Podcasting Basics

Podcasts

What is a podcast?

How does it work?

What type of podcast?

How do I make and use them?

What is a podcast?

Podcasting embodies what I have described as the Martini™ style of

mobile computing

“Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere ”

A podcast is essentially a free, on-demand media file that can be listened to or viewed on a desktop computer, laptop, netbook, mp3 player or mobile phone at a time and place of your own choosing.

Depending on your device, this can be on a bus, train, plane, in a car, at work, at home, in the park and so on.

ReallySimpleSyndication

How does it work?

Podcasts are distributed via a web based subscription service (RSS feeds) and each new episode is automatically

downloaded to your computer’s “podcatcher” or feed reader.

You can then transfer the files to your mobile device or listen/view on your

computer.

What type of podcast?

VideoShort video clips - as seen on YouTube

Audio

The modern equivalent of a radio programme or audio book

ScreencastA method of recording your actions on a computer screen – ideal for short, visual how-to guides

How do I make a podcast?

Audio Use free audio editing software such as Audacity and a microphone to record your audio podcast

Video Use a mini digital recorder such as the Flip or your mobile phone to record your video. Edit in Windows Live Movie Maker

ScreencastUse free screen capture software such as CamStudio to record and edit your how-to guide

This does not have to be complicated or expensive.

Some free (or cheap) options - using your own computer - include:

How do I use podcasts?

Create added value by producing podcasts of additional materials such as quizzes, imagery, audio / video extracts to encourage reflection, peer review and discussion amongst your students.

This can build on the lecture content and enrich the learning experience

Explore the possibilities of using iTunesU in your University.

Upload your podcasts to the University VLE

(typically Moodle or Blackboard) to enable

students to subscribe to your podcast feed in

iTunes /Juice or other ‘podcatcher’ and

download to their iPod/iPhone or other mp3

player/mobile phone.

iTunes is free and easy to use on Windows

and Mac and you don't have to have an iPod or

iPhone to subscribe and download podcasts.

Students say…• “I listen on the train because I sit there

and think right - I’m going to do something productive”

• “If I had a spare five minutes I’d log onto iTunes to get the latest podcast and then if I had to rush off somewhere else, I’d listen to it later on”

• “I waited until I was ready to start my assignment and then I watched the video podcast and it helped”

Podcasting ResourcesEDUCAUSE Learning Initiative

http://www.educause.edu/eli

Podcasting for Pedagogic Purposes (PPP) http://ppp.chester.ac.uk

Software Links• Audacity

http://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity

• Flip Video Camcorder http://www.theflip.com/en-gb/

• CamStudio http://camstudio.org/index.php

• Windows Live Movie Maker http://download.live.com/moviemaker

• iTunes http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/