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Questions about Podcasting

What is a Podcast? What is Podcasting?

In the simplest terms a Podcast is an audio recording distributed via the internet. Frequently these recordings are formated to play on portable music devise (such as iPods, hence the “pod” part of the name) but one can also listen to podcasts using any computer with an internet connection. Podcasts make use of some technology called RSS in terms of how they are broadcast (hence the “cast” part of the name) that make it particularly easy to stay up to date with the latest recording from people who produce regular podcasts. The content of podcasts run a huge spectrum from carefully produced radio show style content, to simple recordings of a lecture or an interview.

Why might Podcasts be important?

Like blogs and other web publishing tools, Podcast represent a way to communicate idea and messages via the web using methods that are increasingly accessible. The software and equipment necessary for creating podcasts are increasingly easier to use and less expensive with each passing year.

How do Podcast intersect with Teaching?

Instructors might make use of podcasts in a variety of ways. A very basic place to start with pdocasting is to search for podcasts in the subject areas you specialize in. You very well may be able to find existing podcasting resources that would be of interest to you or to share with your students. Making use of existing resources is the easiest place to start with podcasting and is a good place to start thinking about the nature of this media if you are interested in producing a podcast.

A second way that instructors use podcasting is to create their own podcasts. These might simply be recordings of talks or lectures for student to review, or these could a way to communicate about your research to interested colleagues at other institutions. Some instructors make heavy use of recording interviews with colleagues and distributing the interviews via podcasts.

A third way to use podcasting in your teaching is to have students create podcasts within the context of a class project. Planning and producing a podcast can be a useful learning experience and also allows for the creation of an final result that can be shared with the world (or at the very least with a student’s friends and family.) Teaching students how to create podcasts does necessitate instructing them on the use of some software, but depending on the discipline you teach in such skills might be important for a student to acquire.

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