PODCASTING

put your ear to the world and reach out to your digitally enhanced students

Carolyn McCarthy, SRESD with thanks to Anne Meadows and

West Virginia Department of Education

What is it?

• What is podcasting? Vodcasting?• What are the requirements for listening to and

creating podcasts?• How are podcasts used in education?• Questions…• Do it!!!

What is a podcast?• Audio content that can be subscribed

to via the Internet through a subscription (RSS feed) process– typically in an audio or video mp3 or m4a

format – subscriber automatically receives new

episodes (or content) through podcatching software (aggregator) like iTunes and Juice

Compare the last content to this!

• http://gruntmedia.com/podgrunt_001_view.html

Educational podcasting (podagogy)

…provide students with course materials they can use anytime, any place, even when they are not connected to a computer.

• …deliver course content in audio, video, and/or graphic formats.

• http://engage.doit.wisc.edu/podcasting/

Educational podcast examples please

maestro…

Kristin Korte K Brandes

- RFI Hyperbole

LSAT Logic

Princeton Review

Enhanced Podcasts• The Grammar Girl

Kids – Art Smart Podcast

Vodcast Examples

Cochran’s Science

Art History in JustA Minute - EwART

So…• course audio files, e.g. bird calls or

heart sounds • mini lessons with audio and visuals, eg.,

glossaries with sound and images, slides with voice-over explanations

• audio or video case studies containing interview with experts or other speakers

• multimedia presentations created by students

5 Characteristics of a 5 Characteristics of a good educational good educational podcastspodcasts

2. Informal Tone & High 2. Informal Tone & High EnergyEnergy

information/media that information/media that connects with them. connects with them.

friendly, informal tonefriendly, informal tone high energy that keeps high energy that keeps

them engagedthem engaged tutor or individual tutor or individual

instruction rather than a instruction rather than a lecture. lecture.

part of something rather part of something rather than the recipientsthan the recipients

What’s coming3. Strategic: 3. Strategic: Context/ReviewContext/Review

Review

Content

4. DI – addressing 4. DI – addressing different learning style different learning style preferencespreferences

AudioAudio VideoVideo TranscriptsTranscripts Reviewed onlineReviewed online Downloaded and listened to convenientlyDownloaded and listened to conveniently

5. Flexible Delivery5. Flexible Delivery

SubscribeSubscribe iTunesiTunes JuiceJuice OdeoOdeo

DownloadDownload iPodiPod iRiver…..iRiver…..

QUIZQUIZ

In partners – In partners – Person on left Person on left

name 3 effective practices for a good name 3 effective practices for a good podcastpodcast

Person on the right Person on the right name 2 more effective practicesname 2 more effective practices Plus explain what a podcast isPlus explain what a podcast is

Required to listen?

Any of the following:ComputerMp3 player (iPod, iRiver,…..)Cell phoneOther handheld devices***Need Internet Access***

Creating your own

Stages1. Plan2. Develop3. Record4. Edit5. Promote

What is your goal?

Then….Motivate and Prepare

listenerOverviewShare informationReview contentClose with credits

Assignment: Podcast

http://www.bteducation.org/img/lib/dialogics/AssignmentPodcast/index.html

http://teachers.ocps.net/lienj/podcasting/index.htm

Creating your own Step 2

Software:Audacity and LAME - FREEGarageBand on the MacAdobe Audition….. And others…

Recording device with micComputer with microphone iPod with micDigital voice recorderCell phone

Creating your own – last step

Hosting sites http://www.gcast.com/ Blogging sites edublogs.orgWeb server with RSS script

ProcessUploadCall it in – cell phone direct

Use in Education• Limited only by your imagination

How many ways can I use

Educational Podcasts?

How are podcasts used in education?

• Introducing new content• Review• Self-directed study• Foreign language practice• Band concerts• Field trip guides• Digital storytelling• Project-based learning• Parent communiqués• News/announcements

The podcast of a boring and

unengaging lecture will be just as

boring and unengaging as the original lecture and,

once the initial novelty of the

delivery method wears off, it will be no more effective.

Questions?• OK – let’s do it!

More Information• History

• Terminology

• Subscription

• Requirements

• Podcast Directories and software

• Tips

• Podcasting Tools

History

• developed in 2004

• former MTV video jockey Adam Curry

• software developer Dave Winer.

• Curry wrote a program, called iPodder, that enabled him to automatically download Internet radio broadcasts to his iPod.

• Wikipedia collision

• (How stuff works)

Important Termsmp3 is a compression scheme for reducing the size of audio files without adversely affecting their quality

3-minute = 32 MB of storage =3 MB as an mp3 reducing the download time by a factor of 10!

Important Terms

RSS (Really Simple Synchronization) is a method of automatically distributing links to content on a web site to subscribers

New and updated content is uploaded to the web server

Content is then downloaded to clients automatically through RSS feeds

Important TermsAggregator – application that schedules visits to websites and automatically downloads subscribed content

?

?

?

