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Podcast News
What You Need to Know
By: Shari Wickline July 2012

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Before we begin who can tell me, what do you get when an iPod marries broadcasting? PODCASTING! The term was first coined in the spring of 2004 in an article by Ben Hammersly (Vallet, 2012). It made its permanent appearance again that fall when Dannie Gregorie used the term to put a name to the software being developed by Adam Curry (Vallet, 2012). In 2005, Oxford University Press added the word podcasting to the newest edition of the New Oxford Dictionary they going to be publishing (Vallet, 2012). So now that we looked into the past let's take a look at what makes a podcast a "podcast". A podcast is a way to record information, lessons and/or add voice overs to pictures and presentations. Once completed, the podcasts can be uploaded to pretty much any source giving students freedom to determine when and where they listen. The capabilities of podcasting were first created in 2003 when Adam Curry created the first open-source "pod catcher". The ease with which the finished podcast can be shared makes this a great tool for educators to utilize. Once provided the accessing information individuals are able to download and preview the material using a variety of devices. Some businesses and educators develop podcasts that they update regularly. This ensures their followers receive the latest information related to the podcast topic. Another feature that makes previewing podcasts worth it is the ability to subscribe to your favorite podcast using an RSS feed. The RSS feed, Rich Site Summary, is a format that allows followers to automatically receive updated audio material.

Utilizing podcasts with students is one way to bridge the gap between "digital natives" and the "digital immigrants". It allows students to receive and preview information and lesson material in a way that has become second nature for them. When given the opportunity to teach in a way that will engage and maintain the focus of the 21st Century Learner, why not at least attempt it. Yes, it is true that taking that first step into a new and unknown territory, such as technology; can be scary, frustrating and time consuming. If leaving the comfort zone of being in the front of the class is going to move this new technology crazed generation back into a mode of higher-level learning. "Then everyone should take a giant leap forward!

Vallet, M. (2012). The history of podcasting. eHOW Tech. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5390795_history-podcasting.html

Get Podding
By: Shari Wickline July 2012 Now that we know a bit about what a podcast is, and its origin, lets look at what it takes to make one of our own. Podcasts are used in a variety of ways. They can be used for developing a presentation or training that individuals can view anytime and anywhere. Podcasts can also be used to document student work or lessons that can be reviewed at a later date. The first step, after deciding to make a podcast, is to decide on the content you want to get into the hands of your audience. The best thing about turning something into an audio content is that the sky becomes the limit. There are no guidelines or restrictions for what you create, and with so many individuals worldwide listening to podcasts, anything goes. The next great piece of information is that you can use any platform or application that you have readily available to record the audio Some suggestions of bit rates are as follows:

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tracks for the podcast. Some of the software that is mentioned in technology articles, or by those teaching technology in higher education, are Audacity and GarageBand. Audacity is free open-source software that can be used with Windows, Mac, Linux, as well as other operating systems. The software does have to be downloaded onto your operating system. GarageBand is a Mac only platform. It is part of the iLife software that comes standard on Mac computers. There is also a version for $4.99 that can be installed on iPods. Once you have decided on content, type of software, recorded the audio and saved it at maximum quality for your platform; it will be time to convert the file to MP3 format. If you choose to use another format other than MP3 some of your audience may not be able to listen to the podcast.

48-56k Mono - good for lectures, audio books, making a talk radio show or recording students work. 64k+ Stereo good for recording music 128k Stereo Good for higher quality music recording using to make the podcast available it can be published by transferring the RSS file to the webserver. It is also recommended that an RSS validator is used to ensure the newsfeed is valid. Once validated, publish and enjoy.

After choosing a bit rate, save it as an MP3 file extension and then it will be time to create the RSS feed. Any text editor can be used, but blogging is the most popular at this time because it will generate newsfeeds for you. After you have set up the resource you will be

Podcasting NEWS, Audacity and Apple were referenced when gathering information for this article.

A Look at Whats Good

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By: Shari Wickline 8/12 With so many podcasts available on any topic we can think of, choosing a few to share was difficult. There were so many interesting ones out there. The ones I am listing were chosen because the content provided is different and would really be fun to use with students. The History Capsule - The podcasts listed on this site take the listener back in time, literally. The podcasts are from the Mystery Play Internet Radio site, which provides Old Time Radio shows. The podcast I listened to was a recording of the CBS World News Today Reports from Jan. 30, yea1944. Each podcast provides the listener with a deeper look at history through actual recordings of events, radio shows and music as they were occurring. I found the podcasts to be very interesting because I was able to listen to actual news broadcasts from 1944. Using this with students to provide a different look into historical events would really capture their attention and add to their understanding. Children's Book Radio - The collection of podcasts provides the audience with a selection of childrens book reviews and author interviews. The site also provides lists of books by genre, reading level and awards. This would be a great site to use with students so they can begin to learn how to critique their reading material and hear actual author interviews. I listened to podcast #49; it was an Interview of author and poet Robert L. Forbes. His passion for writing was evident in his interview. He also read some poems from his book titled Beastly Feasts. While at the podcast site there was a recommendation for Teachtopia. The site had some very interesting resources for students, educators and parents.

Podcasts for You to Ponder

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By: Shari Wickline August 2012 Podcasting is just like anything else if there are no restrictions or suggested guidelines. Well, due to this dilemma, the following podcasts made the list due to poor quality. I apologize to anyone if these turn out to be ones you regularly tune into, but they were just not for me. Although, they are not the worst I am sure I could have found, I felt they were missing something to keep listeners engaged. The Tech Teachers Podcast - This podcast was like listening to two D.J's banter about technology. It did not offer a lot of information about the devices they were speaking about; rather they spent a good portion discussing their personal lives. The podcasters are a husband and wife who teach physics and science. It was mainly them discussing what they liked and disliked about devices and applications. I was disappointed because I thought they would elaborate on how they utilize technology with their students. The show ran for 26:27. They also have their own blog at Tech Teachers Blog.

Nova beta - This particular podcast, while interesting, did not make the good list. The site itself has some very good qualities like providing audio podcasts and video casts about a wide range of historical and scientific topics. The one I listened to, however interesting the topic is, was not something many individuals would benefit from previewing. It was titled Speaking Ancient Mayan. The podcast gave some interesting history about Mayans, but a portion of it was in Ancient Mayan and there was no translation.

Podcasting... ...Yea or Nay?

The question being asked is What is my opinion of podcasting?
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Dear readers, My response is as follows: As with anything else technological, podcasting has its place in society and education. Using podcasts with students would give them a way to feel as though they are utilizing the forbidden tools that have become a part of their daily routines. Taking the time to record lessons, or explanations of concepts, would become second nature and would allow students to revisit what was taught during class time. It would eventually begin to function like a flipped classroom, but in reverse. Topics could be taught without worry that someone has zoned out and that little Johnny, once again, has missed something important. More class time could be spent on applications of what was taught and anything unclear could be revisited later that day or after school by listening to the podcast. I know personally I have had times when I wish I could travel back in-time to re-listen to a lecture or an explanation of a formula. This could really help provide students with the resources to take learning into their own hands, with the assistance of the teacher of course! Another important reason that podcasting has its place in education, is that every time students have the opportunity to record a podcast they are gaining proficiency in many content areas simultaneously. They would have to have an understanding of the topic they are talking about (information literacy skills), they would need to devise an outline and draft to read from (writing skills) and then use of technology skills to complete and post the podcast. Not to mention what content specific standards they would meet. These two reasons alone make the use of podcasts in education worth the time and effort for everyone involved. Sincerely, Shari Wickline
August 2011