecasting here.

Here’s yet another way the telephone (yes, the plain ol’ telephone) can be used to deliver information to one person or a group. In this case, all it costs is the price of a phone call. It also illustrates that keeping it simple can still be very powerful.

The concept, dial a number, make a selection, and listen to info about Abraham Lincoln and the Lincoln Memorial in DC as told by U.S. National Park Rangers. Included in the mix are readings of The Gettysburg Address and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address.

Even if you’re not in DC, a service like this, from the National Park Service can be of value to students studying the 16th President of the United States.

The power is not only in the content but in the ease of use. The learning curve, in our view, is about zero.

Dial: 1-202-747-3420
13 options are available.
To hear a reading of The Gettysburg Address select 6
To hear a reading of The 2nd Inaugural Address select 13

We would welcome info about similar services like the new 1-800-Flights for real-time air travel info.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 4th, 2007 and is filed under Resources for Educators, Source File. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.