"How to" Guideline series is coordinated by Helen Mongan-Rallis of the Education Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions to improve these guidelines please e-mail hrallis@d.umn.edu.

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Podcasting Basics

Developed by Helen Mongan-Rallis, June 2006. Page last updated: June 22, 2006

What is podcasting?

The term "podcast" can be used as a noun to refer to content (the sound file) or a verb (the process of making the sound file available to users). Podcasting is the method of distributing the sound files using RSS format so that users can listen to these on their computers, or download from their computer onto a portable mp3 player such as an iPod. What distinguishes a podcast from other audio files available online is the fact that it can be downloaded automatically using RSS feed software (see Wikipedia on podcasting).

Using GarageBand & iTunes on a Mac to record and create a podcast:

  1. Launch GarageBand --> click on the podcast button from the list of choices that appear
  2. A box opens directing you to navigate to the location on your computer where you want the podcast to be saved and to give it a name (which it gives an extension of .band) --> do this and then hit enter
  3. A set of tracks opens in a GarageBand window: podcast track, male voice, female voice, jingles and radio sounds. Beneath that is a set of controls that you will use to start and stop your recoding. Below there is a space to include an image to go along with your podcast (episode artwork).
  4. To add your voice recording: once you have decided what you are going to say/record, click on the red record button and start speaking (using either the built in microphone on the computer, or an external microphone). When you are done speaking, click on the record button again to stop the recording.
  5. To insert music, click on the audio button under the "Media files" section of the GarageBand window (you will need to have music files in your iTunes library for a list of music tracks to appear here).
  6. Select the music track from the list of music files that you have on your computer, and then drag and drop this onto the jungles track.
  7. Play the sound track for as long as you want it to be played, then click on the space bar to stop the music playing
  8. From the edit menu select "split" to split the music track in two --> then click to the right of the where you have split the sound track, and hit the delete key to remove the unwanted portion of music.
  9. When you are done, save your podcast (choosing "save" under the file menu).
  10. Finally, from the share menu select, "Send to iTunes."
  11. To convert the file into an mp3 format, open iTunes, and under the advanced menu, selected "convert selection to mp3." The file is then ready to upload to the location from which it can be podcast.

Can one podcast using a wikispace wiki?

Yes (see example at Helen WikiSpace on Podcasting). Here's what you do:

  1. Create a WikiSpace account (this is a free service)
  2. Set up your wiki
  3. Click on "Manage Space" link under the actions subheading (on left side of wiki page)
  4. In the window that opens, under "space contents" click on the link to "List and upload files."
  5. In the new window that opens, click on the "browse" button and locate the audio file (mp3) -- > once the name of the file appears in the box, click on the "send file" button. Once it is uploaded, it will appear in the list of files that you have on your wiki at the top of the page. Make a note of the file name.
  6. Return to the wiki page into which you wish to insert the link to the audio file (which is also called a podcast) --> click edit
  7. Go the the point on the page where you wish to insert a link to the audio file --> within double square brackets, enter the word file, followed by a colon, followed by the name of the file. Example: [[file:samplecast6_20_06.mp3]].
  8. To listen to the podcast file, click on the link.

Useful references and resources on Podcasting:

  1. Recasting the Concept of Podcasting: Part I - by By Colin Dixon, Senior Analyst, IP Media and Michael Greeson, Founder & CEO of TGD Research. March 23, 2006. Describes how 80% of podcasts are never listened to on a portable device, but are either listened to on a computer or just deleted.
  2. Baughm D. (2005). An introduction to Podcasting. Digital Video in Education. 27 March 2005.
  3. Dyrli, O.E. (2006). Do-it-yourself radio is spreading across the Internet like wildfire. From DA District Administration Magazine for K-12 Education Leaders.
  4. Freedman, T. (2006). Podcasting for schools. Information & Communication Technology in Education. A list of ideas for using podcasting in schools (can also listen to this as a podcast). Created Created on Sat, 11 Mar 2006.
  5. Leach, J. (2006). Podcasting for schools - the basics. Podcasting can help reach pupils that more traditional methods cannot. But how does it work? Jimmy Leach. From Education Guardian, U.K. Accessed June 14, 2006.
  6. O'Hear, S. (2005). Podcasts offer the audience pupils crave. The Guardian. Oct. 4, 2005. [Read about what students are doing at Musselburgh Grammar School, Scotland. Then link to the MGS blog and podcasts.
  7. Podcasting news. Accessed June 14, 2006. [A blog about issues & events related to podcasting].
  8. Wilson, T. (2006). Podcast Palooza FETC.

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