Web PR Level 2 - Podcasts

Podcasts iPod + Broadcast = Podcast Amateur radio Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files over the Internet using RSS syndication formats for playback on mobile devices and personal computers.

Why use podcasts? Podcasts enable students to share their knowledge and expertise with others through a creative outlet. Podcasts tap into a mode of media input that is commonplace for digital natives. Podcasts empower students to form relationships with the content and each other in relevant ways.

Why use podcasts? Podcasting is yet another way for them [students] to be creating and contributing ideas to a larger conversation, and it’s a way of archiving that contribution for future audiences to use. Will Richardson, Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms

How can podcasts be used? In the classroom, educators and students can use podcasts to inform others about class news, current events, and areas of interest. Students can use a podcast forum to persuade their peers to help others, make a difference, or try something new. Podcasts can also be used to edutain others through creative narratives.

How can podcasts be used? Podcasts engage students in thinking critically about their speaking fluency and communication skills. The opportunity to create a podcast about what students would like to discuss and share with others is extremely motivating.

Integration Ideas sequencing skills planning sheets sharing student work with the community authentic audience create characters out of literature peer tutoring

Integration Ideas improve fluency in reading expression and speed increases awareness of how they sound thus more practice student input into community/world/historical issues historical recounts create a podcast to download for schools to use on field trips audio tour of plants and how they were used by Native Americans "ethnobotany movements"

Integration Ideas notes for absent students (substitutes) bring experts and knowledge to students daily information immediate access to information second language learning enforcement immediate feedback and communication

Integration Ideas auditory modality of learning forces students to focus on content audio book reports study guides diminishes fear of public speaking school information school tours

Creating a Podcast 1. Write your script. 2. Practice. 3. Record your audio file. (Audacity)Audacity 4. Edit your audio (Effect > Normalize) 5. Add and credit legally useable music 6. File > Save Project 7. File > Export as MP3 8. Upload the MP3 file to your campus website

Open-source cross-platform audio editing software Audacity

eBook Resource

Table of Contents Section I: Podcasting Walkthrough Chapter 2: Installing and Configuring Audacity Chapter 3: Hardware and Speaker Set Up Chapter 4: Record Your Podcast Chapter 5: Edit Your Podcast Chapter 6: Save Your Podcast Chapter 7: Upload Your Podcast Section II: Advanced Audacity Chapter 8: Playing and Recording Chapter 9: Selecting Chapter 10: Applying Effects Chapter 11: Add a Musical Intro and Outro Chapter 12: Remove Glitches and Background Noise Chapter 13: What Next?

Setting Preferences Edit > Preferences

Setting Preferences Channels > 2 (Stereo)

Setting Preferences Quality > Hz

Setting Preferences Find Library > select the location on the hard drive where the LAME MP3 Encoder folder was saved (most likely C > Program Files > Audacity)

Toolbar

Selection Envelope Draw Zoom Time Shift Multi-Tool

Play Pause Stop Record Rewind Fast Forward Recording Volume Speaker Volume Toolbar

Cut Paste Copy Trim – Outside Selection Trim – Inside Selection Toolbar

Undo Redo Zoom Out Fit track in window Zoom In Fit project in window Toolbar

Audio Layers in Audacity

Step 1 Record your voice by clicking the red record button and speaking into the microphone Step 2 When you are finished recording press the yellow stop button Step 3 Rewind and listen to your recording by pressing the purple rewind key and green play key

Step 4 Edit out any gaps or mistakes in the audio by using the “Selection Tool” that looks like the letter I. Highlight the text that you do not want and hit the delete button on your keyboard.

Editing Audio Edit > Select > All or Ctrl+A

Step 5 Time to add additional audio if desired. After you have downloaded your audio file, simply drag and drop your audio file in or click “Project” “Import Audio” and search for your file. Note, some files are in stereo and will show up as 2 different audio lines

Importing Audio Project > Import Audio Podsafe Music – copyright laws Look for Creative Commons licenses Credit all non-original audio “Some of the music provided was from the PodShow Podsafe Music Network. Check it out at music.podshow.com."

Step 6 You can shift your audio and sound effects to the desired location, by using the Time Shift Tool Button

Editing Audio Effect > Normalize This should always be done Other effects are optional ‘Cross Fade In’ and ‘Cross Fade Out’ are good options for multi-voice audio projects

Step 7 If you want to save your project and continue working later, click “File” “Save Project” If you are finished, it is time to “Export As MP3”

PowerPoint modified from: Podcasting Resources