Podcasts

=**//What are Podcasts and Why Should Educators Care?//**=



[|Podcasts] are media files (audio or video) that carry a message, a show or serve some other purpose of their author. The term podcast was invented by [|Adam Curry] - former VJay on MTV. They were initially audio only files that were relatively easily [|produced] and could be sent through the Internet.

Much like blogs - they serve to democratize the audio publishing world. No longer are radio executives the exclusive gatekeepers of audio programming. Now anyone can have a show as long as they can build an audience - which is easier on the Internet since the signals cover the connected world rather than only as far as the antenna can broadcast. Also it's easier to string together an avid group of hand-tied fly-casters across the entire Internet than it is in your local community. For that matter your audience might not even exist and you can cheaply publish your wares - just to make yourself happy. (No one will cancel you!)

Today some blogs also contain video - leveling the playing field of television production in the same way. Want to publish your short film directorial debut - but don't have the cash to make it to Cannes - video podcasts of "[|Vodcasts]" may be for you. They are cheap, easy and can be very effective.

Production values (quality of the media produced) vary greatly. Sound recording techniques, dubbing, video production techniques may or may not be used. Some folks just want to get the message out. You can take quality to what ever level you desire. [|iTunes] is the defacto standard method for large-scale distribution of podcasts, but they can also be found linked to Web pages and are available as [|RSS] [|feeds]. RSS feeds are subscribed to by as user and as new files become available they are collected by a program on your computer or media player called an "aggregator." Now you have the most up to date podcasts without doing anything (except having subscribed initially.) Many podcasts are distributed for free - while others may require you to pay for episodes or subscriptions.

You can subscribe to a podcast as an [|RSS] feed - using your favorite [|feed] reader or [|aggregator]. When using feeds - the new content published is automatically collected by your feed reader and waits for you to access it the next time you use the device or program.

This and other learning materials created by Tom Spencer - Educational Consulting - customized to your division's needs. © Copyright 2008 **Tom Spencer** All rights reserved.