A Basic Overview of the use of Webcasting in Instruction at NMU

Prepared By Scott A. Smith, Instructional Technology Specialist, NMU

Podcasting - Introduction

What is Podcasting?

Uses

Pros and Cons

Apple© Podcasting Icon

Next: Setting Up

Podcasting: A Definition

Technically, A podcast is a non-streamed series of audio or video files that are •Digital Media released episodically and can be downloaded through web syndication. •Broadcast over

The word “podcast” comes from an amalgamation of the words “Ipod” and Internet “broadcast”. A “webcast” is any digital broadcast that uses the internet as a •Audio or Video medium for delivery. For the purpose of this workshop, we’ll be using the words •Episodic interchangeably. •Computer or A podcast consists of a series of episodes. Often, these episodes are mistakenly called podcasts. Media Player

Podcast It!

Podcasts can be used in a variety of Lecture Capture ways educationally. Common uses are: -Lecture Capture Guest Supplement Speaker Course ary -Supplementary Information s Information -Screen Capture -Guest Speakers Screen -Others? Capture

Podcasting: Lecture Capture

One of the obvious uses for podcasting is •Audio or Video the capture of lectures. This can be a recording of live lectures, which can help •Live Lecture students studying for a midterm or a missed class. Live lectures capture the •Studying questions students pose during class (and your answers!) •Missed Class Alternatively, lectures can be produced outside of class time. The latter may be •Q & A needed for online courses or for the purpose of “flipping the classroom” so that more class time can be spent working with •Produced the course content in some way. •Online Course Of course, the use of podcasting in such a way can also lead to potential challenges •Flipping the (Con Section). Classroom Podcasting: Supplementary Information

One need not use podcasting for just class lecture capture. Sometimes there is •Audio or Video additional information that an instructor would like to give the students, but there •Supplemental is no time during class. Podcasting allows the instructor to disseminate the Information information to the students online in a way that is natural to them. • Advanced This can take the form of mini-lectures on advanced or more in-depth topics not • In-Depth covered in class. Podcasting: Screen Capture

Screen-capture podcasts, or •Screencasts “screencasts”, can be a useful tool for instructors. In a nutshell, screencasts •Video capture whatever is happening on your computer screen, as well as capture your •Computer Screen voice as an accompanying narrative. This is most often used with some sort of •Audio presentation, such as PowerPoint. It is also useful in software or web •Voice Narrative navigation “walk-throughs”. It could also be used to show any computer- screen based process (such as citation in MS •PowerPoint Word). •Walkthough Podcasting: Guest Speakers

Guest speaker podcasts can be used similarly to lecture capture in that the presentation is captured and stored for •Audio or Video later playback by students. This could be for a number of reasons, including use in future courses – it might be impossible to get the same speaker over and over again. Alternately, the speaker may live far away. •Live or Produced In this case, you may wish to record a teleconference session – just be sure to get their permission first! You can also link to other’s podcasts for your course, such as an MIT lecture, •Import/Link TEDTalks, etc. You might find that this can enrich your course.

Setting Up a Podcast Planning It’s important to spend some time setting your podcast up before beginning recording as there are many variables Equipment which can lead to success or disaster. Things to consider before recording are: -Planning Software -Equipment -Software -Pre-Recording Setup Setup -File Formats File Formats Setting Up: Planning (Best Practices) Plan, Plan, Plan – Create an outline of all the points you want to cover in your podcast. Try it out several times to make sure you pace yourself correctly. Try to keep your podcasts as short as possible- some •Outline students have short attention spans and it’s hard enough to keep them engaged face-to-face, much less online (20-30 minutes maximum if at all possible). •Shorter is Better If you’re presenting a slideshow, make sure that the titles of the slides are short and descriptive. Students may have to scroll through your presentation to find needed information later. The same applies to text added during editing a video. Only use video if it adds to the content – it uses a lot •Descriptive Titles of bandwidth and it might not add anything of value. You, as instructor, must decide. If you do use video, try to make it dynamic and engaging.

