Podcasting in LOTE

What is Podcasting?

"Podcasting is the distribution of audio or video files, such as radio programs or music videos, over the internet using either RSS or Atom syndication for listening on mobile devices and personal computers.
Podcasting's essence is about creating content (audio or video) for an audience that wants to listen when they want, where they want, and how they want."

Definition from Wikipedia.org

Okay, so what does that mean in plain English you might ask? Essentially a podcast is where you create content (video or audio) that resides on a website. Interested parties can then subscribe via RSS or Atom syndication technology, to download that content to a portable device (like an iPod) and take it with them to listen or watch, whenever, wherever, and however they wish.

I strongly recommend that all educators interested in using podcasts in the classroom read this simple two page summary "7 things you should know about... Podcasting" to get a good understanding of the basic concepts. It explains what it is, who is doing it, how it works, why it is significant, the downsides, where it is going and the implications for teaching and learning in a simple, easy to digest summary.

There is a really great passage in this document which sums up why podcasting is a valuable educational tool

"Podcasting allows students to use their technology-based entertainment systems (iPods, MP3 players) for educational experiences. Because students are already familiar with the underlying technology, podcasting broadens educational options in a non threatening and easily accessible manner."

Where should I start?

Listen to podcasts

To get a full appreciation and understanding of the possibilities of podcasting, it is worth taking the opportunity to subscribe and listen to a range of them. You may find that you are able to discover some podcasts that will serve some value in your classrooms. I would recommend spending some considerable time in this process to get a clearer understanding of what a Podcast is.

To subscribe to podcasts you will need to download a Podcasting Client. A list of these with links to download them can be found at Podcasting News. If you have iTunes, this also supports Podcast downloads. Another popular client is Juice (formerly ipodder).

Once you have set up your Podcasting Client Software you can subscribe to podcasts. Some places to begin with that have a language focus include the following:

I'm ready to make my own, how do I do it?

Equipment

In order to create your own podcast you will require some very basic, readily available technology.

The Process

When creating a podcast, as with any media product, planning is essential. Any necessary research on the topic should be done and ideally a script should be written.

Using Audacity, the podcast can then be recorded and sound effects and background music can be added. Information on how to use Audacity can be found on the Audacity site (refer above).

Once the podcast has been compiled and edited, then it needs to be syndicated using RSS technology to allow people to subscribe to it on the web. For those of you who are technically minded, it is worth reading this article on RSS feeds to begin to understand the technology used to share podcasts.

The easiest thing to do is to download Podcast Publishing Software to turn your sound file into a syndicated podcast. Then post a link on your website. More information on this process can be found from the site of the software you have chosen. Each software client has a different approach. If you get stuck, try asking your students for some help!! Or you could ask your technician.

Another great resource is this Podcast Guide produced by Michael Abulencia from RMIT in Melbourne.

Podcasting in Education

Do schools really use podcasts as a learning and teaching tool? You bet they do! Many schools across Australia, the UK and the US are beginnning to embrace this technology.

There are also a multitude of relevant sites to visit who have a vast amount of information relating podcasting in education. The most valuable of these are listed here.

Try the Podcasting section in our Online Technical PD to further your skills in the area of Podcasting. Or visit our Professional Development page to get more information on how you might use podcasting in your language classroom.

Webquests

Multimedia Activities

Interactive Whiteboards

Internet Based Technologies

Working with Film

Podcasting

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