Creating PodcastsWorkbook

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This workbook is taken from one of SimpleK12’s Integrating Technology in the

Classroom courses.

As a member, you have unlimited access to all of SimpleK12’s Integrating

Technology in the Classroom courses. Each course has its own set of downloadable

tools with a assessments, checklists, and tips.

How To Find This Toolkit Inside The Member’s Area

View the lessons associated with this workbook by searching for “Creating

Podcasts” inside the learning portal.

Workbook - Creating Podcasts

Overview:

The following lessons and objectives were covered in this course. Feel free to go back and

review some or all of them, if necessary:

1. Apply Effective Podcast Tips and Tricks

o Offers tips for creating effective podcasts.

o Explores some of the things that you should and shouldn't do when recording

podcasts.

o Explains a few methods for making podcasts more creative.

2. Create Audio Podcasts

o Walks through the steps for creating an audio podcast.

o Offers some resources for creating podcasts.

o Explains how to create an RSS feed for a podcast.

3. Create Video Podcasts

o Explores the steps to filming video footage for a video podcast.

o Discusses the process of creating video podcasts.

o Examines video podcast resources.

4. Post Podcasts to the Web

o Teaches how to post an audio or video podcast to the Web.

o Examines some of the Web sites to which you can publish a podcast.

o Explains the benefits of creating your own Web site for publishing podcasts.

5. Share Podcasts

o Offers tips for promoting podcasts.

o Lists a couple directories for listing podcasts.

o Suggests adding tags to a podcast for search engines to find.

6. Employ RSS Feeds of Podcasts

o Explains RSS feeds and how to use them with podcasts.

o Offers some resources for RSS feed aggregators for podcasting.

o Examines some uses for RSS feeds in classroom instruction.

7. Find Podcast Resource Materials

o Offers lists of free podcast technology resources.

o Suggests free educational podcast resources.

o Explores resources for accessing and creating podcasts.

Real-life Examples:

Here are some real-life examples of how the concepts discussed in this course could be used in a

classroom, either as a teaching tool or an administrative aid:

1. Create an Audio Podcast Collect the tools you’ll need to create an audio podcast and then plan your content.

Rehearse your speech, and try to make it sound conversational and interesting. Practice

your tone, inflection, and speed. Find a music file to add for interest.

2. Create a Video Yearbook

Use a camcorder to record your students for a video yearbook. Have them talk about the

memorable events of the school year, and send a message for next year’s class. Convert

the video footage to a video podcast and have your students take part in the editing

process. Upload the podcast to a Web site so they can show it to their parents.

3. Practice Your Recording Skills

Find and download a free podcast recording software program, such as Audacity. Practice

recording with a microphone. Try to keep filler words at a minimum and background

noise out of the room. Have your students practice as well. Learn how to edit your

mistakes out of the recordings.

4. Podcast Presentations

Have your students create an oral presentation about the current week’s lesson. Rather

than speak to the class, have each student record his or her oral presentation as an audio

podcast. Have them post the podcasts to a Web site, and then have them listen to one

another.

5. Record a Radio Program

At the start of the school year, create a radio program with your drama or literature class

to be podcast throughout the school year. Have the program be an episodic story, with a

new chapter in the saga presented each week. Record each episode as an audio podcast

and upload it to the school Web site for other students, teachers, faculty, and parents.

6. Add Information Through Podcasting

Plan some podcasts for your students that will provide additional resources, materials,

and information to accompany weekly class lectures. Record the podcasts as audio and

post them to a Web site so that your students can listen to them as homework.

7. Create a Video Podcast of a School Play

Find out when the school drama club is going to perform their next school play. Use a

video camera to record their performance. Edit the video footage to include casting and

directing credits, as well as some music clips. Post the edited video to iTunes, and create

a Web link to the video podcast on the school Web site so students, parents, and faculty

can view it.

8. Film a Fitness Lesson

Collaborate with your physical education students to create a video about proper nutrition

and exercise programs. Have each student present parts of the video with visual aids and

examples. Have them film segments about how to eat healthy foods in the cafeteria, how

to get involved in school sports, and how to make use of the school gym. Edit the video

for them to include music loops, animated scene headings, and casting credits. Help them

post the completed video as a podcast on the Internet, and share it with the school.

