Podcasting

=**Lesson 3: Part 2**= =Tooting Your Horn in the 21st Century with...=





Follow the steps below to gain an understanding of classroom podcasting, examine podcasting examples and to create your own podcast. The steps below are meant to display the relative simplicity of creating a podcast for those who are unfamiliar with the process, while laying a foundation of resources and ideas for the use of podcasting in your classroom.

1) A computer with internet connection and a reasonable amount of hard drive space for storing your podcasts. 2) A microphone, preferably with headset, for recording audio. Usually the price of the microphone will indicate the quality of the recording but an inexpensive one ($20 to $30) will provide more than adequate sound quality for student podcasts. 3) A [|mixer] may also be purchased but really isn't necessary unless you plan on producing more high end podcasts. 4) For field recordings away from a computer use a [|handheld digital voice recorder] to capture interviews, sounds, et cetera. Some mp3 players including iPods have the ability to record also. The recordings will need to be downloaded to a computer for transfer to mp3.
 * Equipment Needed:**

"Podcasting is a term used to describe a collection of technologies for automatically distributing audio and video programs over the internet ... Podcasting enables independent producers to create self-published, syndicated "radio shows," and gives broadcast radio or television programs a new distribution method." - //Wikipedia//
 * Step 1: What is Podcasting?**

"A digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the internet for downloading to a personal audio player." - //New Oxford American Dictionary// media type="youtube" key="fM5lXOFD4Zg&hl=en" height="355" width="425" CNN Video: What is Podcasting?


 * Step 2: Listen to a minimum of three podcasts from the examples below including one from your grade level, and one general site.**

My Trivia Podcast (Texas) http://www.mytriviapodcast.com/ Bob Sprangle's Room 208 http://www.bobsprankle.com/blog/C1697218367/index.html Ace Kids http://www.adrianbruce.com/acekids/index.htm Presbyterian Day School Podcast Page http://www.pdsmemphis.org/index.php?option=com_d4j_ezine&Itemid=1069
 * Elementary**

Southwest Junior High School Podcasts (Kansas) Mabry Middle School (Marietta, Georgia) http://mabryonline.org/podcasts/ Chattham Middle School News Podcast (Massachusetts) http://chathammiddle.blogspot.com/ Hanes Middle School (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) http://tclauset.org/wpa/ YDMS Podcast (Shreveport, Louisiana) http://www.youreedrive.com/podcast/ The Road She Traveled (LaCrosse, Wisconsin), tributes to women who have "made a difference". []
 * Middle**
 * []**

Coral Gables High School [] Podefeed.net - High School podcast directory []
 * High School**

Educational Podcast Directory http://epnweb.org/index.php NPR http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php CNN http://www.cnn.com/services/podcasting/ ABC http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Podcasting/ Podcast Directory Within The iTunes Music Store http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
 * General:**

The following list from [|Integrating Technology In The Classroom] cites ten benefits of podcasting in the classroom. Click on the site's link to read the rationales for each reason. 1) Podcasting is inexpensive 2) Podcasting invites a global audience 3) Audio podcasting encourages no-frills communication 4) Podcasting is digital storytelling 5) Podcasting provides a window into the classroom 6) Podcasting involves few privacy concerns 7) Podcasting can educate about copyright 8) Podcasting can be interactive 9) Podcasting can be creative 10) Podcasting can be fun!
 * Step 3: Read through the benefits of podcasting and find at least three which correspond with themes relevant to your classroom.**

**Step 4: Follow the steps below to record a simple podcast using the free program Audacity:** [|Audacity]is the most popular software for sound editing. The book [|"KidCast: Podcasting in the Classroom"] describes Audacity as "a free, easy to use, software-based audio recorder and editor. It is cross-platform so, it does not matter whether you are using Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux,... . With Audacity, you will be able to record live audio using your computer's sound input and then do some simple editing to the recording and then export it as an MP3 file so that it can be placed on a web server..."


