Podcasting, Videocasting, Student Book Reviews and Web 2.0

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Podcasting, Videocasting, Student Book Reviews
and Web 2.0
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What is a Podcast?

• A podcast is a digital media file, for playback
  on portable media players and personal computers.
  A podcast is a specific type of webcast which,
  like 'radio', can mean either the content itself
  or the method by which it is broadcast.
  (Wikipedia)
• Podcast vs. Video podcast (sometimes shortened to
  vidcast or vodcast) is a term used for the online
  delivery of video clip content, often combining
  an audio podcast with visual content .
  (Wikipedia)
• (What is a Ning? A Ning is an online platform for
  creating social websites and social networks
  another fun Web 2.0 tool)

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Why Podcasts and Videocasting?

• What does it do for student learning and
  participation?
• Why would I want to use it?
• What could it be used for?
• Book reviews
• Recording speeches
• Recording vocal presentations
• Being able to hear a professional presentation
  without being there

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Podcasting, student learning and participation

• Uses technology to enhance the student experience
• Allows the teacher to offer an alternative
  product to the traditional pencil and paper
  option for assignments
• Gives options for differentiation for students
  with special needs
• Can be incorporated into an electronic student
  portfolio
• Its fun! Students love to hear their own voices!

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Why???

• Is it technology for technologys sake?
• We are far behind in our technical abilities
  compared to our students
• It gives you another option to the traditional
  pen and paper product for class assignments

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Okay, what would I use it for?

• Book Reviews
• Book Reports
• Interviews for an Oral History Report, a career
  assignment, or broadcast reporting for school
• An option to the regular research assignment

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Examples and Sample Work

• Spring Branch ISD Student Book Review Database
• Elementary School Book Blogs
• Thornwood Elementary
• Valley Oaks Elementary

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Book Review Podcast done at home by a student
Book Review Podcast done by a librarian for her
students
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Curriculum Examples

• SBISD Curriculum Wiki
• Terrace Elem. Second Grade
• Thornwood Podcast Projects
• Rummel Creek PGP Projects
• Rummel Creek Student Writing

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Using ITunes for Podcasts
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Two more places to play

• Animoto a site for combining pictures into a
  slide show - https//animoto.com/sign_in
• Voice Thread a site for capturing photos and
  videos - http//voicethread.com/

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Some Tips about Audacity

• Use a microphone/headphone if possible
• Write a script or have an outline of what you
  want to say/ask
• Remember to Enable the MP3 file format in
  Audacity (slide follows)
• Test the volume by recording a few times first
  using test sentences

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How to Enable MP3 files in Audacity

• Go to the following URL
• http//www-users.york.ac.uk/raa110/audacity/lame.
  html
• Click on lame-3.96.1 and save the zipped file to
  the folder with Audacity
• You do this by clicking on the Browse button
  and finding
• My Computer then click on the C drive and go
  to Program folder and then find the folder
  marked Audacity then click Open and then
  Save
• Next you will go to the Audacity folder and right
  click on the lame folder and choose Extract the
  file will extract and a Wizard will pop up and
  you will click Next twice and then Finish
• The last step is to open up Audacity and go to
  Edit and click on Preferences and follow the
  instructions in Bold below.

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Audacity and MP3 Files Cont.

• Windows
• Download the the archive file from the site
  above, and open it in a utility like winzip,
  7-zip, or some versions of Windows Explorer
• Take the lameenc.dll file and extract
  (uncompress) it to a directory on you hard drive.
  The directory where you installed Audacity would
  be a good idea. This is probably C\Program
  Files\Audacity or similar if you used the
  installer
• Open Audacity and go to Edit gt Preferences.
• Go to the 'File Formats' tab.
• In the bottom of the window there is a section
  tabled 'MP3 Export Setup'.
• Click on the link tabled 'Find Library'
• This will ask you if you want to locate the lame
  encoder. Click 'yes'.
• In the dialogue box, go to the folder where you
  put the lame-enc.dll file earlier, and select it.
  
• Click OK.
• You should now be able to export files to the mp3
  format.

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Tips for using Photostory

• Find your images FIRST!
• If you are going to narrate the Photostory, write
  your script based on the photos and how long you
  want to talk for each one
• Be aware of the color and positioning of text on
  the images
• Try several different transitions to see what
  works best

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HAVE FUN!!! If you enjoy this your students will
too! Play! Play! Play!