Podcasting

Finding your voice

As I began my study of podcasting, there were many different explanations for the term "Podcasting". My research yielded many explanations ranging from the so called "backronym" of Personal On Demand broadcasting to assuming podcasting was a derivative of Apple's iPod. In the end I could not find a consensus on the word's origins, but I did gain a better understanding of what a podcast is and how it is putting the power of mass communication into the hands of anyone who has access to the Internet.


How it works:

Created by Lee Lefever @ commoncraft.com

Podcasts are audio or video clips that are structured like a radio or television broadcast. When these files have been exported or converted into the proper formats (i.e. .mp3, .mp4, .wav, etc...), they can be shared through a free pod hosting site such as podbean.com (video and audio hosting) or audioboo.fm (audio hosting). What makes these uploads different than simply sharing a video or audio file on a regular Sharing site is that they can be fed to and downloaded automatically to anyone who subscribes to them.

Once you have created an account, you have created a site to house your podcasts. After uploading your files to the host site you can disseminate your pod further, creating an RSS feed to a major distributor such as iTunes using the iTunes Store .

If you simply plan to share with those individuals who are aware of your account or have found you on the hosting site through the tags you have chosen, your potential subscribers need only click on the RSS feed subscription buttons or subscribe to the specific URL feed provided by the hosting site. At this point you are not only “On Air”, but you also have an interested audience tuning in and following your updated broadcasts or new “episodes” through the RSS feeds. If the subscriber would like to download your podcast, the hosting site downloads the file to the itunes application on the subscriber’s computer or iPod to be enjoyed at their leisure.

Reflections on the process:

"A wet dog is the lovingest" - Ogden Nash

Music by Kevin Macleod @ incompetech.com

Using Audacity to create the audio file for my podcast, I had fun playing with the effects and layering of multiple sound tracks. I chose to recite a poem by Ogden Nash called “The Dog”, and used the editing capabilities of Audacity to not only record my reading but also improve the sound quality and timing of the final product.

I was also able to add music to enhance the mood of the poem and chose a fun and “bouncy” jazz piece from Kevin MacLeod, (located once again through the Creative Commons site). Audacity made editing the music easy, and I was able to get the clip I needed to play in the background of my podcast.

When I was happy with my final product, I uploaded my wav (note: most sites prefer the mp3 formats but .wav worked here) file to audioboo.fm to post my “boo” (their terminology for your podcast) in my account. Audioboo also allows you to instantly share your podcast through twitter and facebook, but your files could also be fed to the iTunes store if you wanted to really “share” your work.

One issue that I was not able to resolve was how to get the picture I uploaded relating to my audio file to transfer with the file when I tried to embed the code into my blog. in the end I simply added the photo and caption myself.

To be sure subcribers could download my podcast, I tried to download the file back to my computer. Using the iTunes button on my Audioboo account, I “subscribed “ to my own site and was able to almost instantly access my podcast through iTunes. This time the picture I had uploaded to the Audioboo site came with the download.

Personally:

I am already an avid consumer of the Podcasts available through itunes. I enjoy the radio shows available from CBC and have become a big fan of APM: The Dinner Party Download (a discussion on Food, drink, pop culture and society), Escapepod (a great science fiction site with a wide variety of new and established Sci Fi writers), and Pseudopod (a horror story site not for the faint of heart).

I am not sure that I would create podcasts for my own personal use. I am not a writer and I am  a private person. However, I do see myself subscribing to more podcasts both for personal and professional reasons. I enjoy listening to podcasts on long drives or while I am doing “mindless” chores around the house. I say “mindless” because I find that when I am really enthralled in an audio file, I want to listen and need to listen closely. A good story or intriguing subject draws you in and holds your attention. I think podcasts are a way to build a better appreciation of story telling and helps to make us better listeners and story tellers in the process of exploring an old media (the spoken word) through a new medium,

Professionally:

I can see how this process would be a fun and creative way for students to gain an appreciation for effectively and in an entertaining way communicate their own stories or use multimedia to enhance the experience of reading and reading aloud. The best part from a teacher’s perspective would be the opportunity to experience a progression in the students reading skills and creativity in presenting their work as their confidence in themselves and their technical skills continue to grow with each podcast episode.

Although many of the podcasts I already subscribe to are professional productions, I have also explored some of the more amateur attempts (much like my own) and have been pleasantly surprised and not so pleasantly surprised. This is where a hosting site like audioboo.fm would be more school appropriate as they strive to maintain a similar “code of conduct” to vimeo (with a “family friendly” orientation and respect for intellectual property and copyright).

Accessing podcasts would also be helpful in providing resources and supports for students and teachers to explore various subject areas or perspectives on a subject or area of study. There appears to be no lack of podcasts, it is once again an issue of honing the skills necessary for critical thought and analysis to use these resources effectively and efficiently. These are the just some of the 21st C literacies we are trying to develop in our students and allowing them to not only access a wide variety of "voices" but giving them to opportunity to create their own and critique others will open up more opportunities to develop these necessary skills.

References:



LeFever, L. (Creator). (2007). Podcasting in plain english. [Video]
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU

Nevin, R. (Producer). (2008). Creating a Podcast with Audacity. [Video]
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHgD6cVv9QU

Van Orden, J. (Creator). (2007) What is Podcasting. [Video]
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMIHgY8Q8C0

Richardson, W. (2009). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (2nd Edition ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.Sturtz, D. N. (2004).

Additional links:

DeGroot, J. http://www.trailfire.com/joannedegroot/trailview/61577