This document discusses using podcasts in school libraries. It provides examples of how librarians can use podcasts as users, curators, and creators. Librarians can find podcasts on various topics for professional development. As curators, they can select third-party educational podcasts and make them accessible to students. Librarians also create their own podcasts to promote the library and support literacy instruction. The document offers guidance on planning, recording, editing, publishing and promoting original podcasts.

1. SCHOOL LIBRARIES POWERED WITH PODCASTS Dr. Dana Dukic West Island School Hong Kong Your School Library Web 2.0 and Beyond February 20 - March 01, 2009

2. Introduction This presentation is all about podcasts and podcasting in school libraries. It is divided in two sections. The first part demonstrates different ways of using podcasts in school library with examples. In the second part there are some practical advices for creating a podcast. A blog named Tools & Tutorials is attached to the presentation. It contains video tutorials for all open source software mentioned in the presentation.

3. What are podcasts ? Podcasts are audio or video contents published on the web as a series of episodes with a common theme. Users can download podcasts to their computers or to any other portable MP3 player like iPod, mobile phone etc. These episodes are accompanied by a file called “RSS feed” that allows listeners to subscribe to the series and receive new episodes automatically. Learn more from Tools & Tutorials

4. Librarians and podcasting Podcasts are useful for libraries in a number of ways. Librarians engage in podcasting as podcast users – use podcasts for information and professional development intermediaries - provide podcasts created by others Podcasts from the Internet Podcasts created inside their school ( create repositories) podcast creators – create podcasts for many purposes and also initiate students’ podcasts

5. Librarians as podcasts users Podcasts for librarian professional needs: Connected learning with David Warlick Sirsi Dynix Institute Resources LibrarySpot LibraryJournal.com Shambles LIBcast

6. Librarian as intermediary Podcasts can significantly enhance the informational and instructional resources of a school library collection. In ther role of intermidiaries librarians sort through massive quantity of podcats available for free from the Internet select quality podcasts with various contents that can support teaching and learning facilitate access to podcast collections by creating a user friendly interface: web pages with pathsfinders, imbeded RSS feeds and widgets with flash players

7. Podcasts from the Internet There all kinds of podcasts available for free from the Internet: Audio-book collections Current events Radio and TV programs Interviews Audio blogs Professional resources Instructional resources (science, foreign languages, literature etc.) Academic and school lectures Music collections

8. Podcast selection criteria Librarians need to develop selection criteria that focus on podcats quality and suitability. Here is a list of suggested criteria: Learner needs – learning outcomes Suitability (curriculum, students’ age) Content quality Authority background (individual and institution – qualifications and expertise) Cited sources (documented and referenced) Design quality (structure, length) Technical quality Instructional quality (supplemental materials and learning guides)

9. Podcast searching strategies Directories and search engines Com mon Podcast Alley Podcast.Com Podcast Directory iTunes NPR podcast directory EveryZing (searches within audio and video content ) Podscope ( searches within audio and video content ) Ed ucational Podcasts for Educators, Schools & Colleges Education Podcast Network BBC Podcast Director Podcasts Specifically for Educators openculture Learn Out Loud Librivox

10. Searching podcasts with social bookmarking tools “ wisdom of the crowds” techniques for selecting quality podcasts Collaborative filtering through social bookmarking tools allows librarians to draw on the insights and discoveries of others. del.icio.us Learn how to use these tools from Tools & Tutorials

11. Access to podcast collections Facebook Netvibes Web page

12. Why librarians create podcasts Librarians create podcasts to promote the library (library tours and tutorials, story hours, library news, announcing library events, information for parents, information for new students etc.) to support Information literacy instruction to enhance librarians’ professional development ( tutorials, book discussions, interviews with authors, successful librarians, presentations by other professionals etc.)

13. Examples of podcasts created by librarians Library orientation Library user guide (Click on Post and select the podcast title) Teaching basic information literacy skills Research Skills Tutorial: Choosing resources (Click on Post and select the podcast title)

14. Initiating students’ podcasts School librarians initiate and support many different podcasts with students like book reviews stories interviews with teachers, students, visiting authors etc. research or literary projects school events school radio program

15. Examples of students’ podcasts RadioPopcorn School radio channel for school news, learning and entertainment Thunderstorm (Click on Post and select the podcast title) Literary & topic research project Environment Environmental topics research Stories written by students Students read their own stories Booktalks Kids talk about the stories they listened

16. How to create your own podcast Podcast lifecycle PLANING EDITING PUBLISHING PROMOTING RECORDING LISTENING

17. Podcasting tools computer microphone recording and editing software host

18. Planning a podcast Before starting to create a podcast we need to make a decision about contents participants audience length and frequency

19. Podcast structure Introduction welcome message theme music preview – outlines of the main points of the show Features – main content of the show Conclusion - Outro Theme Song

20. Example of podcast structure: RadioPopcorn Podcast structure Introduction theme music welcome message preview – outlines of the main points of the show Features – main content of the show School events and projects, book reports, interviews, jokes Conclusion - Theme song and goodbye message

21. Recording and editing a podcast Audacity tutorials How to podcast Audacity tutorial created by Camtasia Studio 2 Learn more about Audacity from Tools & Tutorials - free audio recorder and editor To export MP3 files use the free LAME encoder

22. Podcast safe audios There is a number of websites offering copyright free music and sounds for podcasters: Podsafe Music Network Podsafe Audio The FreeSound Project –various sounds Podcasters can also use a free music creating software Musicshake Learn how to use Musicshake from Tools & Tutorials .

23. Publishing a podcast Podcast hosting websites: Gcast Podbean PodOmatic more To publish a podcast you need a podcast host. There is a number of podcast hosts available on the Internet. Some offer their service for free and some charge for it. Podcasters can upload their MP3 files to the host server and convert them to podcasts. Learn how to use these hosts from Tools & Tutorials

24. Promoting podcasts Let everybody know about your newly created podcast. Promote and advertise your podcasts. Ideas for podcast promotion: I mbed a widget or a flash player with podcast to the webpage, blog, wiki etc.

25. More ideas for podcast promotion P ost RSS feed to Blog Social networks (Facebook, ning etc.) Sub mit a podcast to podcast searching directories Blog Podcast directory

26. Happy podcasting !!! Online tutorials for all Web 2.0 tools mentioned in this presentation are available at Tools & Tutorials blog For any query, please, contact me at [email_address]