•Talking Head

Setting Up: Planning (Best Practices – Cont’d) You may wish to try making transcripts and/or FAQs (frequently asked •Transcripts questions) available. This could provide an extra level of support to the students watching your podcast. Sometimes technology fails. Have a backup plan in case the webcasting •Backup Plan server goes down. Test your system to make sure everything is working properly BEFORE •Test First! you start the podcasting session. Also, make sure that the session was properly uploaded and made it on to the server.

Setting Up: Planning (Best Practices – Cont’d) If someone else has placed their podcast out on the internet and it serves your •Don’t Reinvent educational needs, link to it. Don’t waste your time reinventing the wheel. Just be sure to give credit to the source. the Wheel

Again, ultimately it’s your call as Instructor.

Podcasting: Equipment •Audio •Microphone When recording a podcast episode, you will need the right equipment, which will be determined •Computer/ by the type of podcast you are making. Audio podcasts need a microphone, a computer Recorder and either an audio recording device that saves in MP3 format and a computer with appropriate software (Audacity). •Software Lecture podcasts will need a video camera with •Video audio recording capabilities that saves in the appropriate formats and can connect to a computer with the appropriate software. •Camera w/ Screen capture podcasts will need a computer with the appropriate software (Camtasia Relay or microphone Studio). •Computer •Software

Podcasting: Resources - Wildcast

Wildcast is NMU’s podcast server. To upload a podcast to Wildcast, you must •Podcast Server first have an account. If you do not have an account set up yet, go to •Dedicated :https://www.acs.nmu.edu/wildcast and sign up for one. •Account needed This server is dedicated and optimized for media streaming performance. •Audio or Video (All) Please do not download your audio or video media directly onto Educat, as it •Backups will cause problems down the line. •Server space •Bandwidth Issues Podcasting: Resources - Audacity

Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is actually •Audio podcasts a pretty good program and just right for audio podcasting. •LAME To download Audacity, go to: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ . For •MP3 export windows 7 OS, download the 1.3.13 beta version. You will also want to download the LAME MP3 encoding library, which you will need to export MP3 format files from Audacity, at: http://lame.buanzo.com.ar/Lame_v3.98.3_ for_Audacity_on_Windows.exe . Podcasting: Resources - Camtasia

Camtasia relay is a screen capture •Video tool. You can download Camtasia relay on the Wildcast server site: •Screen Capture https://www.acs.nmu.edu/wildcast . with audio It is free and easy to use. •Lecture Capture Camtasia Studio is a souped-up version of Relay that also allows you •Relay - Screen to do video editing. To get Camtasia Studio, visit the NMU Helpdesk. capture only •Studio - Editing Podcasting: Resources - Other

Both IDT Classroom Technology and Audio Visual have tools available for •Lecture capture live lecture capture as well. This is covered in detail in the “Capturing •Media Site Lectures” workshop. •Camcorders w/ Cordless MIC

Podcasting: Setup - Environment

The environment in which you record your podcasting session will have an impact on •Eliminate noise the sound quality of your finished product. Noise such as barking dogs, lawn mowers, and crying children will easily be heard in and distraction the background of your presentation, as will air conditioners, fans, and even the ticking of analog clocks. •Beware of Try to set up in a location that is tranquil and free of distractions if possible. Obviously, in lecture capture, it will be background noise harder to control these variables.

Podcasting: Setup – Testing the sound

Be sure and test the sound before your official recording starts. Check •MIC positioning the position of the microphone in relation to your mouth. If it is too close, your recording will be too loud and somewhat distorted. Too far •Sound levels away and it will be hard to hear you.

Also, as silly as this sounds, make •Mute off! sure your Mute is off - It Happens!

Podcasting: File Formats •Audio Audio files uploaded to the Wildcast server must be in the MP3 format •MP3 •Video Video files uploaded to the Wilcast •M4V server must be in one of the following •FLV formats: M4V, FLV, MOV, or AVI. •MOV Note that the Wildcast server converts •AVI all video files into FLV format. •Wildcast Server •FLV