21st Century Learning: Blogging and Podcasting VTFest November 4, 2006

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21st Century Learning Blogging and
PodcastingVTFest November 4, 2006
Presented by Jane Olesen Lisa Fernald Essex
Town School District
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What is a Podcast?

• Wikipedia (2006) Defines a Podcast as...
• The method of distributing multimedia files,
  such as audio programs or music videos, over the
  Internet for playback on mobile devices and
  personal computers.
• Educational Podcast Network (2006) defines a
  Podcast as
• The best way to understand podcasting is to
  imagine a merger between blogging (regularly
  posted articles of news, insight, fun, grips,
  literature, and more) and radio (an established
  broadcasting medium that people have listened to
  for news and entertainment for generations).

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Simply put, a Podcast is similar to a broadcast
radio show
that you can listen to whenever you want!
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What can I do with Podcasts
Collaboration Communication Content

• Test Reviews
• Class Notes
• Music Events
• Upcoming Events
• Teach a new skill
• School Board Minutes

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What can it be used for?

• Storytelling
• Music
• Self-Guided Tours
• Lectures
• Multi-lingual education
• Guest Speakers

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What equipment do you need to listen to a Podcast?

• At home -
• All you need is a computer with internet access.
  You can either download a Podcast to your
  computer or in some cases you can listen to a
  Podcast online.
• If you want to be mobile -
• You can download your favorite Podcast to an IPod
  or any MP3 type player and hit the road,
  treadmill or backyard!

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Where can I find a Podcast?

• These are just a few of the many websites that
  offer free subscriptions to more Podcasts than
  you will ever need in a lifetime!
• Itunes
• Podcast
• Juice

If you still cant find something to suit you, a
Google search on the word Podcast will return
over 301,000,000 hits!
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Appeal of Podcasting

• Audio content can be created easily then
  distributed and downloaded
• Minimal costs
• Portability
• Mobility

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Downsides

• Issues concerning bandwidth
• Access Format
• Not interactive
• Limited usefulness for the hearing impaired

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Resources for Educational Podcasts

• Educational Podcasts Network
• Learn Out Loud
• Podcast Alley
• Audio Resources
• www.looperman.com
• Royalty Free Music
• Pod Safe Music

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However, the actual number of Podcasts available
is still up for debate.

• At the 2006 NETA Conference Dan Schmidt (2006)
  author of KidCast Podcasting in the Classroom
  pointed out that in fall of 2004 there was one
  Podcast listed on the web. In the spring of 2006
  there are approximately 60,000 with that number
  growing daily.
• According to The History of Podcasting found on
  Wikipedia (2006), technology columnist Doc Searls
  began tracking hits on Google for the word
  Podcast in 2004. On September 28, 2004 Google
  returned 24 hits for the term Podcast. Only
  several weeks later that same search passed
  100,000. One year later there were 100,000,000
  hits on the word Podcast.

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Instructional Goals
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Concepts to Keep in Mind When Developing a Podcast

• Context Have a clear instructional goal and
  purpose
• Content Limit the scope and length
• Information What you are trying to get across
  to your audience
• Review Go over the highlights of important
  things to remember.

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For an example, lets say we are developing a
Podcast on How to Make a Smore.
Using the concepts in the previous slide, a
rough outline for our Podcast would look
something like this
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• Context
• By the end of this Podcast you will be able to
  cook, assemble and eat a Smore.
• Content
• Share personal experiences with making Smores.

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• Information
• How you make a Smore. From roasting the
  marshmallow to assembly with the chocolate and
  graham cracker.
• Review
• Go over the steps, talk safety, wrap up and eat!

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Steps

• Record the audio
• Edit if necessary with software
• Example Audacity
• Convert to mp3 format, name file and add Mp3 Tags
• Upload to a server
• Post an entry to Podcast
• Create RSS feed
• Test
• Promote

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Podcasting Points to Remember

• Keep it short and simple if it is too long you
  will lose the listeners interest.
• Speak normally use an outline not a script.
• Express your passion for the material
• Relax and have fun you can always edit later!

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Bibliography

• History of podcasting. (2006, May 17). In
  Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved
  1830, May 17, 2006, from http//en.wikipedia.org/
  w/index.php?titleHistory_of_podcastingoldid5381
  2864.
• Meredith, R. (2005, November 14). Weblog
  Podagogy gains ground. Podagogy Where podcasting
  meets teaching and learning.. Retrieved May 12,
  2006, from http//blog.podagogy.com/?p32
• Pedagogical podcasting or podagogy. Retrieved May
  12, 2006, from podcasting _at_ the university of
  wisconsin - madison Web site http//engage.doit.w
  isc.edu/podcasting/teachAndLearn
• Reynolds, R. (2005, July 7). Pedagogy for
  podcasting. Xplanazine, Retrieved May 12, 2006,
  from http//www.xplanazine.com/xplanaradio/archive
  s/2005/07/pedagogy_for_po.html
• Schmit, D. (2006, May 7). Podcast KidCast
  Episode 24 - The NETA Presentation. KidCast
  Learning and Teaching with Podcasting. Retrieved
  May 15, 2006, from http//www.intelligenic.com/kid
  cast/
• Wikipedia contributors (2006). Podcasting.
  Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved
  1757, May 17, 2006 from http//en.wikipedia.org/w
  /index.php?titlePodcastingoldid53589142.

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Contact Information

• Lisa Fernald, Technology Integration Specialist,
  Essex Town School District
• lfernald_at_etsd.org
• Katie Rose, 6th grade teacher, Essex Middle
  School
• krose_at_etsd.org
• Jane Olesen, Administrative Assistant for
  Curriculum and Instruction, Essex Town School
  District
• jolesen_at_etsd.org
• Link to this PowerPoint is available at
• http//etsdvt.org/fms/fernald/