1. Podcasting A quick overview

2. What is a Podcast? An MP3 file Content is up to you – not just music Radio show format Size of file depends on quality 10Mb: 30mins of talk|3Mb: 5mins of music Can be downloaded onto an MP3 player User can listen to your show when they like User can 'subscribe' to a 'feed' from your site They are automatically informed of new shows

3. Why the Fuss? Distribution mechanism No need for expensive transmitters or servers Global reach via world wide web Easy indexing on specialist search engines Ease of production Low cost hardware Free software

4. Hardware/Software Needed Good quality microphone Test the room beforehand Portable recording device Background noise from PC fan Dictaphone All-in-one USB flashdisk/recorder/MP3 player Plenty of storage Cheap external hard disks Audacity Free software to edit/record and convert files

5. Things to Bear in Mind Audience Who is the intended audience? Is the content relevant? Does the style of program fit the theme? Intellectual Property Not just music: book extracts, news etc Interviews Permission to broadcast

6. Putting Together a Podcast Format Decide beforehand – may be difficult to rethink Storyboard/Script Need to know what fits where on a timeline Delegate responsibilities for segments Linking How will you link from one item to the next? Editing Who will put it together? Exporting Try different compression rates

7. Uploading Your Files You need a website Create a site with Dreamweaver Upload MP3 files with a FTP program Use a Content Management System? Joomla or PostNuke Free (Ad supported) hosting Simple tools Inappropriate ads May disappear

8. Podcast Directories Find examples of good practice Download examples for students to learn from Students critically evaluate podcasts A benchmark for students to evaluate own work Promote your own work Where to look? Yahoo has a subsite at podcasts.yahoo.com Podcasts.net may have some suitable content PodOmatic.com is recommended by some

9. Project Ideas PodPals Link students with partner class HowTo guides An introduction to Arabic: greetings, shopping etc Revision notes Book reviews Any form of product evaluation/comparison Radio broadcasts Based round events in a fictional narrative About or as 'live coverage' of a historical event