Course title: How to create your own podcast – A step-by-step tutorial
Course provider: About Radio
http://radio.about.com/od/podcastin1/a/aa030805a.htm
Stated course objectives or outcomes:
1. How to record your audio and save it to an .mp3 file.
2. How to create an RSS file which holds the “directions” for sending your file when a user’s program like iPodder requests it
3. How to write the “directions” that are inside the RSS file
4. How to upload the RSS “feed” and your .mp3 file
5. How to validate that the file is written correctly and will send the file correctly.
Achievement of outcomes:
Be able to record an audio file and upload it as a podcast to my blog.
Stated course duration: Not stated
Actual course duration: 6 hours
Administration:
Were you provided with any support contact details? No
Did you need to contact admin support? No
Materials:
Were you supplied with any support materials? Only online links to more information and other tutorials
Were you issued with a certificate? No
Technology:
Did you have any issues with any of the technology used by this course? No, although I had to purchase a headset and microphone.
Virtual classroom:
Which components of the virtual classroom did the course offer? Links to articles, videos, tutorials, directories and downloads for necessary software
Did you use any of them? Yes all of them
Interactivity:
Rate the degree of interactivity: High
Feedback:
Was there any feedback during the course? No – Feedback was present by the achievement of the outcomes but was not provided by the course itself.
Content:
Did the content cater to different learning styles? No
Was the content logically sequenced and organised? Yes
Were there options for different levels of expertise? Yes
Were there exercises that allowed you to practice skills? Yes
Was the content in plain English or jargon? Jargon
Was there a “real” facilitator? No
Navigation:
Was the navigation of the course content logical? Yes
Were there “breadcrumbs”? Yes
Was it simple to navigate to the lkast point where you had left the course? Yes
Did the site have FAQs? No
Last Friday I participated in one of the online workshops for “Mobilise-this!” (See 2 posts ago). I sat in on “Podcasting in Education” through Breeze an online meeting room. It took me some time to get the hang of what was happening by sitting in on an earlier session. I was really aware of the need to multi-task. There was a jumping video, related audio that occassionally dropped out, a screen dump of the convenors computer, 2 different chat rooms and the ability for participants to talk via microphones. I hooked my mic up but was never game to talk. The chat room was difficult enough and the second chat room I never worked out what it was doing. I am pleased to say I knew most of the stuff presented and it was great when the convenor got down to some brass-tacks about posting a podcast.
The process became difficult as I was doing it from home and the kids walked in from school but I don’t think work would have been any better. In fact I’m sure it wouldn’t have been. So I am almost at the point with e-learning about podcasts where I need to physically sit with someone to fill in my gaps in knowledge. I suspect this need is based on my impatience to get this skill going!
This assignment required an online search for a free short online course we could complete. Initially I googled different key words which was quite time consuming and unsuccessful. I began to think “What do I really want to learn?” and I decided on podcasts. This narrowed the search and one of the first sites I found was successful as previously discussed. I have included a number of links below to some of the courses I found:
http://www.free-ed.net/free-ed/
http://www.docnmail.com/
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/
http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/
http://www.feedforall.com/podcasting-tutorial.htm
http://www.radio.about.com/od/podcastin1/a/aa030805a.htm
Byron Youth Services and EYE C Media Arts, in partnership with other e-learning networks including NSW LearnScope and SAE LearnScope 2006 will be hosting a second e-learning network event involving a number of international organisations and guests. The focus of this event ( virtual and physical ) will be to bring groups of learners and educators together in an open and networked learning environment.
A number of synchronous and asynchronous communication e-learning and m-learning platforms will showcase how these new and emergent technologies are being used within a teaching and learning context.
This event will bring many differing e-learning and m-learning advocates together in both a physical and virtual synchronous environment with a focus on engaging young people in both formal and informal educational settings which suit their needs. The connected learning environments of today must somehow mesh with what we expect of our learners – theirs, ours, or should there be any distinction ?
Date : Times
Friday 27th October 2006 – 10am – to 4pm ( Australia ESB )
I’m personally keen on Podcasting In Education Time ( ESB ) : 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
http://nswlearnscope.wikispaces.com/bys06
Well here it is my first podcast – Huzah! Very basic but a beginning…
On-line course reflections.mp3
To support my particular area of interest in e-learning I decided to find a course on podcasting and have chosen the follow course to complete and comment on:
“How to create your own podcast – a step-by-step tutorial” by Corey Deitz from “About:Radio”
http://radio.about.com/od/podcastin1/a/aa030805a.htm
The tutorial outlines what a podcast is and takes the learner through the following topics:
1. How to record your audio and save it to an .mp3 file.
2. How to create an RSS file which holds the “directions” for sending your file when a user’s program like iPodder requests it
3. How to write the “directions” that are inside the RSS file
4. How to upload the RSS “feed” and your .mp3 file
5. How to validate that the file is written correctly and will send the file correctly.
It provides links to download appropriate software, links to other podcasting sights and to additional tutorials. The links to additional tutorials provide flexibility for the learner to access information at an individual level. It provides graphics and practical information reqgarding equipment requirements, even suggestions and comparisons for purchasing considerations.
