Week Six Part 1 - An Introduction to Podcasting

What is a podcast?

According to Wikipedia, a podcast is "a series of digital media files, usually digital audio or video, that is made available for download via Web syndication."

So what does that mean in plain English? Well, to start, a podcast is a series of computer files. The files can be either audio files, or video files. You can think of a podcast as a show: either a radio show (a series of audio files) or a TV show (video files). And think of each file as an episode of that show.

You can download the audio or video files from the Internet and play them on your computer or on a portable MP3 player, like an iPod.

Now you're probably thinking, "Yeah, that's really neat, but how is that any different from simply downloading a file from the Internet and playing it?" Well, it's different in that the files are "made available for download via Web syndication." It's the syndication part that makes the process special.

Web syndication

Web syndication allows users to subscribe to a podcast by clicking a button in a software application designed for managing podcasts. These software applications are generically known as podcatchers, and most of them are free to download and use on your computer, like Apple's iTunes.

When a new episode (file) of a podcast is published, a web feed is received by a podcatcher which automatically downloads the new episode, so you can listen to it or watch it whenever you want. This is what makes podcasts so special, and so convenient.

Think about it: first, you can listen to or watch your favorite shows whenever you want; you don't have to "tune in" at a specific time. Second, you don't have to check to see when new episodes are published; instead, the episodes come to you automatically if you've subscribed to them. And, if you're using a podcatcher to automatically download and manage your podcasts, then you've got all your favorite shows in one place. Plus, you can transfer your downloaded podcast episodes to a portable player and take them with you wherever you go.

Podcasts in education

Educators can use podcasts in a number of ways. First, you can encourage your students to subscribe to specific podcasts that you know are worthwhile. If you're a Political Science teacher, you could ask your students to subscribe to a current events or political commentary podcast, like those offered by CBC and Newsweek. There are also thousands of podcasts devoted to the study of History, Literature, Psychology and pretty much every other subject ... even Math. Many video podcasts teach people how to perform practical skills, like repairing your automobile or playing the guitar. You can use podcasts to supplement your own classroom teaching, to get students interested in learning on their own, or to kick-start classroom discussions.

Many educators are also creating their own podcasts for their students to use. Some teachers record their lectures and then make them available as podcasts. Others produce short, focussed podcasts that serve to highlight key concepts for students. Some instructors pre-record demonstrations/experiments to share with students as video podcasts to free up time for in-class instruction (and possibly to avoid embarrassment when they fail in front of a live audience). You could also make an audio podcast consisting of a series of questions and answers, which students could use to test themselves as often as they want.

If you have an idea for using podcasts in your class, share it by posting a comment below, or write about it in on your blog.

Learn more about podcasting

To learn more about podcatchers, finding and subscribing to podcasts, podcasting in education, and creating a podcast, go to Week Six, Part 2: More About Podcasting. But first, watch this fine video by commoncraft: