Web 2.0: Podcasting 4 Pioneers
Agenda
- Introductions
- What is Podcasting?
- Possible Class Uses For a Podcast
- What Do You Need to Podcast?
- Legal Issues/Safety Concerns
- Hands On
- Links of Interest
According to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia (http://wikipedia.org) “Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the Internet… [and] is distinguished from other digital audio formats by its ability to be downloaded automatically using software capable of reading feeds.” In short it’s an online radio show. If you choose to use a video rather than audio as your medium of choice it is referred to as a Video Podcast, vidcast, or even a vodcast. However, for our purposes we’ll focus on the audio podcast.
Possible Class Uses For a Podcast
| Use | Description |
| News Articles | Publish your own radio news show! Great way to integrate technology into Social Studies and Language Arts! |
| Daily Homework | Put your homework list online so parents can check. This can be especially helpful when students are sick or away on a trip. |
| Reflections on Learning | Have your students reflect on what they have learned, and what it means to them! A wonderful addition to your assessment arsenal, and terrific for special needs students that have fine motor difficulties. |
| Showcase of Student Work | Have students read their work for the rest of the world to share! A phenomenal way to motivate students to do their best work! They can share work with relatives out of town. Also, students can engage in peer assessment of each other’s projects. |
| Literature Circles | Let students have an online book talk! |
| Public Service Announcment | Have your students record messages about issues important to them. Help generate civic pride and duty! |
You can have your own podcast up and on the internet air in 3 easy steps!
Step One: Record
You need to have some way to get audio onto your computer. This can be done in many ways. The simplest of which is just plugging a mic into your computer. USB mics are wonderful (if you have access to one) because they draw their power directly from the computer, and can be used with any system. You can also use some external mp3 players (such as the iPod or iRiver) to record while on the go. It’s also a good idea to use a pop screen to help keep your recordings “clean”.
Step Two: Edit
While some choose to publish their podcasts “as is” with no further editing, there are some simple and not so time consuming tricks that add a lot of “flash” to your presentation. Audacity is a free multi-platform audio editing program where you can trim recordings, join many recordings together, and even add sound effects or music to the background. Daniel James has created a wonderful 11 part Audacity Tutorial complete with sample files to help you master the software.
Step 3: Publish!
The final step in the podcasting process is to publish your creation for the rest of the world to listen to it. Once you have converted your audio file to an mp3 file, it is ready to put on the web. You will need to find a host with enough storage space to upload your file to, and then provide a link to your podcast on a blog. Some companies such as Our Media and DivShare offer free unlimited space for podcasters. Thanks to the blog’s RSS feeds, software like iTunes and Juice (formerly iPodder) can alert listeners when you have a new podcast available so that they can listen to it.
As always keeping our students safe is our first priority. But how do we do that when we’re putting information out for everyone to see? We have to use common sense. Remember that in Canada you must get written informed consent from the parents or guardians before posting any work, information, or name of a student. Once you have that, just follow a few simple rules:
- Use only the student’s first name. In the case of two students with the same name use the middle initial or numbers to tell them apart..
- Make sure all correspondence (ie. comment notification) is sent to your e-mail account, not the students.
- Talk about internet safety with your students, and remind them not to put any personal information in their podcasts.
If these precautions are taken, and a FOIP release form is signed, you have done everything in your power to protect the child, and will have shown due diligence.
The next legal issue that podcasters need to be aware of is copyright. You can’t just add any audio clips to your shows. You need to ensure that any music or commentary you add is royalty free, or that you have written consent of the copyright holder to use that segment. Flash Kit and Free Play Music have many royalty free (and monetarily free) music loops that you can easily, and legally, add to your podcast.
Links of Interest
Tools for the TEKS: Integrating Technology in the Classroom
An introduction to podcasting and why there is a growing interest for its use in the classroom.
Podcasting in Education
An incredible how-to podcast site, with everything from step-by-step instructions on how to create a podcast, links to royalty free music, as well as a network of educational podcasts.
The Education Podcast Network
David Warlick, the grandfather of podcasting, has put together a vast collection of educational podcasts listed here.
Podcasting
A collection of Canadian podcast project ideas from some schools in Saskatchewan.
Just looking through your inservice. This is awesome you guys. What a great list of resources you have. Brilliant.
r
i just starting Podcasting and i find it very exciting. it is my second hobby aside from blogging