Podcasting Primer Workshop

Clarice Smith National Teacher Institute August 1, 2012

Why Podcast?

Composition Four - Melancholia, Raymond Jonson, 1891by Malcolm

Interception, Mark Tansey, 1949by Cassie M.

Today’s Mission• Create a 2-3 minute podcast about your selected artwork. This podcast can be either:

• Audio only (Audacity file)

• Audio + artwork (in VoiceThread)

• Optional: Post your podcast on Ning (Group > Discussion Forum > Podcasts)

Chris Ubik

Pronounced: yōōbik

MA, Museum Studies, Johns Hopkins University

BA, History, University of Maryland University Co!ege

Laurie Stepp

MA, Museum Studies, Johns Hopkins University

BFA, Maryland Institute Co!ege of Art

Sherri Neale

Masters of Education, University of Maryland

Masters of Education in Instructional Technology, George Mason University,

Chris’ Podcasting Background

Hillwood Estate, Museum, & Gardens

Where Fabulous Lives

Read an object

Write a script

Record audio

Edit final project in Audacity

A! using inexpensive/"ee hardware and so#ware

Many para!els to this project

Meet Kermit

Audio Tour stop created while pursuing MA at Johns Hopkins

Laurie’s Multimedia Background

What is Multimedia?

Sherri’s VoiceThread Background

What you are going to learn today

Two Options, One Podcast

AudacityVoiceThread

Five TechniquesRecord using Voice Memos appTransfer recording using iTunes

Import into AudacityEdit in Audacity

~ Trim~ Move

Export to MP3 The Figure FiveRobert Indiana, 1963

Digital Sound Recorder

Audacity

Free

Easy to use

Runs on Mac or PC

Did I mention: Free?

VoiceThread“Conversations in the Cloud”

Web-Based Podcasting Tool

Subscription Part of the Institute

Marry Video, Stills, and Audio

Show of Hands

Who is familiar with podcasts?

Who listens to podcasts on a regular basis?

Who has created podcasts before?

Who has used Audacity? VoiceThread?

Who owns/uses an iPod/iPhone?

What is a podcast?

An audio file similar to a radio broadcast, which can be

downloaded and listened to on a computer, MP3 player, mobile

phone, etc.

Etymology: iPod + broadcast

Published electronically in some

way

For Example

Wide range of museum podcasts

Many podcasts produced at the Smithsonian:http://www.si.edu/podcasts/

Smithsonian American Art Museum student podcasts: http://americanart.si.edu/education/activities/podcasts/

Wide range of museum podcasts

Conversations with Survivors at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: http://www.ushmm.org/museum/publicprograms/programs/firstperson/podcast/

Virtua!y visit overseas museums.

iTunes U

Two basic types

Audio

Video

Audio

The original

Surprisingly easy to create

Can blend voice, music, sound effects

“Theater of the mind”

Think old time radio

VideoAs technology has evolved, so has podcasts

Not always “video” based

Model: the “Ken Burns Effect”

No video camera needed

Sma!er files

More poetic effect

The Good News

Podcasts are easy to create

But first...

Ten Podcasting Ingredients

1) Choose an artwork from the collection of the

Smithsonian American Art Museum and dedicate time

to observing and researching it

2) Determine who your audience is

3) Develop your personal “voice” and use it to write

and edit a script before recording

4) Generate an introductory “hook” to spark interest in your

listeners

5) Pose observations and questions inviting listeners

to look

6) Provide nugget(s) of pertinent information

about the artwork

7) Consider mentioning a connection to your subject (e.g., historical or literary

reference)

8) End with an interesting closing, leaving your

listeners wanting more

9) Speak clearly when recording and be mindful

of ambient noise

10) Aim for approximately two minutes of recording (about 250-300 words,

depending on the inclusion of other audio)

Let’s give Cassie another listen

Let’s get started

DisclaimerWhile we are using specific devices and teaching a workflow using those tools, the concepts learned can be applied to any recording device and editing so#ware.

Our use of these tools does not constitute an endorsement of these products. You can record audio just as easily on your ce! phone or right into your computer as you can on the iPod Touch.

My Philosophy #1:K.I.S.S.

Keep it Short and Simple

As complexity increases, so does production time

Aim is to keep the learning curve as sha!ow as possible

Add be!s and whistles as time and comfort zone permits

To that end...

Five ThingsRecord using Voice Memos app

Transfer recording using iTunes

Import into Audacity

Edit in Audacity

Trim

Move

Export to MP3

NOT Perfection.

