Podcast tools

Discover some useful search tools for locating podcasts

In 2005, “podcast” was named the “word of the year” by New Oxford American Dictionary. The term “podcast” was formed from the words “iPod” and “broadcast” and refers to a non-musical audio or video broadcast that is distributed over the Internet. You don’t need an iPod to listen to a podcast – any computer or MP3 player will do. What differentiates a podcast from regular streaming audio or video is that the delivery method for podcasts is often done automatically through RSS – interested listeners or watchers can receive updates through RSS when new content is posted.

Podcasts take many forms. They can be brief (just a few minutes) or considerably longer (interviews, panel discussions, radio shows, etc). They can be slickly produced radio broadcasts or home-grown recordings. There’s a podcast out there for just about every interest.

According to a recent report on eMarketer, it’s estimated the total US podcast audience reached 18.5 million in 2007, and by the year 2009 that number will double.

There are some easy ways to find podcasts, one of which is to check out your favorite web sites to see if they have podcasts available. But you can also check out sites that gather podcasts by topic or genre, so you can easily find podcasts that match your interests.

Once you find a podcast to which you’d like to subscribe, just look for a “subscribe” button or link. Copy the feed URL into your RSS feed reader like you did in Week 4 and you’re good to go. If you’re an iTunes user, simply click on the “subscribe” button and you’re all set. You’ll see the podcast added to the Podcasts section of your iTunes.

Many libraries have started using podcasts to syndicate their programming or to share other info like book or movie reviews. Here are some examples:

There’s really no end to how you could use podcasts in a school. You could record lectures, lessons, booktalks, oral histories, or stories for kids and post them online. If you combine them with a blog, participants can participate in discussions about them.

When creating your own podcasts, copyright issues need to be considered. Written text that you read must be in the public domain or original work or you must receive permission from the publisher to do so. If you mix in music it must be in the public domain. The good news is that there are sites like CCMixter and Podsafe Music Network that provide music you can use in your podcasts.

Resources

Common Craft has a video:

• Podcasting in Plain English.
  

To find out more about podcasts:

• Your Guide to Podcasts from MediaShift.
• Creative Cow podcasting tutorial.

Podcast directories and finding tools:

• iTunes – the most widely known service associated with podcasts, not just for Apple users, requires the download of software.
• Podcast.net
• Podcastalley
• Podscope
• Podseek
• Yahoo Podcasts
• See also Educational Podcast Directory
• NPR Podcast Directory

Education-related podcasts which you might find interesting:

• The Math Factor Podcasts