One Minute How-To Podcast

I found a fun podcast this morning called "The One Minute How-To". Either the host, George, or a guest (an average person just like you) will explain how to do something in 60 seconds or less. Topics include "How To Get Your Artwork Hung Right The First Time", "How To Prevent Sunburn", "How To Save Time Editing Your Podcast Using Audacity", "How to Set Meaningful Goals and Reach Them ", "How To Organize A River Clean-up", "How To Read A Story Aloud" - just to mention a few of the 164 episodes. You can listen to them from "The One Minute How-To" website using your computer, download individual episodes or subscribe to the podcast feed using a "podcatcher" such as Feedburner or iTunes.
This would be a great exercise for the classroom, especially in ELA where most standards can be covered in The Writing Process, Communication: Speaking, Preparing and Presenting Information; make it a mini research project and include Selecting a Research Topic, Gathering Information and Refining a Topic; have students evaluate each other and cover Communication: Listening standards.
This activity could be modified for use in any subject area or grade level, but preparation and flexibility are of utmost importance. For all subject areas pre-writing is key.
Please share your ideas for your class!

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.