Podcasting

SOME TIPS TO PODCASTING FOR EDUCATORS

First off, what is podcasting? I am a fan of commoncraft videos and so I will let them explain in their special way.



PLAN
PRODUCE
PUBLISH

Plan, produce, publish should be your mantra. You want to have a plan before you sit down and start recording. Then you want to produce your podcast. Following that you publish your podcast and make it accessible to others.

If you aren't wanting to invest in a lot of equipment and software then the following is a bare bones approach. First off, you need a mic. Most computers and laptops have a built in mic for recording audio. I usually use audacity software to capture my audio. Audacity is an open source software audio production software. Audacity can also be used to enhance your podcast by layering tracks and adding special effects. To learn more about using audacity you can visit a demonstration I did using camtasia.

After you record your podcast you will need to publish it. Publishing a podcast entails hosting the .mp3 file so others can download and listen to it. If you have your own server you can host your podcast and then create a RSS feed so that others can follow you and automatically be updated whenever you create a new podcast. The following is a list of software and websites that make podcasting and publishing easy.

Libsyin PRO podcasting syndication service
Feedburner sets up a feed for others to subscribe to.
Feed for All Publish your podcast.



Other Tips and Considerations:

What will you be podcasting about? Will there be a consistent theme?
How often will you be producing podcasts? Once a month, week.....
Consider the bandwidth of your host server.
Opt for a better quality audio file over bandwidth. Listeners expect quality and you should give that to them.
Consider your audience and use appropriate language.
Be aware of legal issues and copyright laws if you are using other sound bytes.

This is a basic outline of podcasting and resources. If your questions aren't answered there are a number of sites to consider for professional podcasters.

FEEDFORALL has several demonstrations
PODCASTING TOOLS Comprehensive guide to podcasting.