Introduction to Podcasting

Q: What is Podcasting?

• Podcasting is the production of/or retrieval of electronic audio files

• Files could be hosted (stored) internally within your school network or externally on your school web page, or on a blog or designated Podcast Website.

Q: Why would I want to Podcast?• Give students a voice• Accountability to broad audience• Public presentation skills• Students like to talk—harness it!• Students are harnessing a new, powerful

technology• Meet the needs of more students—auditory

learners

Some ideas for Podcasting…• Record public domain literature• Community updates• Library book reviews• Enhance the classroom lecture• Broadcast school concerts• Original student compositions, essays, lab

reports• Oral rehearsal for world languages Borrowed in part

from Kathy Schrock

Some ideas for Podcasting…• Author interview• Field trip recaps• Travelogue• Peer-Podcasting with other schools, grade levels• Summarizing written documents• Metacognitive capstone activities

Borrowed in part from Kathy Schrock

Do I need an Ipod?

All you need are:

1. Computer

2. Audio capture software (free)

3. Internet connectivity

4. Multimedia headset (approx $35)

Let’s listen to some Podcasts!

Hey, that looks neat…now what?

1) Listen to the Podcast

2) Subscribe to the Podcast

Ready for more? Check out…• Podcast Alley• Podcast Net• Yahoo• Education Podcast Network• There are more…note that you will need to

download software to hear and subscribe the episodes…usually free.

Let’s make a simple Podcast!

• We’ll use Windows sound recorder to capture our first attempt

• Find this program under start/all programs/accessories/entertainment/soundrecorder.

• Hint: pull a short cut onto your desktop now

Let’s play around…

Let’s look at the possibilities…

Free download audio editor: http://audacity.sourceforge.net

Let’s add a backtrack

• Free Play MusicSoungleSoundzaboundMusopenPartners in Rhyme - sound effects

Some audio notes…• .wav files are

Windows standard– They are considered

“lossless”—highest audio quality

– They take up 5X the file space of an .mp3

– May have compatibility issues with Apple

• .mp3 files are compressed– Audio quality is of

acceptable value for most people

– Fewer compatibility issues

– Internet standard• More info here

Where to put your masterpieces

• For maximum control, put file on your hard drive or network folder and you control playing it for your students

• To put students in control, put the files in a shared folder they can access it

• If you want the world to hear it…

Posting Your Podcast:

Congratulations! You’re a Podcaster! What’s next?

• Use a digital recorder to make Podcasts in the field

• Require students to locate Podcasts relevant to your curriculum

• Go really big and add your Podcasts to ITunes!• Get somebody else in your building going…

Resources:

• Audacity Tutorial

• Education and Podcast Overview

• Web Host

• Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for the Classroom

» By Will Richardson