Podcasting

Podcasting is an emerging technology that educators and educational institutions have just begun to use in the past two years. Podcasting is a way of putting digital audio and visual files on a website for anyone to download to a computer (Windows or Mac), an MP3 player (ex. iPod), or any other device that plays digital audio files. The files are usually distributed in MP3 format. Anyone can listen to them using a computer with an Internet connection, a browser (Explorer, Safari, Firefox, etc) or a podcatcher (iTunes for the Mac; Juice for Mac, Windows, and Linux; iPodder X, etc.), and headphones or speakers. You do not need an MP3 player to listen!

Podcasts are posted regularly and displayed in reverse chronological order much like a magazine subscription. Most podcasts are free! You can download these files directly one at a time and listen to them using (streaming media) software such as Real Audio Player, QuickTime Player, or Windows Media Player, or you can download the podcasts through a subscription using simple free software called podcatchers such as iTunes, Juice, and iPodderX. With a subscription, each new podcast as it becomes available, will download automatically to your computer or MP3 player via the Internet. Like a magazine subscription, you can subscribe and unsubscribe to podcasts and you can choose to download or not download a particular podcast.

Podcasts cover a wide range of topics and formats such as radio programs, news programs, music videos, classroom exercises or lectures, and much more. There are educational podcasts available for all levels of education and many subject areas. There are podcasts for professional development. Educators are creating podcasts for their students and other educators. Students are creating podcasts as class assignments. Presently there is much free educational material available with few copyright restrictions for teachers and students. Podcasting can become an invaluable tool for educators! (See the article on University of Washington's Course Casting lectures and visit my page on Educational Podcasts.)