Podcasting

=Podcasting=

=
A **podcast** is a series of digital media files that can be distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds/RSS feeds for playback on computers or media players such as Ipod or other types of MP3 players.A podcast can refer either to the series of content itself or to the method by which it is syndicated. ie.. weekly, daily, monthly. You need an RSS aggrigator. Not a problem... got plenty of options.... and these are just a few!===== N[|etvibes] [|igoogle] [|itunes] [|blogger My Yahoo] = = = Uses in the classroom: =

=
Want to engage your students? Try podcasting! Anyone can create audio files and post them on the Internet for others to download and listen to at any time. Click here to see lessons and activities for using podcasts in the classroom: http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~nshelley/index.html=====

=
[|Learning at Hand] is another website designed to teachers and students to produce a podcast. This site has directions along with worksheets for production.=====

= Examples of Podcasts: = [|Education Podcast Network] offers a wide range of podcasts for and by teachers to support content. It also offers a venue for you to post your own podcasts [|Radio Show.com] show cases radio shows in Mp3 format. This is a great resource site for history and social studies. Itunes has a variety of podcasts that are not limited to just audio productions. You may need to see your tech support personal to download Itunes. [|School Tube] provides a venue for authentic learning and media showcasing. Why not have your students produce a video outlining classroom rules? [|Librovox] provides free audio books from the public domain. You can set up the RSS feed to notify you when new books are released. = = =Producing a podcast with a computer:= //Tools needed: microphone, software to edit recorded sound, software that will play the production//

The microphone.... any hand held, head held, or computer based microphone will do the job. Many computers have imbedded microphones and use windows recorder.

To check your computer for a windows recorder.. go to the //Start menu/all programs/accessories/entertainment/recorder.//

[|Audacity] is an excellent FREE online, downloadable software that can be used to record, edit and save your audio files (//not only can you use Audacity to record for your project, Audacity can be used to record "back in the day" music to a digital format. The info to do that is found at the onsite blog!)// Along with Audacity you will need an add on program if you want to convert your music to MP3 format. It is called a Lame converter. Go to http://lame.buanzo.com.ar/ and download the file to your desktop.

The Audacity website is a great resource for information on uploading your podcast to ITunes and into an ipod: http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php?title=Exporting_your_Audacity_Project_into_iTunes_and_iPod

Smartboard is excellent software( if you have it) that will not only record sound but you can record a video.

**Avitars:** Use a speaking avitar to introduce new concepts or place in your blogs to provide instructions. Have students use a speaking avitar to give the point of view of a character in a story, or provide ESL students an avitar to practice pronunciation and sentence syntax. http://www.voki.com/ Suggestions for using an [|avitar in the classroom]:

=Producting a podcast without a computer:=

Tools needed: Cell phone, account with gcast [|Gcast:]

=Getting podcasts for the classroom:=

[|Youconvertit:] a free online media converting software. This service tends to be faster than Zamzar. [|Zamzar:] a free online media converting software. This software will rip, convert and download many videos and send it to your email. Be aware that some videos may be blocked by the school filter as it comes through the school email. For a monthly fee, you can store your videos on the Zamzar website.