Week 3: Podcasts

1. Definition of Podcasting

Podcasting can be a powerful tool to enhance both communication and digital literacy skills. Often podcasts are mistaken for audio or video files uploaded to the Internet, but they are more than that. While they always include an audio element and sometimes a video element, podcasts differ in that they have RSS feeds that pull the files into an aggregator and allow listeners/viewers to subscribe to the updated information.

The first part of your assignment will ask you to create your own working definition of ‘podcast’ in your blog, using information from the Supplemental Reading listed below.  You may want to begin by viewing the Common Craft Show below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MSL42NV3c[/youtube]

2. Reasons to Create/Use Podcasts

Among many reasons to create and use podcasts in education, consider the following list created by Round Rock ISD ITS:

Professional Development for Teachers and Staff

• ITS create content for teachers to learn technology skills
• Principals create content for school procedures and planning
• Instructional coaches create content for teachers in high-stakes learning areas

Teachers Create Content for Students

• Mini-Lessons-to-Go
• Vocabulary Practice
• Video Demonstrations and How-Tos
• Lectures and Class Discusssions
• Virtual Field Trips

Students Create Content for Real-World Audiences

• Publish Essays and Journals
• Share Content Knowledge
• Video Demonstrations and How-Tos
• School and Community Events/News

You might consider adding to this list in your blog reflection.

3. Examples of Podcasts in Education

• Connect Learning with David Warlick--Professional Development
• New Teacher Hotline–Professional Development
• NASA Science Podcasts--General Education
• Coley Cast--Student Podcasting
• KidCast–About Podcasting in the Classroom (scroll down)
• Ridgeview Pawcasts--Local Student Podcasts from Ridgeview MS
• Texas History Audio Museum--Local Student Podcasts from 4th graders at Caldwell Heights Elem.
• Learn Out Loud–Podcast Directory
• Education Podcast Network
• LearningInHand

Other Podcasts

• NPR Podcast Directory--General Interest
• iTunes Store Podcasts

4. Assignment

(Please begin early. Podcasting takes time.)

• 1)  Learn about podcasts. Read the supplemental materials, looking for definitions of podcasting in these and other resources. Create a personal definition of ‘podcast’ with particular attention to what it is, its purpose, and how it is created or is different from other audio/video formats. Write your definition as the introduction to your blog this week.
• 2)  Find and listen to podcasts.  You may want to begin with the short list in the examples above, and expand from there. Subscribe to the ones you like through your RSS reader and/or iTunes. Note:  Podcasts may be heard like a radio show from your computer–no need to purchse an mp3 player for any part of this assignment.
• 3)  Create a short (1-3 minute) podcast and post it on your blog.
  • A)  This podcast may be on a topic of choice, and it does not need to be elaborate. You may want to consider creating something that you’ll be able to use next year as school begins (e.g., introduce yourself to your students, explain some class routines, tell about something exciting that happened to you this summer, or offer advice to new teachers). There are more ideas in the resource Choosing a Topic for Your Podcast.
  • B)  Use the resources (tutorials listed below) to guide you in all phases–software installation, planning, recording, and uploading your podcast to your blog page.  
  • C)  Download Audacity to your computer, using the guides listed among the resources.  Pay particular attention to the lame.dll file instructions, because without that file Audacity will not be able to convert your recording to the necessary mp3 file.  Be sure to plug your microphone into the correct input on your computer–it usually has a little microphone picture next to it.  Practice recording before you do the real thing, and listen to the volume and quality.  Some microphones pick up more noise (like outside noise, or even your breath hitting the mic), so a quiet room without interruptions will be helpful.
  • D)  Read the guides to learn how to edit.  They’ll also tell you how to add a music track if you feel really adventurous, but remember not to use copyrighted music, and music is not required for a good podcast.
  • E)  Instructions in the tutorials tell you how to save the file to your machine and how to convert it to an mp3 that you can upload.
  • F)  There are separate uploading instructions for Edublogs users and Blogspot users.  Note: Blogspot/Blogger does not have a direct upload for audio files such as podcasts, so if your blog is on Blogspot, there are several more steps involved. These podcasts will be uploaded to another source and then linked to Blogspot.
  • G)  Once uploaded, your blog site will automatically create a feed for your podcast.
• 4)  Listen to the podcasts of at least 3 other participants, providing comments when you visit their blogs.  Remember to be positive in your comments.  Creating an original podcast is a very ambitious task!
• 5)  Complete reflections on your own learning in your blog.  Please share any really great outside podcasts that you find with your colleagues in class. Then consider these questions: “What qualities/features do you find common among the best podcasts? Does my podcast share any of these features? How might podcasts be useful in your classroom or your practice in education? Remember that a reflection is a place to think out loud about your learning. A question worth investigating later: Can podcasts be uploaded to TeacherWeb in addition to your blog space?
• 6)  Complete comments on 3 other blogs – see rotation assignment.

5. Resources You Will Need to Complete Assignments

• Hardware required: Internet-connected computer, Microphone for use with computer
• Software: Audacity
• Guides and Tutorials: How to Download and Install Audacity, Audacity Tutorial for Podcasters, Audacity Step-by-Step Tutorial, Tech-Ease Video Tutorials (require Quicktime Player), Podcasting Legal Guide, Audacity Basics, Audacity-Quickstart
• Music: Freeplay Music
• Uploading to Your Blog:  Uploading Your Podcast to Edublogs, Uploading Your Podcast to Blogspot

6. Supplemental Reading

• What Has Podcasting Done for You?
• [Edutopia] Readers’ Survey 2007: Best Educational Podcast
• Podcasting in the Classroom
• Podcasting 101 for K-12 Librarians
• Strategies for Using Podcasting to Support Student Learning
• Podcasting Craze Comes to K-12 Schools
• The New Face of Learning: The Internet Breaks School Walls Down
• Geek’s Guide to Teaching

Remember to post any questions you have in the forum.