Podcasting is online audio content that is delivered via an RSS feed.
An RSS feed link appears when a website allows other sites to use some of their information. Individuals can then 'subscribe' to this feed and they will be informed every time information is updated.
Podcasting uses the standard RSS feed reader or aggregator, only the feed you subscribe to contains an audio file in it instead of written (typed) word. Individuals can listen to the contents using a reader or aggregator that supports podcasting on their computer, or they can listen to podcasts on the go with an iPod.
The name podcasting was developd to be used on Apple iPods, but individuals do not need to have an iPod in order to listen to podcasts. They can be accessed on almost any computer.
How can Podcasts be used?
Podcasts are now being used for many different reasons. When blogging first came into dominance, many people started acting as if they were journalists. Blogs are journals that are frequently updated and can usually be viewed by the public. Now with podcasts, individuals can pretend as if they are hosting their own radio shows. Podcasts are available on every subject imaginable.
They are also being used for
- museum tours
- training
- story telling for children and the Blind
- promotional material for musical bands
- distributing public safety alerts from police departments
Now I am going to provide a link to an example of a podcast. It comes from HabsInsideOut, which is a division of the sports section of the Montreal Gazette. This website constantly updates readers on information concerning the Montreal Canadiens hockey team. Once every week or two, they gather various members of the sports media to discuss issues concerning the Canadiens. This material can be heard on a podcast, which they call "PuckCast". This PuckCast took place on February 28, 2007 and features journalists Sid Banerjee and Mike Boone. They discuss the NHL trade deadline: http://www.habsinsideout.com/2007/02/puckcast_volume_1_number_11_af_1/
For people who are reading my blog and want to try making their own podcast, I will now provide some links that detail how to create a podcast: http://www.podcastingnews.com/articles/How-to-Podcast.html http://www.zefhemel.com/archives/2004/10/11/how-to-create-your-own-podcasting-show, http://podcasts.yahoo.com/publish/1
Podcasting in School
This is an example of how podcasting can be used in the classroom: Ms. Singer teaches grade five English and she notices that many students in her previous classes did not like to participate. For these reasons, some students had a hard time remembering the material and did not do as well on exams. She wanted to find a new interesting way to get her students more involved. She searched the Internet, asked some of her colleagues, and finally came upon podcasting. She thought that using a new technology could make the material more fun. She decides to assign groups of students a topic and have them debate that topic using a podcast. All the topics cover material that could be tested on upcoming exams. Each week, one group will meet with her in the computer lab and discuss and debate a certain topic. The next day, the whole class will listen to the podcast together and other classmates will be able to comment and give their opinion. Not only does this offer a new type of presentation (one that might be easier for students that have a fear of speaking in public) but also students will be able to use these podcasts to study for their exams. They can access the podcasts from their own homes and can go back to them whenever they need to refresh their memory. One obstacle she encountered was that she did not want students to feel bad if they did not always have access to the Internet at home or to an iPod. To resolve this problem, she scheduled extra computer lab time so that all students would have the opportunity to study the podcasts.
I hope everyone enjoyed my showcase of podcasting. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments.
