Creating+a+Podcast

Creating a Podcast
Now that you have explored various types of podcasts and have gotten a feel for how they sound, it is time to create your own audio podcast. Though it may sound like a daunting task, in reality, it is a fairly simple process. The process is as follows:


 * 1) Decide on audience and content
 * 2) Record the audio file (MP3 format)
 * 3) Upload your audio file to a server that will host the file
 * 4) Create a blog post that links to your file
 * 5) Create a RSS feed so it can be subscribed to by others

First, you need to decide who your audience will be, and that will help to determine the content. Your podcast can be aimed at students, parents, or the general public at large. Podcasts can be done by yourself or by your students, and should not be long affairs. Typically, aim for shorter podcasts which are easy to digest rather than long podcasts that are hard to sit through in one sitting.

To record your podcast you will need an external or internal microphone, Audacity software, the LAME MP3 encoder and iTunes. Audacity, LAME and iTunes are free and available for both Windows and Macintosh computers. The software can be downloaded from these links:

[] [] []

Apple's GarageBand software provides easy podcast recording capabilities along with premade jingles and sound effects, but it is only available as part of the iLife software suite, and only for Macintosh computers. If you have a Mac and prefer to use Garageband, feel free to do so. Directions for using GarageBand to create a podcast are [|here.] [] Otherwise, use the Audacity software to record your narration and do simple editing. Directions on using Audacity to create a podcast are located at: [] []

This video also gives a brief tutorial on using Audacity to create a podcast that you might find useful. [] Once you have recorded your podcast, you will need to upload it to a site that will host the file. If you are using Edublogs, there is a 25 Mb file limit that will allow several podcasts to be stored, depending on the length. You can also sign up for a free account with a site called [|OurMedia.org], which will store as many podcast files for as long you wish. Another free podcasting host site is Podbean.com. The next step is to create a blog posting describing your podcast and add a link to your audio file. Follow the directions of the site you chose to host it at to get the proper link address (URL). Finally, you need to create an RSS feed to allow subscriptions. If you are using Edublogs, and uploaded the file there, then you are all set, as it creates an automatic RSS feed. The directions are [|here.] [] If you are using blogger, follow the directions below. Blogger requires a separate feed generator, like Feedburner.com to generate the RSS feed. [] [] It really is harder to describe that what it takes to do so. The biggest issue is getting interesting content, but there should be an abundance of that in your classroom. Have fun.