 * 1) Open a new window to switch between this page of instructions and the podcast directions you will follow..
 * 2) Download [|Audacity 1.2.6] and the [|LAME mp3 encoder]. The LAME mp3 encoder will convert your completed Audacity file into an mp3 for inclusion in your podcast.
 * 3) The following video links may take a minute or two to load so be patient. The visual content should be very helpful for beginning users of Audacity.
 * 4) All of the video links and a detailed walk through are available [|here] or in steps below.
 * 5) Follow the [|recording setup tutorial] to adjust your computer settings for optimal audio recording in Audacity. Many of the default settings on your computer will be fine for recording your initial podcast in Audacity so don't get worried if you feel a little overwhelmed at first.
 * 6) Prepare a brief outline for your first podcast based on a recent vacation, something you did today, or another experience easily summarized in a two or three minute podcast. Remember, this is only an exercise.
 * 7) Record and edit your first podcast using the following [|editing tools tutorial].
 * 8) Continue to edit and adjust your podcast using the following [|editing tools tutorial].
 * 9) Next, follow this tutorial to [|adjust audio levels].
 * 10) Watch the following tutorial to [|add music to your podcast].
 * 11) Now you are ready to save your Audacity file and convert it to an MP3 using [|this tutorial].
 * 12) For further information regarding the ID3 tags [|click here].

GarageBand is an Apple software product for Macs offering more features in comparison to Audacity but may have a more limited audience in some schools due to the need for a Mac platform. For those interested in GarageBand [|click here].

The final step in creating a podcast involves upoading the completed mp3 so others can download or stream the completed file. Some schools allocate space for podcasts on their school server. If your school does not have podcast hosting capabilities there are a number of sites offering their services for free or for a minimal fee. Each hosting site contains directions concerning how to upload your mp3 sound file to the podcast hosting site for everyone to see.
 * Step 5: Post your podcast file to the web using a free podcast hosting site:**
 * 1) For this exercise you will use the free podcast hosting site [|podomatic].
 * 2) Click on "sign up" in the upper right corner of the site to register an account.
 * 3) Click on "my podcast" in the upper right corner.
 * 4) Click on "post an episode" located on the same toolbar.
 * 5) Enter a title, tags (descriptive words to describe the podcast), comments (a one or two sentence summary of the podcast), and a picture (use something distinctive such as the Westminster crest).
 * 6) Click on "import" to add the MP3 file you created in Audacity.
 * 7) Click on "post episode."
 * 8) Using the same toolbar as before click on "my podcast page" to view and play your podcast.
 * 9) The podcast page is now live and can be sent to others for viewing.
 * 10) Users also have the option of recording using the Podomatic "record" button but limited editing tools restrict the audio to voice only.


 * Step 6: Post your podomatic podcast to your wiki or blog:**
 * 1) To embed an individual Podomatic podcast track to your blog [|click here] for directions.
 * 2) You can also post a simple link to your blog in the links list section.
 * 3) To embed an individual Podomatic podcast track to your wiki follow the directions in step one to copy the link location of the podcast.
 * 4) You can also insert a simple link to the podcast page in your wiki site.

Podsafe Content - A Guide To Free Media For Podcasters http://www.squidoo.com/podsafe
 * Additional Resources:**

Teach Digital: Podcasting http://teachdigital.pbwiki.com/podcasting

Literacy With ITC: Podcasting http://joevans.pbwiki.com/Podcasting

Podcasting in Education http://chatt.hdsb.ca/~magps/boylit/podcasting%20in%20Education

PoducateMe contains a tutorial on every aspect of podcasting. http://poducateme.com/guide/

Advice for Creating better podcasts http://learninginhand.com/blog/2008/02/advice-for-better-podcasts.html

"Celtix is a nice free project work tool that can help give real shape to your class projects and make for much greater involvement and collaboration between students. It's a fee piece of software designed for creating media type projects such as movies, advertisements, screen plays, theatre plays etc." http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/2008/01/drama-project-tools.html

"Monkey See is an excellent site which carries a lot of short high quality video content. It is based around the concept of instructional videos; being able to see something in order to be able to do it yourself." http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/2008/01/using-how-to-videos.html

Podcasting Legal Guide http://mirrors.creativecommons.org/Podcasting_Legal_Guide.pdf

A1 Free Sound Effects http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/

Free Sound Effects http://www.stonewashed.net/sfx.html

Freeplay Music downloadable mp3s http://freeplaymusic.com/

Royalty Free Music http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com/free-music-clips.html

When you have finished with Lesson 3: blogs and podcasts, proceed to Lesson 4: Audio-Visual Wizardry
 * NEXT**