This document discusses podcasting and its uses. It begins by defining podcasting as a way to distribute audio files online similarly to radio broadcasts. It then describes the three types of podcasts - audio, enhanced, and video. The document outlines how to listen to podcasts using various devices and software. It explains that podcasting is important for distributing information easily and keeping people updated. Finally, it discusses how podcasting is used in education, giving examples like teachers creating podcasts for assignments or students making podcasts to demonstrate learning.

2. Contents
 What is Podcasting
 Types of Podcasting
 How to Listen to Podcasts
 Podcatching
 Why is Podcasting Important
 How Podcasting is Used In Education
 Conclusion

3. What is Podcating?
 Podcasting is a way to post and distribute
electronic media files, such as, Mp3 audio files
on the internet.
 According to K12 Handhelds, “A podcast is
generally a regular-produced series of posts,
similar to a series of radio broadcasts,
episodes in a television series, or entries in a
personal journal”.

4. What is Podcasting? (cont.)
 According to Webcontent.gov, “Podcasting is
a word that combines the words
‘broadcasting’ and ‘iPod’’.
 “Neither podcasting nor listening to podcasts
requires an iPod or any portable device”.

5. What types of podcasts are
there?
There are 3 types of podcasts:
 Audio Podcasts
 Enhanced Podcasts
 Video Podcasts

6. 3 Types of Podcasts
According to Learning Hand in Hand:
 “Audio podcasts are usually an Mp3 file and
are the most common types of podcasts”
 “Enhanced podcasts can have images to go
along with the audio. They can also have
chapter markers, making it easier to skip to
different portions of an episode”

7. 3 Types of Podcasts (cont.)
 “Video podcasts are movies, complete with
sound”
 YouTube is a great example of a video podcast.

8. How to Listen to a Podcast
 Podcasts can be listen to directly from your
browser window through an RSS feed.

9. How to Listen to a Podcast
(cont.)
 Podcasts can be downloaded to your Mac or
PC
 Podcatching devices are also available to
listen to, subscribe, and track your podcasts.
 Podcasts can be listened to on your own time.

10. What are Podcatching
devices?
Podcatching devices are computer software
programs that:
 Periodically check for and downloads new audio
automatically
 Download individual podcasts and transfer them to
your listening device.

11. Podcatching Software
Podcatching software is available through:
 iTunes
 Doppler
 Juice
 jPodder

12. Why Podcasting is Important
According to Webcontent.gov:
 Web users are finding podcasts (as well as
RSS feeds) to be a very efficient method of
keeping up with current news that interest
them.

13. Why Podcasting is Important
(cont.)
 A recent report from the Pew Internet and
American Life Project shows that more than
22 million American adults own iPods or Mp3
players and 29% of them have downloaded
podcasts from the web so that they could
listen to audio files at a time of their
choosing.

14. Why Podcasting is Important
(cont.)
 More and more government agencies are
using podcasts as quick and easy to distribute
audio as an addition to existing text (or
mostly text) news products, especially to
visitors that frequently use podcasting
software.
 It’s another way to increase awareness of
government information.

15. Why Podcasting is Important
(cont.)
 Adopting new communication channels leads
to better communication with the public
 The Process for developing a podcast is
relatively simple an inexpensive.

16. How is Podcasting used in
Education

17. How is Podcasting used in
Education
With new technology available and the
capability of listening to podcasts anywhere,
it is possible for students to watch podcasts:
 At Their desks
 On Field trips
 In the library
 Even at home

18. How is Podcasting used in
Education (cont.)
K12 Handhelds lists these six examples of how
to use Podcasts in education:
 A teacher uses her cell phone to create a podcast
with daily homework assignments and other
classroom information. Parents download
podcasts to stay up-to-date on their children’s
school activities.
 The district technology staff podcasts quick tech
support tips for teachers to access as they need
them.

19. How is Podcasting used in
Education (cont.)
 Kids create podcasts about the Civil War to show
what they’ve learned and share it with other
classrooms.
 A school board podcasts their meetings and
special events as a way to increase community
involvement in the school system.
 A teacher records her class for students to
download as a podcast. These podcasts are used
by students who are absent as well as by those
who need extra reinforcement or want to review.

20. How is Podcasting used in
Education (cont.)
 A class takes a virtual field trip to NASA via a
soundseeing tour podcast. The virtual fieldtrip is
broadcast in several formats, some designed for
English language learners and others for GATE
students.

21. Conclusion
As technology continues to grow,
podcasting has become quite popular. There
are a number of ways podcasting can be used
and are quite beneficial for getting
information to the public. Podcasting is also a
great tool in education. Students and
teachers can interact outside of the
classroom and students can get extra help
and even review lessons. Podcasting has
proven to be a great technology.

22. Personal Reflection
Learning in Hand
Learning in Hand is a wonderful source. It
names educational podcasts that can help with
homework that I had never heard of before. It
also talks about podcatching, which is a term I
had never heard of before that refers to software
such as iTunes. I had also never heard of
Enhanced podcasts. I thought that this was a
very useful and interesting site.

23. Personal Reflection
K12 Handhelds
K12 Handhelds is very insightful. Not only
does the site explain what podcasting is, it
also tells how to listen to podcasts. It gives
ideas on how to use podcasting in education
and has very detailed information on how to
create your own podcast. I really liked this
source because it was detailed and gave a bit
of a step – by – step in podcasting.

24. Personal Reflection
Webcontent.gov
Webcontent.gov is actually a government site. It
gave a brief description of what podcasting is and
why it is important. Just like K12 Handhelds,
Webcontent.gov gives a step – by – step into the
world of podcasting. It gives information from
deciding your podcast content all the way up to
uploading your own podcast. I thought that since it
is a government website that it was the most
legitimate site that I could have come across. It also
offers a code for RSS feeds. It’s very resourceful.

25. References
Learning Hand in Hand. Retrieved April 20, 2009,
from Podcasting Web site:
http://learninghandinhand.com/podcasting/inde
x.html
K12 Handhelds, Retrieved April 20, 2009, from K12
Handheld Web site:
http://k12handhelds.com/podcasting.php
Webcontent.gov. Retrieved April 20, 2009, from
Podcasting Web site:
http://usa.gov/webcontent/technology/podcasti
ng.shtml