PodCasts in Education

Original Announcementhttp://www.shiloh.k12.il.us/RaiderTube/

Podcasting

Podcasting is the distribution of audio (or video) files similar to radio programs over the Internet for listening on a media player or personal computer. The term combines "iPod" and "broadcast.“ One may download a single file, but what distinguishes a podcast is the ability to subscribe and automatically receive content.

Educational application ideas

• Commentary – on TV programs, sports• Tours – museum, city, etc.• Literature – story, play or poetry• Guest speaker• Class lectures or notes• Authentic foreign language speech• Conferences – keynotes, sessions• Music – commercial or original• News• Interview• Humor

Examples

• David Warlick – Connected Learning– http://davidwarlick.com/connectlearning/

• Annette Lamb – High Tech Learning– http://eduscapes.com/hightech/spaces/blogs/

podcast.htm

Examples

• Mrs Smith – Tuscola 4th Grade– SmithCast– http://www.mrsssmith.com/

• Tim McCullum – Charleston Middle School 8th grade– http://ux1.eiu.edu/~tmccollum/macsci.html

Examples

• Bobby Bucket – bucket of books– http://www.bobbybucket.com/blog/B96573213

/index.html

• Mr Gates – 2nd Grade Podcasts– http://lms.saisd.net/cblog/index.php?blog=6&c

at=84

• Macul 2008 - Teaser Podcasts– http://macul.edublogs.org/archives/35

Examples

• Kathy Schrock – Nauset Technology News– http://odeo.com/audio/460530/play

• Education Podcast Network– http://www.epnweb.org/

• Apple iTunes – Podcast– http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/ (look for

podcast link

• Apple iTunes-U– www.apple.com/itunesu/

Examples

• Podcasts for Math– Mathtutor– http://www.mathtutor.ac.uk/ipod.shtml – (1 minute howtos)

• Science – Astronomy A GoGo– http://astronomy.libsyn.com/

• English/Language Arts -- Children’s Book Radio– http://childrensbookradio.com/index.html

Examples

• Social Studies – National Geographic– http://www.nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/

• Tom Grissom – Tech Talks 4 Teachers– http://techtalk4teachers.blogspot.com/– Note Tom uses BlogSpot to host his podcast

Characteristics of a Good Podcast• Think of a good commercial or news-cast• Consistent format• Even pacing of audio and consistent volume –

little use of ahh, umm, ok, like and other distracting audio noices

• Focused• SHORT and organized (2 to 5 minutes)• Break into sections with good transitions, and

teasers.• Topic of interest to listeners

Vocabulary

• Aggregator – browser/player for media

• RSS – really simple syndication

• Synchronous/asynchronous

Podcasting allows

• listeners to control:1. When they listen,

2. Where they listen,

3. How they listen, and

4. What they listen to.

Podcasting Characteristics

• Listeners collect programs from a variety of sources and choose which they want to listen to.

• This ability to "aggregate" is a major attraction. Services and software that help in this process

• are called aggregators or "podcatchers." Podcasting is asynchronous; it is not for live events.

Blogger for Podcasting

• Blogger (a Google Product)– http://blogger.com

• BlogSpot – allows podcasting– http://blogspot.com will redirect to blogger

• Howto:– http://blog.forret.com/2004/10/how-to-

podcast-with-blogger-and-smartcast/

Other Podcast Sites• GCast

– http://www.gcast.com/

• Free Service by creators of Garage Band

• Requires creating a personal account (free)

• Can upload MP3 files

• Can record direct from cell phone by dialing number

Basic Podcast Format• Opening Theme / Theme Music• Introduction with topic for the episode• Opening Segment (interview, discussion, ..)• Lead into break with a teaser• Music interlude (commercial etc)• Pickup after break and lead into Teaser Answer• 2nd segment content• Continue• Wrap-up Summarize key points• Play off with theme music or sound effect

Royalty Free Music

• Royalty Free Music Page– http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com/free.html– http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com/free-beats.html

• FreePlay Music– http://freeplaymusic.com/

• Sony’s ACID Planet– http://www.acidplanet.com

Tools

• Need a place to post – Blogger, Gcast, McGraw Hill, RaiderTube– Create Webpage with link to podcast

• FeedBurner – create XML file so audience can “subscribe” to the podcast– http://feedburner.com

• Audacity – audio record and edit– http://www.audacity.com– Save audio as an MP3 file

How-To Stuff

• Podcast FAQ– http://www.podcastfaq.com/

• Audacity Tutorial for Podcasters– http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/17-au

dacity-tutorial.htm

Project #1 – work with partner• Interview a Character from History• A teaching lesson-review session for students• A Book Review – Book Talk• An interview of your partner about some

lesson/project they did this year and how it went

• A daily school announcement & highlight podcast

• Summer trip/vacation or summer project plans• Pick an event from history and summarize the

highlights of the event – try in first person

Share Projects

• Save your MP3 file and we will share with each other

Podcast #2

• Any “other” of the first podcast topics

• Move into video and use MovieMaker to create video but use your first podcast as the audio track