Started my first tentative foray into podcasting by buying a half decent microphone and software (VideoCue Pro). It all seems pretty straight forward. Video Cue allows me to use my iSight camera that is built into my MacBook and has an autocue facility, so I can read my ’script’ straight off the screen as it scrolls past. I can easily switch from camera view to any media I drop in, using key points in the script, maintaining the narrative in the background. It’s pretty slick.
All I have to do now is write the script and storyboard the podcast. This is the hard part, but as long as I keep it simple, it shouldn’t be a problem. I was keen to try something totally new to me for this assignment and I have always wanted to create an educational podcast, I may as well use this as an opportunity to do so. I have decided to export the finished cast as an .m4v file which can be used on iPods, PSP’s and a variety of other mobile devices. This allows the cast to be thoroughly portable, satisfying my insatiable taste for all things mobile. To make it a true podcast I will be looking into creating a series of them after this assignment and allowing them to be subscribed to as I publish them. iTunes U (university) would be the most obvious platform to host them on, but I have been looking into creating my own podcast server solution (OSX Server edition has a a complete solution for this already built in called Podcast Producer). As iTunes U requires authentication from a ‘decision maker’ within the institution, I may experiment with subscriptions in a safe environment first.
Speaking of environments; another big driver for me adopting e-solutions for learning is the impact paper-based systems have on the declining environment. It’s simple, the less paper we use, the less impact we have on a multitude of environmental issues. It is just a down-right responsible attitude to adopt and one that should be promoted more. The amount of waste an educational establishment produces must be incredible. Of course the turn over in ICT hardware due to advances in speed and performance (which is now judged on a monthly scale) can also be harmful. Recycling policies have to be implemented. where old hardware can be re-used by third world, less fortunate countries.
I digress…
Podcasting ticks a big percentage of inclusive rights that learners demand and have a right to. It is a dynamic delivery method that can adopt auditory, visionary, and reading learning styles. I believe that kinesthetic examples are also just around the corner, providing digital interactive simulations which amount to more than simply pausing, rewinding and replaying.
Julia Fotheringham said,
March 20, 2009 at 9:50 am
Hi John – I think your discussion about elearning solutions as an alternative to paper based solutions and their impact on the environment is a really interesting one that I haven’t considered much before. Sustainability in HE and indeed FE eductaion is a hot topic, but I don’t think that people are looking at it from the angle that you’ve been thinking about. I think there’s plenty of discussion and action about using e-learning solutions to promote sustainable practice in almost all curricular areas, but not much chat about the sustainable advantages of a particular pedagogical approach.
Good thinking …
Julia