(Many podcast sites have been blocked by the TAFE network so you may find this exercise easier to do at home)
The word podcast is used to refer to a non-musical audio or video broadcast that is distributed over the Internet. What differentiates a podcast from regular streaming audio or video is that the delivery method for podcasts is often done automatically through RSS.
In 2005, "podcast" was named the "word of the year" by New Oxford American Dictionary and with the growth of podcasting over the last 24 months, it's easy to see why.
Podcasts take many forms, from short 1-10 minute commentaries (like the ones used in this Learning 2.0 program) to much longer in person interviews or panel group discussions. There’s a podcast out there for just about every interest area and the best part about this technology is that you don’t have to have an iPod or a MP3 player to access them. Since podcasts use the MP3 file format, a popular compressed format for audio files, you really just need a PC (or portal device) with headphones or a speaker.
iTunes, the free downloadable application created by Apple is the directory finding service most associated with podcasts, but if you don’t have iTunes installed or don't have access to it there are still plenty of options.
For this discovery exercise participants are asked to take a look at some popular podcast directory tools. Do some exploring on your own and locate a podcast that is of interest to you. Once found, you can easily pull the RSS feed into your Bloglines account as well, so that when new casts become available you’ll be automatically notified of their existence.
Discovery Resources:
- To find out more about podcasts start with Yahoo: What is a podcast tutorial or have a read of this article 'What is a Podcast'
- There are many, many podcast directories and finding tools out there. Here are some of the more popular ones that, unlike iTunes, don't require a software download:
- What? You want to learn how to be a podcaster too?
(Optional Resources for those who want to learn to create podcasts)- How to podcast tutorial
- The Australian Flexible Learning Framework has a great guide
- Yahoo: Publish a podcast
- Odeo’s Studio – online recording studio
Discovery Exercise:
- Take a look at one or two of the podcast directories listed and see if you can find a podcast that interests you. See if you can find some interesting library related podcasts here like book review podcasts or library news.
- Add the RSS feed for a podcast to your Bloglines account
- Create a blog post about your discovery process. Did you find anything useful here?
- Optional: If you're ambitious, why not try create your own podcast and add an audio post about your experience to your blog. (Refer instructions below).
How to podcast using all free tools (optional - challenging but rewarding):
Listen to this short challenge ...powered by ODEO
(Many podcast sites have been blocked by the TAFE network so you may find this exercise easier to do at home)
1. Choose an audio recorder (you will need a microphone and headphones or speakers):
- See if you have or can download Audacity this is a great tool which will record and convert your audio to mp3 for you. For step 2 to work, you will need to upload the mp3 file onto the web somewhere. Feel free to use our TQL Learning 2.0 file storage space. Upload your mp3 file by clicking on Browse to find it and then clicking on Upload. Then right-click on it in the list of files and click on "copy shortcut". This link will be used in step 2.
- OR - If you can't download Audacity at work, simply use your computer's Sound Recorder (under Start, All Programs, Accessories, Entertainment). This will save your audio to a .wav file. Then use zamzar to convert the file to an .mp3 file (you will have to allow pop-ups). You will then be emailed a link to the file. Click on the link, then right-click on "Download Now" and click on "copy shortcut". This link will be used in step 2.
- OR - See if Odeo's Studio will record for you (I couldn't get it to work). You will need to open an account with them.
2. Create the html code to copy to your blog:
- Log into Odeo's Studio (create an account if you haven't already), then click on "Add audio from the web". Give your audio a Title, then paste the shortcut copied previously into the MP3 URL box. Click on Submit and wait...
- When the Odeo editing screen appears, scroll down to "Put this Audio on your Web site" and highlight and copy ALL the code in the box. This code will be used in step 3.
3. Add the podcast to your blog:
- Create a new post on your blog and click on "Edit Html". Then paste the code that was copied on the Odeo page to your blog. Click on "Publish Post" and see if it works (like my podcast above)! Note: if you want to add text as well, click on "Compose" first.
That was a real challenge, so don't worry if you found it too hard. Maybe see if someone you know can help you with it.
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