You won’t leave here being the next podcasting maven.

But you could be!

Some of the most popular podcasts began in someone’s basement, e.g. The Leaky Cauldron’s “PotterCast.”

Remember, as the Good Book says:

The Object of the Exercise

Don’t Panic

My Philosophy #2:Keep it Free

Free is your friend

Low budget ≠ low quality

Many "ee tools available

Audacity

Apple’s iLife suite (bundled with every Mac)

VoiceThread

My Philosophy #3:Have a Plan

Create a GameplanKnow what you want it to sound like

Script it

Stay flexible

Setbacks wi! occur

Interviewee gave a fantastic quote

Didn’t hear the A/C unit kick in until we were reviewing the material.

My Philosophy #4:Choose Wisely

Hook

Music

Royalty Free

Interviews

Humor

Elements of a good podcast

Examples Abound!Interwebs, iTunes, YouTube, Vimeo

Also:

Radio

TV

Inspiration can come "om unlikely sources

Who is comfortable with digital recording

and editing tools?

This could be you

To Recap:You’! learn how to create podcasts using two applications: Audacity and VoiceThread

You’! only need to do five things and one is a drag and drop

“Perfection” is not the object of the exercise.

Don’t Panic. But if you do I’! have the Soothing Voice at the ready.

But First: Hands-on iPod Demo

Turning the iPod on/off

Plu(ing in the microphone

Plu(ing in the headphones

Volume controls

Step 1: Record the Audio (hands-on)

Voice Memos

Tap and you’$ see the image on the right

Look for this blue icon on the iPod Touch:

Record Button

Sound Meter

Go to Voice Memos

Record Buttonbecomes a pause

button

Top turns red

Stay out of the red

Hit pause button to stop recording

For best recording

Hold approx. 6” %om mouth

Speak slowly and clearlyUse an external mic

Go to your voice memos

Reviewing your recording

Touch this triangle for

playback

This triangle

leads you astray

A tale of two triangles

Step 2: Transferring the recording to

iTunes (hands-on)

Step 3: Importing into Audacity

Step 4: Editing in Audacity (hands-on)

But first: save your project!

• “Save As...” to the desktop• Naming Convention:

• Last Name_Title of your Piece• e.g. Ubik_Hercules.aup

• The “.aup” at the end is VERY important!

Basic Editing

Audacity Editing Cheatsheet is

available on Ning!

Step 5: Exporting MP3 (hands-on)

Break Time!

VoiceThread(hands-on)

Plug in Microphones

What is VoiceThread?VoiceThread is a Web 2.0 tool used to create multimedia presentations.

VT is a thread of voices for one project, playing one right a#er the other.

It a!ows viewers to leave comments 5 different ways.

It a!ows viewers to share their presentations in different ways.

Different Ways to Manipulate VoiceThread

How to create your own VoiceThread

Get your picture, doc, video %om any of these sources. Best place is right %om your desktop.

Click the “Create” tab

Comment means you can record your podcast and marry it to the picture.

Settings in VoiceThread

Playback Optionsin

VoiceThread. Teacher should

controlany changes....

Movie Export

Exporting as a movie. Downloads as an MP3 file.

A VoiceThread can be a thread of voices-each of your students linked to each other for one

project.

Notice you have an embedding code and a link.

That link takes you directly to your one

VoiceThread. That VoiceThread could be a podcast "om each of your

students.

Teachers must pay attention to the Publishing Options!

This is where the teacher decides what to

a$ow when the VT becomes public.

VoiceThread Examplehttps://voicethread.com/share/329904/

This was the end result of a project done with 5th grade students and the Smithsonian American

Art Museum.

Be very careful with rights issues. Know when to turn private on and off. Know when to make the project public or private.

Make sure there are no student last names on projects.

No pictures of students.

Check with your district technology team to find out if they wi! a!ow VT to be used and seen by parents. Parents might have to sign forms a!owing their child ’s voice to be heard on Internet.

Check with your principal to make sure sharing student work over the Internet is okay with them. Again, parents might have to sign a release.

Things to Keep in Mind...

Optional Tech Tutorial4:30 – 5:15 p.m. Main classroom – Advanced Audacity, with Chris• Recording directly in Audacity using external mic• Adding "ee sound effects• Introducing multiple tracks• Moving audio file "om Audacity into VoiceThread

5:15 – 6:00 p.m.

Main classroom – Prezi, with Laurie