On this weblog put up I’ll be introducing the idea of podcasts and speaking about how they can be utilized inside a instructing context.
What are Podcasts and the way can they be utilized in instructing?
A podcast is an episodic sequence of audio recordings often organised round a topic or theme, falling someplace between a radio present and a weblog. As a medium podcasts are immensely standard amongst younger adults (15-24) with one in 5 now listening to podcasts commonly a minimum of as soon as per week. When you haven’t listened to a podcast earlier than, you may prefer to strive Impacted – a podcast created by the College of Sussex trying on the impression that analysis can have on the world or TEL: US – The Know-how Enhanced Studying workforce’s personal podcast.
The format of podcasts together with their ease of use, low barrier to entry and the flexibility to share freely with others means they could be a nice instructing software. You may create your individual podcasts on your college students to take heed to in addition to getting college students to create their very own podcasts as studying artifacts.
Comfort is likely one of the main strengths of podcasts, for college students that will have little free time podcasts are a godsend in that they are often listened to wherever and while doing different duties, good if you’re a pupil caught on a bus, doing chores round the home, within the gymnasium or while caught at work. Audio codecs are a lot simpler to devour in each day life.
Some examples of the varieties of podcast content material that could possibly be created by a instructor for college students to devour are:
- Flipped studying supplies. Create a podcast as a supplemental useful resource that may be listened to earlier than a lecture or seminar.
- Revision supplies. Create podcasts recapping explicit areas of a module.
- Area reviews. In case you are attending an occasion, convention or journey why not create a discipline report primarily based round what you’re doing and studying for college students to take heed to.
- Interviews. Get along with different teachers or distinguished leaders in your discipline to file a podcast on your college students.
After all podcasts don’t simply need to be made by academics, one of the vital efficient ways in which podcasts may be utilized is to have college students create their very own podcasts centered on themes or areas that they’ve studied within the module. These podcasts can then be shared with different college students. Asking college students to create their very own podcasts:
- Provides college students an opportunity to cement their information of a subject by participating with the fabric by means of the creation of an artifact.
- Allows college students to study beneficial digital expertise corresponding to audio recording and modifying, in addition to enhancing vocal and communication expertise when it comes to explaining data succinctly and comprehensively.
- Could possibly be used as an alternative choice to presenting. This will support inclusion significantly for college students who could really feel anxious or uncomfortable about talking publicly in entrance of others however who could possibly be more than pleased to file a podcast that others may take heed to as a substitute.
- Is enjoyable and interesting. Being concerned in each making and listening to podcasts boosts the probabilities that college students will have interaction with the method of studying.
- Might be helpful for accessibility. Podcasts could possibly be an alternate for many who could discover written assets tough, corresponding to college students with Dyslexia.
- Is a good way to share studying. Each group that creates a podcast can then share it with the broader class, on this method information may be quickly shared by means of peer studying.
Making a podcast
So now you realize what a podcast is and the way helpful they are often on your college students, however how would you go about creating one your self? Making a podcast is fast and simple and may be made utilizing gear you very doubtless have already got or that’s low cost to acquire, so let’s undergo the key areas.
Gear and setup
You’ll want one thing that’s able to recording sound, however most trendy smartphones and laptops have in-built microphones which can be utilized. In any other case there’s a broad number of low cost microphones accessible, lapel mics specifically may be useful as they’ll simply be clipped on after which forgotten about.
Now that you’ve got your gear you’ll want to make use of some software program to file your podcast. Totally different applications have completely different ranges of complexity relying on how easy or complicated you want to make your podcast. Listed below are some ideas:
- Panopto – The College’s on-line media platform can be utilized for simple recording and modifying on each iOS in addition to pc gadget. It does lacks the flexibility to do any complicated modifying however works for easy edits.
- Audacity – An excellent free open supply software program accessible for each Mac and Home windows desktop and laptop computer computer systems. Has a steeper studying curve however has all kinds of options and modifying choices supplying you with higher freedom.
- Ocenaudio – One other free open supply recorder accessible for each Home windows and Mac desktop and laptop computer computer systems. Has much less of a studying curve but in addition much less options.
Recording
You will have someplace to file, ideally someplace pretty quiet, so a busy cafe or the facet of a street can be a nasty thought, nonetheless you don’t want utter silence so any workplace or quietish space will work nicely.
Listed below are some ideas for recording:
- Don’t fear an excessive amount of about perfection, podcasts can typically have a tough and prepared really feel to them so for those who muck up a sentence or use too many um’s or ah’s when speaking don’t fear, simply chill out and preserve going. When you do make any really main errors you’ll be able to all the time edit out a part of the recording later.
- When going from one matter to a different contemplate leaving a break of some seconds, this may make your life a lot simpler later when you might want to edit the recording and transfer components of the recording round to be in a distinct order.
- At all times do a fast take a look at recording earlier than you begin recording correctly, this solely must be a number of seconds lengthy however you’ll be able to pay attention again to it to ensure that all audio gadgets are recording correctly and which you could hear everybody talking clearly.
Publishing and sharing your podcast
The simplest solution to share your podcast is to make use of the college’s on-line media platform Panopto which lets you add audio information on your modules. Any pupil enrolled on the module will then be capable to entry your recording.
College students can even share their very own recordings both by internet hosting them on file sharing providers corresponding to Field, OneDrive and Google Drive or on collaborative platforms like Padlet.
What subsequent?
I hope this weblog put up has helped to function an introductory take a look at podcasting and its potential makes use of in instructing. Know-how Enhanced Studying run workshops on Podcasting every now and then so please do regulate our workshops web page for extra data.
