Podcasting

Note to self and anyone else who may be reading this, about podcasting.... Check your equipment before you start whatever it is you are doing. Why you ask? No, I am not trying to stream from China! Just a simple video. I am the master of video. This week, I presented a really super (Well I think so, because I made it! :) ) slide show about Moodle and how it can be used in the 1 computer class as well as for many other reasons... for our Tech Week Fair. I decided, hey.. wouldn't this be a wonderful opportunity to create my very first podcast (video podcast none the less!) for this class. So, I took one of our video cameras, the tripod, the plugs..etc. and schlepped them up the stairs to the computer lab I was presenting in. I had the video camera all set up perfectly, just on me and the screen. Well, on goes the video camera.. yeah! I am excited to share this video with you.. well boo hoo.. The video contained 4- 1 inch lines all across the screen and the voice would not come through to the iMovie program when I tried to download it. Arrggggg... who knew the video camera is broken.. this must have been from last year.. I can't even get the sound to come through so I could save it that way...

So lesson learned.. Always check your equipment first.

Any how, I am excited to use my 8th grade class as the test group for the pod casting I am going to start working on. Each student is required to write a reflection for their web pages that they create. If they are working on their math web page, the reflection would be about when the student was in elementary school, think back to a teacher or a favorite project you had in math. What was special about it? Why do they remember this project. Then they do the same reflection for the middle school years. Also, the students have a final overall reflection page to their website. This reflection is to make the students think about their overall education so far in their lives, as well as the person they have become. Where do they see themselves at Pinkerton and beyond? What is important to them educationally and personally. Then they write this. So far, I have been having them create a PDF version and then linking it in to their HTML hand coded web page. So, now, I want them to record it as a pod cast and we are going to embed them into their page. HOW EXCITING! :) I think so anyway. Let's see the kids reactions and then I will confirm for you !

So, a few open questions:
1) How do you eliminate background noise when recording?
2) When you say a microphone panel, is this something where all microphones are connected together to record at the same time?
3) How much space does a podcast really consume on a server for example? Just the small size of the shrunken MP3 file once it is exported out of garage band into iTunes right?? Small? Of course video would be bigger, but if you saved as quicktime and webstreaming size, it is pretty tiny..

Again, people are in the "old fashioned" mind set with personal beliefs running things.. so I am going to go with the advice and go for it,.. ask for forgiveness later! Wish me luck! :)

Some podcasting sites I thought would be helpful:
Podcasting 101
Video Podcasting - CNET
iTunes Podcast Site


Oh, by the way, I love iTunes podcasts, you can find awesome yoga and meditations there to put on your iPod to listen to..Don't drive and listen though! They don't mix! :)

Also, there is everything you can think of under the iTunes podcasting sections.. The education site is wonderful on iTunes..podcasting. Now, my next thing is to look at audacity even though I have garageband.. I wonder if audacity is easier to use?