Upstate Technology Conference Podcasting Pre-Session

I attended two pre-conference sessions on Wednesday - "Podcasting" with Amanda LeBlanc, Mike Simmons and Paige Cochrane and "Serious Magic: Transforming your Morning News Show" with Jeff McCoy. For presenter downloads from the conference check the UTC site http://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/utc/07/downloads/index.htm
In the podcasting session we were able to try out the new Creative MP3 players that were purchased by the RVPIMC. These MP3 players can be checked-out as class sets by teachers.

The presenters provided attendees with a very helpful handbook which explains the basics of what podcasting is, a glossary of terms, bibliography, instructions for subscribing to feeds and some ideas for locating podcasts of interest (The Education Podcast Network http://epnweb.org/ , Podcast Alley http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_genres.php?pod_genre_id=7, Digg - Most Popular Education Podcasts http://digg.com/podcasts/view/education, Podcast News - Directory of Podcast Directories http://www.podcastingnews.com/topics/Podcast_Directory.html , iTunes http://www.apple.com/itunes/ ).

Next, we explored ways to use podcasting in the classroom:
To enrich instruction:National Geographic www.nationalgeographic.com/podcastsDiscovery Channel www.discovery.com/radio/podcasts.htmlNASA Brain Bites http://brainbites.nasa.gov/Cool Stuff Being Made: National Association of Manufacturers http://blog.nam.org/archives/coolstuffbeingmade.com_weekend_video/English as a Second Language http://www.eslpod.com/website/index.phpLearn Spanish - Survival Guide http://www.podcastingnews.com/details/www.switchpod.com/users/david_spencer/feed.xml/view.htm
For Studying and Class Review:Good example to explore: ColeyCast http://www.murrieta.k12.ca.us/tovashal/bcoley/studycast/index.htm

Student Created Podcasts:Willoweb Radio http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/ColeyCast: The Official Podcasts from Room 34 http://www.murrieta.k12.ca.us/tovashal/bcoley/coleycast/index.htmConcept Library http://www.ellwood.k12.pa.us/podcasting/Podcasting%20Team/Welcome.html
D.R. Hill Middle School - examples of using podcasts as projects in the classroom http://ssymborski.edublogs.org/category/podcasts/
Finally, we spent time creating our own podcasts. Some sites to help you get started:
How to create a student podcast from ColeyCast http://www.murrieta.k12.ca.us/tovashal/bcoley/coleycast/podcastinfo.htm

Some basic steps to follow to create a podcast:

1. Write a script
2. Gather your materials: computer, microphone or omnidirectional headset microphone, install a free audio recorder and editor such as Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ . Consider adding COPYRIGHT-FREE music or sound effects from a source such as Soundzabound. Greenville County has purchased a subscription, just ask your Library Media Specialist for the username and password.
3. Publish your podcast - use a pod hosting site such a Podomatic https://www.podomatic.com/user/register or iTunes http://www.apple.com/itunes/ to post your podcast.