Podcasting

A podcast is a series of audio files, usually in MP3 format and organized into episodes that can be easily retrieved and played on an iPod or MP3 player. Episodes can be downloaded automatically for the end user’s convenience through a feed aggregator or subscription service such as iTunes. While podcasting is to iPods what broadcasting is to radio, the internet allows users to capture the latest episodes and listen to them at any time on their own computer or MP3 player. The model of publish-and-subscribe is similar to that found with magazines. Podcasts are also relatively easy to create and publish with free or inexpensive software and equipment.

Audio podcasts can be connected to video files such as powerpoint slides or movies as well. The “vodcasts” can also be distributed and captured easily through the internet.

Podcasts users need an MP3 player (either an application on their computer or a separate portable player like an iPod). They will also need a feed reader or aggregator to subscribe to and then collect the most recent episodes of a podcast. iTunes is a free and relatively easy to use feed reader. Many different kinds of podcasts can be found at the iTunes Store. A special version of iTunes for NKU podcasts is available for lectures and university sponsored events. You can use iTunes to find the podcast you are interested in and subscribe to it. Once subscribed, iTunes will look for new episodes every time it is opened. It then downloads the files and stores them until you are ready to listen. You can also move the podcast episodes to your portable MP3 player for listening later at your convenience. Other subscription services are also available for podcasts.

• Podcasting (Wikipedia)
• 7 Things You Should Know About Podcasting (Educause)
• There is Something in the Air: Podcasting in Education (Educause)
• Podcasting: Recording, managing and delivering the classroom experience (Educause)
• Podcasting in Higher Education Annotated Bibliography (Sharon Stoerger)
• NKUPOD del.icio.us links for podcasting
• Higher Education Podcasts from podOmatic
• List of Public Radio podcast feeds
• Learn Out Loud educational podcast collection
• Stanford's iTunes U
• NKU iTunes U (launch in iTunes)

Faculty can use podcasts to make recorded lectures or supplementary material (additional lecture material or interviews with experts) available to students.

Lectures can be recorded live and made available almost immediately with little effort.

Instructors might also prepare and create more elaborate and carefully scripted podcasts to use a supplementary material. The audio could also be combined with video presentations, Powerpoint slide shows, or other images. Outside experts could be interviewed.

Students can create their own podcasts to collect notes or as an assignment in which they creatively demonstrate their mastery of the material.

Originally thought of as a kind of audio blogging.

• Rod's Pulse Podcast - a podcast about e-learning tools
• WVXU Focus on Technology on NKU class podcasting
• Student Podcast Final Project - For Nanoscience and Technology Zach created a podcast radio show modeled on Orsen Wells’ War or the Worlds
• Swarthmore Weblog Project - Students post podcast assignments on a class weblog.
• Bowdoin College podcasts lectures, seminars and other events
• Confessions of a Podcast Junkie (Educause article)

• The podcast files are easy and inexpensive to create.
• The software and hardware required to record and edit a podcast is becoming more readily accessible.
• The software and hardware for distributing and retrieving podcasts is readily accessible.
• Many students already use iPods or portable MP3 players.
• Many students already understand the technology.
• Students have round-the-clock access to course material.
• The new material automatically goes out to the students.
• Student-generated podcasts allow students to practice oral communication skills, designed for a public audience. These assignments promote creativity and enthusiasm for course material.

• Will students continue to come to class if the lectures are all recorded?
• After I invest all this effort, will the technology become obsolete like the Betamax?
• Once my lecture is available on iTunes, can anyone download it?
• Should I provide a transcript for the hearing impaired?

• When creating your own supplementary material or having students create material, keep attention span in mind and create multiple short files on different topics rather than one one long podcast.

The video below explains how to use Audacity (free software for recording and editing audio) to create a podcast.

One of the sound booths in Landrum had been set aside for faculty and students who want to create podcasts. The sound booth contains a high quality microphone and an Apple computer with Garageband and iTunes.

Detailed instructions are here (These may be out of date. Check with media Services for changes and availability.)

A vodcast inccorporates video with an audio podcast. The video could be a series of Powerpoint slides, screencasts, images, or movies. Rick Grush has created a number of vodcast presentations of his logic classes (and other lectures) and he put together this vodcast to show us how he does it. (See all of Grush’s video podcasts.)

• iPodder (Juice) - a free media aggreator
• Garageband - Apple software application for recording and editing podcasts.
• Audacity - Open source software application for recording and editing podcasts.
• MovieMaker - Windows software application for recording and editing audio and video.
• Profcast (software for podcasting and screencasting)
• Writing Podcast scripts

• NKU iTunes U Information for Faculty and Staff. Read the instructor's guide (pdf).