Podcasting

=** Podcasting Information **=

[|Video About Camtasia] [|Camtasia Learning Center] [|Gcast] Options Table [|Podcasts on NPR]
 * Helpful Links:**

There are many ways to podcast. Here are several methods to help you get started:

This method is for an audio only podcast (the true definition) and requires no special equipment, with the exception of a $7 microphone. • Go to [] and download the free software called //Audacity// AND download the LAME (the filename is lame_enc.dll), which is an mP3 file encoder you will need to export files in mP3 format so that they can be used in a podcast. (Without the lame file encoder you will have an audio recording but it will not be in the format needed to make your podcast.) • Plug a microphone into your computer. • Start //Audacity// and press the red record button. • When you are finished recording press the yellow stop button. • The file now needs to be saved. Press File then Export as mP3. The first time you try to export as an mP3, //Audacity// will ask you where the lame file is located. Once this is done, you will not be asked again and can easily export mP3 files. • Now, all you need to do is upload your mP3 to a third party host so that your students can have access to the podcast. At the end of this article there is a list of potential hosts.
 * Method 1** - Audacity Audio Only Podcast

Another audio only option is to record via the Sound Recorder and using [|www.zamzar.com], convert the file to mP3 so that it is an audio only podcast.
 * Method 2** - Sound Recorder Audio Only Podcast

This method is really an enhanced podcast—one that has video as well as audio, —and is the easiest of the two methods along with all the educational advantages of video. You will need 1) a computer; 2) a microphone, which is built in if you have a newer laptop or can be purchased for as little as $7 locally; 3) a screen capture software (see Figure 3) such as Camtasia Studio software ($179 with educational discount); and 4) access to iTunes U (free) or a third party host (free and not free). Let’s use “Balancing a Chemical Equation” for an example podcast. • Start Camtasia Studio (see Figure 4), • Press Record the Screen • Choose full screen • Check your camera and audio settings by clicking the small arrow beside each option. The camera option lets you use a web cam (about $30 at your local office supply store) so that you are visible in a small box on the screen. It is not necessary to use this option! The Audio settings allow you to choose the microphone you wish to use. For example, if you have a web cam there is probably a microphone on it. You can attach an additional microphone and use it instead—for better quality audio. • Press the red Record button (see Figure 5). • Use a PowerPoint presentation you have prepared on how to balance chemical equations and access the online whiteboard called www.scriblink.com to write out some examples and further explain how to balance chemical equations. Camtasia Studio records your voice and everything on your computer screen. If you minimize or click on a link to a Web site, Camtasia Studio will follow and record all those movement. • When you are finished, press Stop. A preview of your recording will begin. • Press Save and choose a location on your computer to save the recording. • Maximize Camtasia Studio • Press Import Media (see Figure 6) • Locate the recording you just saved and press Open • Click on the Show Storyboard button(see Figure 6) • Click on the Title Clips (in the Add section) • In the text box, add a title for your podcast. Change the color, size, alignment, and font as desired. Press Ok. You could also make title clips for credits at the end of your podcast. • You will now see a thumbnail of the recording and the title clip. Drag the title clip to the first storyboard box at the bottom. (If you are familiar with Windows Movie Maker, this will look familiar.) • A Project Settings dialog box will open. Choose the down arrow in the Presets box and then choose iPod. Click OK. • Drag the recording thumbnail down to the second storyboard box. The timeline will now be displayed in the bottom and if you used your web cam, the video capture for it will display and you will be asked to choose the PIP placement. Press OK. • Go back to the storyboard and click on Transitions (in the Edit section). This is optional, but allows you to have trendy transitions from your title clip to your recording. Choose the transition and drag it to the small box between the title clip and the recording. • Press the play button to preview your podcast. • In the Produce section, click Produce video as… • Make sure iPod is selected and then click next and follow the on screen instructions for saving and producing the podcast. • Now that the podcast is complete, you need a way to get it to your students. If you school or school system or state system has an agreement with the K12 division of iTunes U that is an easy option since it allows ready access for students. If you don’t have that option, use one of the third party hosts listed at the end of this article to store and disseminate your podcasts. Of course, if you have a course management system such as Blackboard or Moodle, you can simply upload the podcasts to your course. [|Camstudio Video Tutorial]
 * Method 3** - Enhanced Podcast with //Camtasia Studio//

(This list is not exhaustive!) $200 for the wireless XTag made by Revolabs Free if it’s already on your laptop. || Flip Mino handheld video camera ($150-200 from Amazon) || Garage Band (comes free on some MACs and can be purchased separately) || Jing (free) Captivate Camtasia Studio ($179 with educational discount) || [] || [| http://www.clickcaster.com] [| http://www.podomatic.com/home] [| http://www.podcastalley.com/] [| http://mypodcast.com/] [| http://www.lunarpages.com/education/] [] ($4.95 per month) [| www.gcast.com] [| www.ourmedia.org] [| www.archive.org] ||
 * Table 1: Several Equipment and Software Options**
 * **Equipment & Software** || **Options** ||
 * Microphone || $7 at the local discount department store
 * Computer (PC) || Windows 2000 or better; 512 RAM (preferably 1 gb), and a 600 MHz processor; lots of hard drive space for your recordings or an external hard drive to store them. ([]) ||
 * Computer (Mac) || OS 10.3 or higher ||
 * Web Cam or Video Camera || Logitech Web Cam with microphone ($30 at the local office supply store)
 * Software || [|Audacity.com] (free)
 * Screen Capture || CamStudio (free) ([|http://camstudio.org/])
 * Online Whiteboards || [|www.dableboard.com]
 * Third Party Hosts || iTunesU – contact apple about this free hosting opportunity for universities and K12 schools


 * Method 4 - Using Windows Movie Maker**

This method is free, which is great of course, but slightly more involved than the //Camtasia Studio// option above. If you're familiar with //MovieMaker// (comes free on PC's) then you'll have no problem with this method. If you aren't familiar with //MovieMaker//, that's ok because it is very easy to pick up. Basically, //MovieMaker// lets you add video or still pictures, music, other audio, titles, transitions and make those into a movie. Check out YouTube for free tutorials to help you get started. After the movie is made you can convert that file into an mP3 so that it can be viewed on an iPod.

For educators it is especially helpful to be able to use //PowerPoint// presentations in enhanced podcasts. For example, a teacher may want to prepare a //PowerPoint// presentation, save the slides as pictures (jpeg), and then drag the pictures into the movie. To save the slides of a //PowerPoint// 2007 presentation as pictures, choose the Office button, Save As, then choose Other Formats. The Save as Type option at the bottom will allow you to choose jpeg; you will receive a prompt that asks if you want to save all the slides in the presentation as pictures.

You can always add audio to MovieMaker by using the Sound Recorder located under Accessories on your computer. This option lets you add your voice.

Once your movie is made in //Windows MovieMaker// you need only convert the file using a free file converter such as [|www.zamzar.com] (free version limits the size of what you can convert) or [|jodix.com] (a download).

[|Video on how to make a podcast with WMM]


 * Method 5 - TBA**


 * Method 6 - Podcasting with Cam Studio**

This method utilizes the free screen capture software called //Cam Studio//. If you are a mac user, you might prefer to use //Jing//. Screen capture software "captures" a video of your computer screen as you move around, open programs, narrate into the microphone--basically, whatever you are doing on the computer will be video recorded. This method doesn't automatically produce an mP4 (iPod) file. You will have to convert the file using [|jodix.com] or [|zamzar.com]. You can download Cam Studio from [|http://camstudio.org]. It is very simple to use.