Podcasting and Blogging

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Podcasting and Blogging

• Tech Training Week
• Steve Schwarz

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What is Podcasting

• Wikipedia definition Podcasting is the method of
  distributing multimedia files, such as audio
  programs or music videos, over the Internet for
  playback on mobile devices and personal
  computers. Podcasts are distributed using either
  the RSS or Atom syndication formats.

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RSS and ATOM

• All you ever wanted to know about the XML
  technologies used to automatically update podcast
  listings is here
• http//www.mezzoblue.com/archives/2004/05/19/what_
  is_rssx/

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More About Podcasts

• The term podcast, like "radio", can mean both the
  content and the method of delivery. The host or
  author of a podcast is often referred to as a
  "podcaster".
• Podcasters' web sites may also offer direct
  download or streaming of their files. However, a
  podcast is distinguished by its ability to be
  downloaded automatically using software capable
  of reading RSS or Atom feeds.

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More About Podcasts

• Usually the podcast features one type of "show",
  with new episodes either sporadically or at
  planned intervals, such as daily or weekly. In
  addition to this, there are podcast networks that
  feature multiple shows on the same feed. One can
  listen to a podcast either on a computer or on a
  mobile audio device (such as an iPod).
• Podcasting's essence is about creating content
  (audio or video) for an audience that wants to
  listen or watch when they want, where they want,
  and how they want.

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More About Podcasts

• Neither podcasting nor listening to podcasts
  requires an iPod or other portable player, and no
  over-the-air broadcasting is required. The name
  association came about simply because Apple
  Computer's iPod was the most marketed and the
  best-selling portable digital audio player when
  podcasting began, and was used by early
  practitioners.

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Subscribing to Podcasts

• A podcatcher is usually an always-on program
  which starts when the computer is started and
  runs in the background. It manages a set of feed
  URLS added by the user and downloads each at a
  specified interval. If the feed data has changed
  from when it was previously checked (or if the
  feed was just added to the podcatcher's list),
  the program reads the feed to download the most
  recent item to the user's computer.
• The downloaded episodes can then be played,
  replayed, or archived as with any other computer
  file.

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Subscribing in iTunes

• You dont need an iPod or portable MP3 player to
  use iTunes.
• iTunes offers a tremendous number of free podcast
  links.
• You can subscribe to podcasts not included in
  iTunes directly by clicking on 'Advanced in the
  menu bar and then choosing 'Subscribe to
  Podcast'. Next you must copy and paste the
  podcast URL and click on 'OK'

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What Kind of Podcasts Should I Create?

• The possibilities are endless
• You can record your lessons
• You can record study guides for tests/quizzes
• You can record ancillary material
• Students can create their own podcasts as well
• Blogs can be a place for students to comment on a
  podcast!

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Creating Your Own Podcast
You can use the Windows Sound Recorder to record
podcasts in .WAV format.
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The Sound Recorder

• Once the program launches, record your audio and
  then save your file.

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Convert to .MP3

• MP3 files are highly compressed, often 13 times
  smaller than a corresponding WAV file.
• You can use a shareware utility to convert your
  WAV file to MP3
• http//www.mp3towav.net/ is just one location
  where you can grab an easy to use low priced
  utility.

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Creating a Podcast

• The content provider begins by making a file (for
  example, an MP3 audio file) available on the
  Internet. This is usually done by posting the
  file on a publicly-available webserver.
• The content provider then acknowledges the
  existence of that file by referencing it in
  another file known as the feed. published in RSS
  or ATOM format. The feed provides other
  information, such as publish dates, titles, and
  accompanying text descriptions of the series and
  each of its episodes. The feed may contain
  entries for all episodes in the series, but is
  typically limited to a short list of the most
  recent episodes, as is the case with many news
  feeds.

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Hosting Your Podcast

• You can load the Podcast onto your FrontPage Web,
  but you wont have an RSS feed.
• You can use a site such as Odeo.com that will
  provide you with an RSS feed if you provide it
  with the location of your Podcast. You can even
  use its browser based recorder to record up to an
  hour long podcast.
• You can even record podcasts from your phone and
  upload them automatically to odeo!

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Blogging

• Short for Web log, a blog is a Web page that
  serves as a publicly accessible personal journal
  for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs
  often reflect the personality of the author.
  http//www.webopedia.com/TERM/b/blog.html

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Higher Education Blogs

• You should read a few sample blogs before
  creating your own.
• Here are two I read on a regular basis
• http//rateyourstudents.blogspot.com/
• http//suburbdad.blogspot.com/

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Blog Aggregator

• I use Newsgator to read all of my blogs in one
  location.
• They offer paid models, but the Web based
  application is free. All you have to do is
  provide the URL of the RSS feed. If the site
  doesnt provide the URL its typically the blogs
  url followed by /atom.xml
• Example http//bitchphd.blogspot.com/2006/05/be-s
  till-my-beating-heart.htmlhttp//bitchphd.blogspo
  t.com/atom.xml
• www.newsgator.com

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What Can You Blog?

• Ancillary Lessons
• Enhance Class Discussions
• Point out links to other sites related to course
  content

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Creating Your Own Blog

• You could place your stream of consciousness on a
  regular Web page, but how would your
  readers/students know when your site has been
  updated?
• Blogger.com is one site that automatically
  generates a feed.
• Your students can use any aggregator to see when
  new listings have been posted.