So far…
* I started the tutorial and was able to download the appropriate software (Audacity) to my computer and read as far as I could go without a microphone.
* I purchased a microphone and plugged it into the computer and tried to record – nothing! It was at this point that I decided I needed to go back and access the additional tutorial links provided on audacity. I learnt a very key issue here – turn the microphone on first!
* I have now been able to record my first test – hooray!
I have set myself a goal to master podcasting in the next week in order to post my reflections on this blog as a podcast and also to use this technology for other subjects at UTS and I have to say I am worried that maybe I have bitten off more than I can chew! But I’m sure if I pace myself and access the additional links I will overcome!!!
Personal learning style: I do enjoy a diverse range of learning strategies but probably prefer a discussion based activity and have also feel the need to take notes from class, from readings etc. I prefer a content-based class over a simulation but when given a practical task I can become quite task focussed and object to frequent interruptions by the educator.
“Learning styles refers to the belief that each adult has a preferred way of learning and that adults engage more productively with the learning activity when their style is taken into account.”
Learning Styles Charlene Carpenter, TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute | July 2005
http://www.icvet.tafensw.edu.au/resources/learning_styles.htm
For further reading:
“Are learning styles all they’re cracked up to be?”
http://www.icvet.tafensw.edu.au/ezine/year_2005/july_august/review_learningstyles_macklin.htm
Influence on e-learning: Few people can be compartmentalised into one distinct learning style. E-learning presented in combination with a range of support and initial training can meet the needs of a diverse range of learning styles. The more a learner explores and challenges themselves to move into the uncomfortable area of change, accompanied with practice the more e-learning can be used to meet a range of learning styles. Is this then change for change sake? In a country where most houses have a computer and access to the internet and most people own a mobile phone – change is here! It is not about transferring a teaching technique to meet a particular learning style directly to technology but looking for how technology can meet the learning style. Learning styles can change with exploration, practice and the skills of the educator.
For further reading:
Lead Balloons, Stone Canoes, and Learning Styles by Frank L. Greenagel
http://www.learningcircuits.org/2003/sep2003/greenagel.htm
On completion of the Vark Learning Style Questionnaire I a have a mild read/write preference, which I think closely fits my personal view.
Results:
Visual 3
Aural 10
Read/write 14
Kinesthetics 5
www.vark-learn.com
Preferred learning style & blogging, learning & short course selection
In terms of layout of my blog, I guess I was presented with a small range of options to choose from. I am happy with this layout but perhaps it is because it is the first one I’ve really used for any length of time. So whether my preferred learning style is reflected in the layout of my blog is perhaps unlikely. It may be more reflected in my writing style, clearly blogging lends itself to writer/readers but with the addition of audio files, photos, videos etc it can probably cater to my preferred style of having a range of options.
My kinesthetics result was low on the Vark but I have certainly learnt by doing with this blog! I suspect it will also influence my choice of short course as I am keen to learn about more e-gadgets e.g. podcasts for MP3s etc. I don’t want to just read about how to do it, I want to fo it as I go. If the truth be known I probably will want to race ahead a do it before finishing the course – you know only read the instructions as a last resort!
I briefly digress from the demands of assessments to cogitate, contemplate and even think about my infant steps into blogging. I am awestruck at my own blog map and suspect that words will not do this justice. Over a casual lunchtime conversation with some newly met OTEN colleagues, I learned about Audio-dynamism (www.audiodynamism.blogspot.com) and was able to access their blogs and the wealth of resources they offered. This combined with my own interest in a regular Disneyland podcast (there its finally out there) lead me to other podcasts including Jane Knight (http://cami.podomatic.com/) and Steven Parker (www.networklearning.blogspot.com) from Wollongong TAFE. This in turn lead me to more blogs and the world of comments. This brought me round to another subject I am undertaking at UTS where we are required to run a 4 hour workshop and my group chose to explore ‘change, technology and balance’. A connection was made with Steven Parker to be our key presenter. This further inspired me to explore blogs in other areas. Firstly as a resource or tool for my own Community Service distance learners at OTEN and secondly as a way to diarise the UTS workshop development. So now I am writing 3 blogs!!!
I am employed by OTEN (Open Training Education Network) which is the distance education provider for TAFE NSW. While we currently use a wide range of e-learning practices, I am very keen to explore further e-learning opportunities in order to provide learners with the best outcomes. Currently my section (Community Services) is using the following e-learning:
* Communication with students via email
* Submission of student assignments by email
* Posting announcements, current resources and links on the OTEN Learning Support (OLS) website for students to access
* Learning material on CD-rom
* Piloted a module on-line through Janison
* Piloted a web-conference with TVET students
I can see much greater applications for e-learning, which many of our learners would benefit from given the diversity of backgrounds including: rural and remote locations, caring responsibilities, work commitments, disability, detention, transportation difficulties, need for self-paced learning and preferred learning styles.
(This post is repeated on the page “E-learning case studies”)
http://bethalexandra.edublogs.org/e-learning-case-studies/
Checkout this podcast about e-learning
http://cami.podomatic.com/
