Audio and Podcasting

What is a podcast?  The word itself is a mash-up between "ipod" and "broadcast".  It is an audio or video recorded for playback on a computer or mobile device (MP3 player or ipod) at a later time.  Typically these are short modules.  Think of it as a topic-focused radio broadcast for on-demand-use whenever you want it.  This tool extends the reach of the internet since the podcast files are local on a person's handheld device. Creating your own audio broadcasts is straightforward.  The time time consuming part is planning and creating the content for them.  Technically, they're a breeze.

You can create a podcast using software on your computer or using a handheld device (like an ipod) with a microphone.  If you're using your computer (with either an external or an internal microcphone), the podcast will be stored on your hard drive and ready for upload to a distribution site like iTunes.  If you create it on your handheld device, you'll just upload it to your computer for that.  If you're on a Mac, Garageband is a terrific audio recording software.  If you're on a pc, I recommend Audacity. As a third choice, here's a free web tool for recording podcasts, Ubercaster.  Ubercaster lets you divide your podcasts into chapters, make enhanced podcasts with graphics & images, and work from templates (let's say you want to make a series of podcasts, each of which follow the same organizational pattern).  It also has the ability to record conversations on Skype, over chat tools, and even in Second Life. Very easy to use and freely available to all.

Some ideas for using podcasts in an instructional setting:

- Create a library of tutorial information for use by students who need extra help/absent

- Students produce their own podcasts (singly or in groups)

- Share classroom news with parents

- Feature guest speakers locally or from remote places

- Use podcasts created by your textbook authors (most publishers provide)

Once you've created your podcasts you want to make it easy for your students to find them (and hopefully subscribe to them).  You can upload your podcast to iTunes (you download the software to your computer; although iTunes is an Apple product, it works on both platforms) or other podcast search engines like Odeo.

Most of these will allow you or your students to set up what's called an RSS feed.  RSS (which stands for Really Simple Syndication) feeds are a family of web feeds used to publish frequently updated material.  They allow you to basically syndicate your content and update interested readers/listeners to receive updates on what you've pubished online on a regular basis.  Here's a good tutorial on setting up an RSS feed.

Here are a few excellent science podcasts to listen to:

AAAS Science Podcasts

Science Friday

Here are a two good tutorials to help you create podcasts:

First, a few easy-to-follow podcasting tutorials:

Step-by-step Guide to Podcasting.

How to Podcast.

And here are a few online podcasting tools and web sites:

Gabcast.  This is a phone-in podcast recording site.  You open an account with them and, in doing that, you create a channel for yourself. This is where you audiocasts will reside.  Then you use one of a number of Gabcast's tollfree phone numbers (there are even international numbers) to phone in your recording.  You can publish your recording to your channel either with your phone or via your account page later.  Any one subscribing to your channel (say your students) will be notified via RSS, email, or through iTunes.

Videocasting.  Of course you can also create videocasts (or vodcasts) - a bit more technically challenging, but do-able.  Check out these directories: videocasting station and vodcast.