Podcasting Resources

From a technical aspect, creating a podcast requires three things: recording, hosting, and publishing. Fortunately, all of these things can be done for free using a combination of software and web-based resources.

Recording

• audacity is free, easy to use audio recording and editing software. We will be using audacity as part of the podcasting session.
• odeo is a website providing web-based audio recording. If we have time, we will look at using this site.

Hosting

• Ourmedia is a nonprofit, grassroots effort for publishing on the web. Through a partnership with the internet archive, Ourmedia provides free hosting of digital content.
• EduBlogs is a free, teacher-focused blog host. Blogs are an important link in the hosting to publishing chain and also provide an online identity for the podcast.
• odeo also provides hosting of podcasts.

Publishing

• FeedBurner takes hosted content and creates a "feed", which is something individual web surfers can subscribe to.
• Miguel Guhlin shares 6 resources for creating a free, web-based radio station. One use for such a station would be a rotating program of live DJs and prerecorded podcasts.

Of course, a podcast also requires content, which is why we will be meeting on August 9th. Here are a few ideas to get the wheels moving.

Integrating

• Podcapsules -- Mr. Kuropatwa is using audio with his math students as a tool for reflecting on their learning.
• Pudong School District, an English language school in Pudong, China, is using podcasting to record weekly announcements for the elementary and middle schools. Their early efforts do have some minor tech problems (mic levels mostly), but what a neat way to reach students, parents, and the community.
• David Warlick has put together A Student & Teacher Information Code of Ethics. Worth checking out and modifying to fit your own classroom.

Student Voice

• Youthcast -- This is an amazing project I discovered through alt.NPR. From the website: "Direct, blunt, honest, funny, emotional, real -- these are youth voices telling their stories their own way. Youthcast features a new youth-produced piece each week from Generation PRX -- a project that connects youth radio producers and brings youth voices to public radio and beyond via the Public Radio Exchange."

Other Ideas for Podcasting

Karl Long shares Uncommon Uses for podcasting at Futurelab's blog. Be sure to read the comments for others' suggestions.

Back to Podcasting