5A-podcast

Introduction
A **podcast** is sort of like an **online radio show**, except the listeners get to decide **when and where** they want to listen.
 * [[image:http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2412/1728380109_a5e1a9fbdc_m.jpg caption="photo by thornj" link="http://flickr.com/photos/apenguincalledelvis/1728380109/"]] ||
 * photo by thornj ||

The term "podcast" //stands for Portable On-Demand Broadcast.// And you **[|DON"T NEED an iPod]** to listen to or create a podcast! Having an iPod (or similar portable device) simply makes listening to podcasts (and other media, such as music, audiobooks and videos) really convenient. (Of course, there are tons of ways to use [|iPods in education]).

An audio file published to the web does **__not__** qualify as a **podcast**. A podcast consists of an audio file (typically MP3 format) published to the web **PLUS** an **RSS feed** (XML file). The RSS feed **allows listeners to subscribe** to the podcast and to **automatically receive** new episodes in a special type of RSS reader called a **podcatcher**. In addition to managing your podcast subscriptions and playing the media files, podcatchers can also help you **transfer your podcasts** to your media player. The most popular podcatcher is [|iTunes], a free program designed to work with iPods, but which also serves as a **general media player** and **organizer**, and a huge, searchable **podcast directory**.

**Good to know:** You can subscribe to and play podcasts in your [|Google Reader], but it can't help you transfer your media files onto your portable player. If you just want to **listen to podcasts on your computer**, Google Reader is actually a great option, because it just "points to" the podcast files so that you can play them in the reader, whereas a "true podcatcher" such as iTunes actually DOWNLOADS the media files to your hard drive.

**Lucky for us**, our friends at CommonCraft have created a "Podcasting in Plain English" video.. media type="custom" key="3666203"

Try this introduction to Podcasting, from PodGrunt
 * Link:** []



**Discovery Exercise**
The best way to learn about podcasts is to listen to a few of them.


 * PART 1: Visit the Grazr link to sample a few** **educational podcasts**. []


 * How to use the Grazr:**
 * Click a **category folder** in the left pane to view its contents.
 * Click a **podcast title** under the category to **view all episodes** in the upper right pane.
 * **Select an episode** from the upper right pane, and **access the podcast** in the lower right pane. You may need to scroll down past the episode description to see the embedded player or "play now" link. (**NOTE:** Video podcasts showing a "Play now" link will **open in a new window**).

As you explore these podcasts and search for a few of your own (Part 2), begin thinking about ways you could use existing podcasts to supplement your classroom or professional teaching/learning.


 * PART 2: Find and subscribe to a podcast.**

Find a podcast that interests you (see "**Where do I find podcasts?**" below) -- ideally, related to your teaching/professional role -- and subscribe to it using your [|Google Reader]. (Locate the **RSS** or **Subscribe** icon and click it, then select your **Google Reader**, or **copy and paste the feed URL** into the **Subscribe field** in your **Google Reader**). Listen to a bit of your subscription(s).

**Where do I find podcasts?**

 * [|iTunes Store] (requires download and installation of iTunes -- you are NOT required to install iTunes to complete this "Thing!) - Like it or not, the iTunes Store is the "mother of all" of podcasting directories, offering a catalog of gazillions (estimated) of FREE podcast titles, including over 10,000 titles specific to education.
 * [|Education Podcast Network] - A directory of about 2,000 education-themed podcasts, organized by subject area.
 * [|Learn Out Loud] - A directory of about 1500 free "podcasts you can learn from."
 * [|NPR Podcast Directory] - A directory of 619 high-quality podcasts from National Public Radio and affiliates.
 * [|Skip the Tuition: 100 Free Podcasts from the Best Colleges in the World]
 * [|PBS Podcasts] - About thirty quality video podcasts from PBS.
 * Learning in Hand - [|Podcasting in the classroom] (This is Tony Vincent's FANTASTIC site!)
 * Apple - [|Podcasting in Education]
 * Get started podcasting with Audacity and other free tools.
 * OEDb - [|100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better]