1. Create a podcast

Podcasting is online publication of media (sound and/or vision) files using a subscription method or simply a kind of on-demand radio. Podcasts can be listened to via your computer, phone, downloaded to an mp3 player etc.
Audacity is an example of a free (open source) audio editor that can be used to create and edit .mp3, .wav or .aiff sound files

Task: Your task is to create an audio or video file – a 3 to 5 minute introduction to yourself.  You will need a microphone and a program that can record audio. A tool to record audio is the open source program Audacity. 

 

Post this file to your blog  or upload it to your university Google account:

  1. Click on the ‘Documents’ tab in the top left hand section of the page
  2. Select ‘Upload’ and then ‘files’
  3. Find the video/audio clip you wish to share and click ‘open’
  4. Upload Settings: You are asked to set preferences. These are not applicable to videos – simply select ‘Start upload’
  5. You should then see the file listed at the top of your documents list
  6. To share:  Click on the file to open. A share option is located at the top of the window.
  7. Click ‘Share’, select ‘share settings’ and then click ‘change’
  8. It is easiest to share by selecting the option ‘Anyone with the link’. Then click ‘save’.
  9. You can now copy and paste the link into an email.
  10. Once you have uploaded you can send the link to your students or colleagues and begin sharing.

To create a podcast in Blogger follow the instructions here:
http://google.about.com/od/googleblogging/ss/podblogger.htm

or in WordPress go here:
http://codex.wordpress.org/Podcasting

Using Audacity

Make sure the computers sound settings are correct.  In the control panel choose settings then ‘Sounds and audio devices’ and ensure the speaker is not set on ‘mute’

  1. Click on the ‘Audio’ tab and in the sound recording section, make sure that the microphone is set as your default device
  2. Click on volume and set it to the highest, click OK and close the windows
  3. For a sound check click the microphone icon and speak and adjust the input volume accordingly
  4. Ready to record – Click the record button and speak – to stop recording click the stop button
  5. To save the file from the File menu select ‘export As MP3’ (widely supported across all media players and computers), name your file and save
  6. The ID3 tag enables you to save metadata information about the recording

If you want to create a vodcast (video podcast) you can capture video to your computer by using Windows Movie Maker.

You will need a webcam, which may be built into your computer (these can be borrowed from AV or Kevin Lawley who  can also advise on formats).