Commentary on Podcasting

Well Folks,
This has been a very busy week.
Here I would like to review my experience of podcasting and share my thoughts on using this media in education.
Yes, podcasting was / is challenging. I have gone a little further than following Odeo guidelines, by drawing my original graphics for publishing my podcast on iTunes - where you can now see my podcast in the iTunes Store. I have explored and uploaded my podcast to iMac, through iWeb, also through Podcast Maker by LemonzDream, and Podomatic.

I have listened to several podcasts. What strikes me is that these should be educational (thanks to Pam and Sue for getting their podcast feeds and three Episodes up online - I am subscribed ), but most are too conversational and not so rigorous in educational integrity. That these podcasts should be educational has been suggested three times by the Guys&Gals at WestGa ; - (1) in Module 4 Optional Readings guidelines, (2) in Module 4 Assignment 1 guidelines, and (3) in Module 4, Assignment 3 (point 4) guidelines. I would suggest podcasts could be improved by following these suggestions and the author's own proffered four criteria in Module 4, 5.1 Assignment 2, Discussion of what makes a good podcast. See my criteria which I have indeed followed ( blog 'Podcast Subscriptions' 29 April ) as follows ; -

(1) be educationally useful, and effectively improve the quality of learning,
(2) use clear, concise, coherent English, and with vivid enthusiastic tone,
(3) short duration, within ten minutes (those at 30 minutes long became a drag on my time and attention), and
(4) have short theme music at the beginning and at the end, to help me recall the podcast topic context and related prior knowledge and schema in my mind.

I would also suggest that podcasters use a speaker of clear English if at all possible, and if they cannot ummm avoid aa the I mean aa other aaa speech mumbles, then try using a pre-written script. This podcast script will also help with Section-508 compliance and ISO Standards. Note I give my scripts as pdf for each podcast episode.

Moreover, my short fade-in / fade-out theme music was created by me, as were my graphics - both copyrighted by me.
All Best Wishes
Paul