Podcasting for the Social Studies Classroom: Easy, Cheap, Powerful! Tom McNealMark van ‘t Hooft Kent State University Research Center for Educational Technology

Objectives Learn about the various uses of podcasting for teaching and learning in social studies. Identify what tools you need to create podcasts. Learn how to create podcasts. Tour examples of podcasting resources on the Internet.

What Is a Podcast? Can be anything conveyed by an audio or video file: a recorded lecture, an interview, a multi-media presentation, a digital story…. "Podcasting is a way of publishing files to a website that allows users to subscribe to the site and receive new files as they are posted. Most podcasts are spoken word audio created by individuals, often on a particular theme such as technology or movies. Because new files are downloaded automatically by subscribers, podcasting allows individuals to have a self-published, syndicated radio show." (Wikipedia)

What Is Podcasting? Easy Cheap Powerful

Various Uses Content Delivery Content Creation

Social Studies Ideas Oral history interviews Multi-media travel brochures (e.g. OurCity) Re-enactments of actual events Interviews from the “past” Documentaries

Creating Podcasts: The Process Before Pre-Production Pre-Production Recording Post-Production

Creating Podcasts: Before Pre-Production Get parental permission/check district AUP Listen to/view sample podcasts (sound, organization, content, extras…) Discuss strengths and weaknesses, dos and don’ts Tools: pc, media player, sample podcasts

Creating Podcasts: Pre-Production Plan, plan, plan (content, student roles, audio or video?) Storyboarding Do research (use legally obtained media only!) Write scripts (writing process) Practice, practice, practice Tools: graphic organizer (electronic or paper), Internet

Creating Podcasts: Pre-Production Remember student safety –No personal info –Accounts through teacher only Model appropriate behavior –Fair use –Bias

Creating Podcasts: Recording Should be quick if planned and practiced Does not have to be done sequentially Tools: –digital recording device (e.g. pc with microphone/headset) –Software (e.g. Audacity or Garageband

Creating Podcasts: Post-Production Edit audio/video, add effects, transitions, etc. Convert final product to mp3 or mp4 Tools: –pc with editing software

Creating Podcasts: Post-Production: Publishing Place the media files on a web server (yours or other, like YouTube) Link from a web page or create a blog (optional) Tools: webserver or internet video hosting site, web site/blog

Creating Podcasts: Post-Production: Publishing Add the RSS feed (if needed) Validate your feed Submit to iTunes, Educational Podcasting, Podcast Alley, etc. For a more extensive list, see Robin Good’s Mini GuideiTunes Educational Podcasting Podcast Alley Robin Good’s Mini Guide Tools: RSS Tag creator, feed validator, podcast subscription site

Aggregators and Podcast Subscriptions Tools for subscribing, watching, and listening to podcasts are

Aggregators and Podcast Subscriptions Look for the RSS button…

Podcasting Resources on the Internet How to: Learning in Hand: PodcastingLearning in Hand: Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting newsPodcasting news Editing tools: Audacity with add’l mp3 encoder; Acid XPressAudacityadd’l mp3 encoder Video Hosting Sites: YouTube, TeacherTube, OurMedia, Blip.tvYouTube TeacherTubeOurMediaBlip.tv Feed aggregators: iTunes, Juice (iPodder), FeedReaderiTunesJuiceFeedReader

Podcasting Resources on the Internet: Copyright Podcasting legal guide: Copyright-safe tools: –Flickr Creative Commons ( –Wikipedia Commons ( –Public Domain Photos ( –Incompetech Royalty Free Music ( –Flashkit (

Social Studies Podcasts Here are just a few… Colonial Williamsburg: Education Podcast Network: HistoryOnAir: Mabry Online: udies/index.html udies/index.html National Geographic Podcasts: OurCity Podcasts: Speaking of History: Here are just a few… Colonial Williamsburg: Education Podcast Network: HistoryOnAir: Mabry Online: udies/index.html udies/index.html National Geographic Podcasts: OurCity Podcasts: Speaking of History:

References Glennw98 (2007). MACE presentation. Available at podcast-presentationhttp:// podcast-presentation Vincent, T. (2007, November 2). Our City podcast: Before Pre-Production. Available at Vincent, T., & van ‘t Hooft, M. (2007). For kids, by kids: Our City Podcast. Social Education, 71(3),