Creating Communities with Podcasting

Jowitt, A (2008, 04). Creating communities with podcasting. Computers in Libraries, 28, 14-15, 54-56.

Summary of the Article:

Podcasting is known to the cyber world as using an iPod and broadcasting. Some libraries could create instructional podcasts to help them become affiliated with the changes in the library so the libraries could serve the customer at his/her own will or away from the library. This makes the information accessible to anyone anywhere. Of course this would cost money, training, and extra time from the staff. Angela Jowitt wanted to know how the instructional podcasts were helping the customers, how much the podcast were used, what was helpful, what other topics could the library use podcasts with, and the advantages and disadvantages of the use of podcasts. She surveyed students at Universal College of Learning (UCOL) to find out the demographics of the user, what was used to hear the podcast, the perceptions, and potential for further use in the future. The study is based in instructional type podcasts include the following:

• Accessing the library catalog
• Searching the library catalog
• The "My Account" section of the library catalog
• How to raise a request online
• Orientation tour- Palmerston North
• Orientation tour- Whanganui

Each file was an MP3 digital audio file so the file was attainable through more devices. The article did mention the they did not use RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed, but is working on it to create true podcasts to be broadcasted.

The recording of the podcasts are cheap and inexpensive. Audacity and LAME Encoder are needed as well as a microphone and headphones. The files are exported in MP3 format. The author also discovered a script for the broadcast seemed to help more and the volume needed to be turned up all the way durin recording. The sound is able to be edited, such as blending and deleting. The bitrate was set at 64, which allowed them to keep the file sizes low.

What did the customers think of the podcasts? Most of them thought the podcasts were very good (71%). They encouraged the library to keep making them. The "My Account" was the most helpful instructional podcast. The customers felt as though they had learned something new and expanded theor knowledge. Lastly, the podcasts were easy to use and understand.

What are the Advantages and DisAdvantages of Podcasting? Volume varied throughout the podcasts. Noise level and streamling seemed to be another issue with the podcasts. The volume, accents, clarity of speech, tone, and word emphasis was a distraction to the customer. Some also complained that the podcast was too long. A broadband internet connect was important to listen to the podcast. All in all, 75% of the customers wanted more podcasts created.

Angela Jowitt would like to continue to create podcasts and further the delopment in this area.

Reflection

This is a great article to start with for the research. It was an easy reading article that kept my attention. I believe these ideas fit into the proposal for using podcasting in eductaion. I believe that the beginning of one study will open a door to toher opportunities in the field of technology. The use of ipods in different places and different times and by different people are great, especially when a stduent can listen to s lesson on tape instead of having to be at class. I will be able to use the audacity link: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ .

Impact

I can use the ideas of the ipod. I am going to audacity to become more familiar with it in the next week. I am still pondering the ideas for the proposal. What type of technology will be the ipod, but what will be the best way to implement the ipods in the classroom. Should I record lessons or instructions on how to create a graph in Excel? Or maybe have the stduents record directions to making somehting? I have to do more research befoer I make any final decisions.