Wikis and Podcasts for Training, Communication, and Collaboration Keith Martin and Nancy Allmang National Institute of Standards and Technology Technology Services, Information Services Division Technology Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
WIKIS Our division organizes PODCASTS Plan Details into teams to take on Identify topic specific projects. These Assure server space availability Decide on audio podcast with rotating photos A wiki is a type of web site that allows anyone to add to and edit its teams use the wiki to Background Download open-source sound software: Audacity (for PCs) Purchase microphone content. The Information Services Division (ISD) at the National Institute communicate about the Podcasts are audio and/or video broadcasts on the Web that can be Write script of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been using a wiki for staff project. Any staff Rehearse downloaded to a computer or mobile device. You can subscribe to receive Record voice/take photos training, communication and collaboration. Our internal division staff member can collaborate specific podcasts regularly. According to Forrester’s The Future of Digital Edit, convert audio files to MP3 with Audacity/plugin wiki uses MediaWiki software.1 with the project team by Upload to server Audio2, 12.3 million households will receive simple audio podcasts such as Review posting comments, Edit or redo suggestions, or ideas on those broadcast by Science or Nature by 2010. Create/upload text caption transcript for 508 accessibility Decide where to upload-- iTunes, Yahoo! Podcasts, etc. STAFF WIKI the project page. At the NIST Library, a few staff members are responsible for monitoring new technologies. When customers told Management can review us they’d be open to hearing about RECORDING AND PLAYBACK team pages to track the our resources in a quick, easy-to- We started the ISD wiki to progress of each project. receive format, we explored a improve communication number of technologies including within our division. We We have also found the podcasting. We bought and practiced Uncompressed needed an easy and timely wiki to be an excellent 1 with video iPods. (Any other voice file way to keep the staff tool to document and handheld devices with video and informed of each other’s share new work audio capability could also have been compressed changing areas of procedures. used.) voice file responsibility, current We downloaded, watched, and projects, and unique skills. listened to audio and video podcasts We practiced with video iPods Our recording studio was We used Audacity to record, Since it is so easy to add by publishers, academic institutions, edit, and compress sound files content to the wiki, our libraries, and government agencies. a small classroom Every staff member has his staff have been using it or her own page on the wiki, as a discussion forum. which they maintain and Rotating update as needed. image
Lab Liaison
With the help of the NIST A-V department we added We used iTunes to locate, download, and photos and converted the file to AAC, the format required Examples of individual staff pages on the wiki. The wiki has been useful for staff training. As part of sync podcasts to the iPods our new staff training PODCAST LESSONS LEARNED procedure, new team members use the wiki to Podcasts are useful for virtual tours andby libraryiTunes. training “on the go.” learn about their After attending some free podcasting lectures at conferences, we bought a At the time we made our enhanced podcast (April ‘07), it would have been colleagues and ongoing podcasting instruction book and took the plunge. easier to use a Mac (with free software: GarageBand to record, ChapterToolMe to division projects. They also WIKI LESSONS LEARNED add slides to the audio file). GarageBand also has capability to create license-free create a wiki page of their Preparation lead-in or background music. Our A-V department used a Mac to add music and own so current staff can It’s a convenient training tool. New team members especially found slides for us and to prepare the file for upload to iTunes. learn more about them and it an easy way to get to know the staff and division projects. Keep up with new products. We subsequently learned of Wink, a new, free their assigned duties. Media File Sizes software application for PCs that can be used to create Flash tutorials; it captures Wikis will be used in unanticipated ways. The ISD wiki was screenshots and mouse movements and combines them with audio voice Audio 15 Mb/hour .75 Mb/3 minutes originally intended to contain only individual and team pages. But our recordings: http://www.debugmode.com/wink/. If a staff member leaves, staff found it a useful tool for discussion forums and as a place to Enhanced (audio 20 Mb/hour 1 Mb/3 minutes their wiki page can be Use a high-quality microphone. document work procedures. with still images) consulted to ensure no Select content with a critical eye to capture customer interest. important responsibilities Video 350 Mb/hour 17.5 Mb/3 minutes Be patient. All new technologies take time to be adopted. Try to 1 are overlooked when that encourage wiki use by posting important information for the staff on The Identification of any commercial product or trade name does not imply endorsement or recommendation person’s duties are We considered file sizes in selecting the podcast format by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. your wiki, and ask them to review and respond to the information via 2 reassigned. Schadler, T. The Future Of Digital Audio. March 21, 2005. the wiki. http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/Excerpt/0,7211,36428,00.html Special Libraries Association Conference, June 2007