Podcasting Defined

Finding Podcasts

Podcasting Defined

Have you ever wanted to have your own syndicated online talkshow or radio program?  Well, Podcasting is for you.  What is Podcasting?  Podcasting is an online media delivery system where you can publish audio files to the internet and allow your users to subscribe via an RSS feed to automatically receive new files. 

Podcasts can be used for:

1) Talk Shows
2) Music Shows
3) Interviews
4) Story Telling
5) Tutorials
6) Directions
7) Commentaries
8) Sportscasts

Podcasting's name came from the Apple's iPod.  However, to create a podcast or even to listen to one, you don't even need to own an iPod.  On this webpage, we will find out how to find, subscribe to, and create podcasts.

Finding Podcasts

Podcasting Directories 

• iTunes Store - You need to install iTunes first.  This is available for Mac and Windows.  Click Podcasts on the left side or open the iTunes software.
  
  
• Podcast Alley - Podcasts are ranked based on the votes they receive each month.
  
  
• Educational Podcasting for Teaching and Learning - A directory from the UK that lists podcasts for educational use.  Some are produced by students.
  
  
• The Education Pod Network - a wide range of podcast programming that may be helpful to teachers looking for content to teach with and about.
  
  
• Learn Out Loud - Podcasts you can learn from
  

Educational Examples

• Grammar Girl 
  
  
• Radio WillowWeb - Willowdale Elemetary School in Omaha, Nebraska.
  
  
• Coulee Kids - 7th Grade Students in LaCrosse, Wisconsin
  
  
• CouleyCast - 5th Graders in Murrieta, California
  

Subscribing to Podcasts

How is this different than other audio on the web?  Like other audio on the web, a podcast may be downloaded or streamed.  What makes a podcast unique is the ability to use a feed reader known as RSS (Real Simple Syndication).  This allows the podcast to be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded automatically when new content is added.

• Using iTunes - 
  • button - After you find the podcast through iTunes, click the subscribe.
  • badge - Some podcasts may have an iTune badge on their page to access iTunes.
  • , ,or badge - Drag and drop the badge onto the iTunes window.  iTunes will then subscribe to the podcast and download the latest episode.
• Web-based Podcatchers -
  

Creating Podcasts

Planning the Podcast

• Planning Book by Radio WillowWeb

Recording and Editing the Podcast

The easiest way to start is with a computer, a microphone, and a recording software such as GarageBand or Audacity.

• Mac - GarageBand (comes with the Mac)

• Windows - 

  • Audio - Audacity - free, open source software for recording and editing sounds (works with Mac and Windows)

  • Music - Acid XPress

Publishing the Podcast

• Publishing with Blogger and Feedburner