Podcasting

1
Podcasting

• Potential and Pitfalls
• John Carmichael
• School of Law

2
Confessions of a pre-podcaster

• Introduced fireside chats for off-campus
  business law students in 1994.
• Voicemail used as the delivery platform
• Chats recorded as 10/ 15 min phone message
• Only available over weekend
• Enthusiastically received
• Off-campus students more connected
• Informed about recent developments
• Appreciated Lecturer enthusiasm
• Better Connected with on-campus students
• Pre widespread use of internet usage

3
Podcasts

• Fireside chat format updated to podcast
  technology
• Implemented in MLL 409
• Competition Law and Policy in 2004
• School of Laws Wholly on-line unit
• A supplementary resource
• Pilot project with James Farmer
• Used Audacity Word Press blog software

4
Reflections

• Podcasts in many ways replicated benefits of
  earlier fireside chats
• See J. Carmichael Narrowcasting The use of
  voicemail in legal education at a distance.
  1994. Journal of Distance Education, vol.16
  pp1-22
• On podcasts see review of my practices at
• http//www.theage.com.au/news/education-news/testi
  ng-onetwo/2005/10/09/1128796398213.html

5
Reflections (b)

• Nomenclature
• Podcasts term include recorded live lectures or
  lecture substitutes?
• Not where used as peppy fireside chats
• Purposes of podcasts
• Motivate
• Inform-especially explore byways and topical
  examples
• Shepherding
• Subtly encourage students to keep up-important in
  off-campus/online units -temptation to do things
  later
• Convey sense of time-passing
• Variety in length, subject matter etc

6
Pitfalls

• Yet another resource to refer to sometime
• Students may resent invasion of their domain
• MP3, MSN etc used for leisure
• Cant always assume an audience
• Importance of relevant appreciated content
• Cf Hancock Ham Radio sketch
• Many banal podcasts
• Religious podcasts (Godcasts) often succeed
• Issues of voice or tone-making connections
• Preparation
• Tightly scripted or extempore or in between?

7
Other Uses

• Interviews
• Breaking news
• With experts in other institutions etc
• Student feedback or commentary included
• Eg by use of Skype VOIP
• Occasional uses
• As exam hotline/FAQ resource
• As occasional commentary to refresh pre-delivered
  curriculum materials
• Dramas, case studies, hypotheticals

8
Having a Go

• Software
• Audacity on Phoenix
• Various commercial products
• Books
• Colombo Franklin- Absolute Beginners Guide to
  Podcasting, Que Publishing, 2006
• Walch Lafferty-Tricks of the Podcasting Masters
  Que Publishing, 2006