9. Create a Foreign Language Vocabulary Video

Have the students of your foreign language class film a video of vocabulary words and

phrases. For example, have a student hold an object and say its name in English and

Spanish. Edit the video so that the words are phrases follow the chronological order of

the class textbook. Post the video as a podcast to Podcast Pickle so that your students can

view it as homework.

10. Post a Podcast to the Web

Find a Web site that specializes in educational content, and use it to post a podcast you

have made. Share the Web link for the podcast with your students so that they can access

it both in and out of class.

11. Create a Class Web Site

Take a beginner’s tutorial and create a simple class Web site. Have each of your students

record an audio podcast that gives a profile about them. Post all of the podcasts on the

class Web site so that the students can use it to get to know each other better.

12. Teach Podcasting Through a Podcast

Create a podcast that includes steps for uploading a podcast to an acceptable site. Have

the students either create their own podcasts or give them podcast files that they can

upload. Then have the students follow your podcast's instructions to upload their own.

13. Join a Directory

Search out some educational podcasting directories and select one that complements your

podcasts. Join the directory’s membership list, and get your podcasts listed with them.

Try joining more than one directory for greater publicity.

14. Link Your Podcasts

Copy and paste your podcast Web link into the body of an e-mail. Distribute the e-mail to

the people who would benefit most from it. Ask them to access your podcast and provide

you with feedback. Use the feedback to revise your podcast and make it better.

15. Promote Podcasts with Students

Incorporate all of the podcasts you and your students have created onto one class Web

site. Have your students design an ad campaign for the Web site. They can make flyers,

bulletins, school announcements, newspaper ads, and other techniques to help spread the

word about the podcasts.

16. Subscribe to an RSS Feed with a Podcatcher

Together with your students, find a Web site that offers a subscription to a program that

is relevant to the class. For example, have your Geometry class subscribe to a podcast

that explains a new theorem each week. Use a podcatcher to subscribe to the feed, and set

aside class time to listen to the new content each week. Be sure to monitor the content for

your students ahead of time.

17. Find Podcasts with Updates

Look for an audio book podcast for a book that your Literature students are required to

read, such as "Lord of the Flies." Subscribe to the podcast with your podcatcher, and have

it catch a new chapter each week. Play the podcasts for your students to help them stay on

track with the reading assignments.

18. Find a School Podcast

Check your school’s and school district’s Web sites to see if there are any available

podcasts and podcast subscriptions that offer information about new policies, events,

career development, continuing education, or other useful information. Use a podcatcher

to subscribe to these podcasts. If there aren’t any, petition your school district to develop

some podcasts, or to let you develop some.

19. Download a Podcatcher

Work with your Technology class to make a list of free podcatchers and then research

their different features at Answers.com. Read the reviews and consider the options, and

pick one that is easy to use. Have the students learn how to download it to a classroom

computer, and spend time using it with them to catch podcasts about computer skills.

20. Create a Podcast with the Class

Create an Oceanography class project to make a podcast news program about killer

whales. Break the class into groups and have each group work on a portion of the

podcast. Have one group use free resources to record the podcast and another to edit it.

One group should add the RSS feed, one should validate it, and still another should

upload it. The final group should find the feed so that the whole class can view or listen

to the podcast. Use the podcast as a study guide for the class' next test.

21. Find Free Foreign Language Podcasts

Have your French class look for free podcasts that are recorded in French. Monitor the

content, and then play the podcasts in class to help them learn inflection, tone, and

accent. Test them to see if they can translate the conversations.

Exercises:

If you would like additional practice or review of the concepts covered in this course, try the

following exercise(s) at your convenience:

1. Research some available software programs that can be used to record podcasts. Find one

that caters to your personal technical-skill level and then download it. Explore the

different uses for the program. Try recording your own podcast and then editing the

content.

2. Explore your school to find out what kind of video recording equipment is available for

you to use. Check with the school newspaper and yearbook departments to see if there is

any extra hardware or software for shooting and editing video. If there isn't any available

equipment, check with your school to find out what kind of sponsorships or other

programs are available for getting technological tools into the school for classroom use. If

you find some equipment, take time to learn how to use it as thoroughly as possible, and

then practice shooting, editing, and posting video podcasts.

3. Look for a podcast host site that is geared toward educational content. Then, upload any

podcasts you or your students have created, and send out an e-mail to your peers telling

them about it. Check periodically to see how many people have accessed your posted

podcasts.