NEW BLOG ENTRY

NEW PODCAST

(NO NEW CONTENT)

Free aggregators include iTunes and Juice

Aggregators

• This software collects, or catches, or organizes… the podcasts you subscribe to

• iTunes is a Podcatching aggregator– http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

• Juice is a free podcatching software– http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net/index.php

Why Subscribe

• Your technology device can automatically download, update and replace old podcasts with new ones

• So you don’t miss a broadcast

• Convenience if you’re away from the Internet and want to listen

• Get the daily weather updates…

• Get latest information…

Subscribing• Subscription model is what makes it a

podcast versus a stand alone audio/video file– http://coverpage.pcs.k12.mi.us/podcasting.html

• Podcast subscriptions - You can subscribe to a podcast directly through iTunes. Just click "Subscribe to Podcast" and type the podcast's URL in the dialog box that pops up. You'll automatically receive all new podcasts from that broadcaster.

• http://www.bsideradio.org/podcasting.htm • http://www.c-span.org/podcast/

What are the requirements for

podcasting?• To listen, you will need…– a computer and/or a handheld wireless

device such as a cell phone (to locate podcasts)

– an aggregator (software to “collect” new podcast episodes)

– a mobile device (to listen on the go – strictly optional)

What are the requirements to make

one?• To record, you will need…

– a digital recording device (computer or mobile device for reporting “from the field”)

– a microphone– some audio editing software (Audacity /

Garageband)– music/sound effects (Free or make your own)– a text editor (to create the RSS feed)– an application (to upload RSS feed and mp3 files to

a web server such as FTP)

Podcast directories

• Podcastalley.com

• Techpodcasts.com

• Podcast.net

• Podcastbunker.com

• iTunes

• EPN

Podcatching software

• iTunes

• Juice

Podcasting Pointers• Design with the audience in mind

A podcast for parents or members of the board of education should sound completely different that one created for middle school students

• Plan from “Hello” to “Goodbye”What is the purpose of the podcast? How long will it be? Will you record voice only, or will music and sound effects be added? How frequently will episodes be published?

• Practice Makes…Well, Fewer MistakesAfter you get over the initial shock of hearing your own voice in a recording, you’ll be amazed at how many “umm”s you say. A script is essential.

Apple’s recipe• Intro music jingle (30 sec)• Freeplaymusic.com $25 per year TV themes• Topic 1: 5 minutes• Topic 2: 5 minutes• Interlude music 30 sec.• Topic 3: 5 minutes• Topic 4: 5 minutes• Closing remarks – hype next show 2 min• Closing music jingle: 2 minutes

Tips from the pros• PLAN – Script it out as needed• Figure out –Why am I doing this?• What topics can I talk authoritatively about?• Pick something you are passionate about• Is this something others will want to listen to?• Narrow down your scope• Select a very specific topic• How often will you produce your show?• Be consistent!!!

More tips – the show

• All podcasts are linear with a beginning, middle and end.

• Start strong• End strong• Do a script so you stay on task• Have a welcome and ending• Use music that builds and closes• Watch copyright!!! Not even 10 secs. of a

commercial song without permission

Podfadding

• What you are called after you do 10 podcasts and then stop

And remember…there’s a time and a place for everything!

A few more tips

Microphones

• Buy one specifically for podcasting if you can• It is the MOST important piece of equipment• Don’t use built in or webcam mics• USB headset from plantronics under $100 has

noise cancellation • Dynamic mics (vs. condenser) – more durable

and rugged• Condenser mics are best for office or home –

great range and more responsive

Blogger.com

• Create a free account

• 3 steps

• Create your first post by describing your blog

• Then type in the following:

• <a href=“http://URL of audio podcast></a>

• Click on publish post to complete your blog

ReferencesHow Podcasting Works (http://computer.howstuffworks.com/podcasting.htm)

Podcasting 101 -- How Educators Can Use This New Technology(http://techlearning.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=189500866)

Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Podcasting, George Columbo and Curtis Franklin, Que Publishing (2006)

“There’s Something in the Air: Podcasting in Education”, EDUCAUSE, November/December 2005

Education Podcast Network (http://epnweb.org/)

http://del.icio.us/cmccarthy/Podcasting

Credits• Located in the speaker notes below this

slide when you escape from the show. These are too long to put here.

WebliographySources• (22 May 2007). iPod - Wikipedia. Retrieved May 22, 2007, from the Wikipedia Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod• (22 May 2007.). Podcast - Wikipedia. Retrieved May 22, 2007,from Wikipedia Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting• M, Randy (November 14, 2005). Podagogy Gains Ground – Podagogy .Retrieved May 22, 2007, from Podagogy Web site: http://blog.podagogy.com/?p=32• Reynolds, Rob (July 7, 2005). XplanaRadio - Mozilla Firefox. Retrieved May 22, 2007, from Xplanazine Web site:http://www.xplanazine.com/xplanaradio/archives/2005/07/pedagogy_fo_po.html• (17 May 2007). Pedagogy - Wikipedia. Retrieved May 22, 2007, from Wikipedia Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedagogy• iPod, iTunes picture from iTunes program• Other Pictures from Clip Art