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St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University

Podcasting

 

What is Podcasting?

iPodPodcasting defined

In simple terms, a podcast is the name for audio or video files placed on the internet for anyone to subscribe to. Podcasters’ Web sites can also offer direct download of their files, but the subscription feed of automatically delivered new content is what distinguishes a podcast from a simple download or real-time screening.

Podcasting gets its name from the Apple iPod, the mp3 player that has become ubiquitous over the past few years.

You can read an extensive list of commonly used podcasting terminology and definitions on Whatis.com.

iPod not required

Student at laptopDespite its name, neither creating nor listening to podcasts requires an iPod. Podcast is simply the term for a method of publishing audio files on the Internet and allowing people to either download separate “episodes” or subscribe to an RSS feed. See Create and Deliver and Subscribing to Podcasts pages for details.

All you really need to download or subscribe to a podcast is a computer with Internet access and Apple iTunes to play it. The advantage is that podcasts can be played a variety of ways — on a computer, on an mp3 player — and subscribers can listen anytime and almost anywhere.

How podcasts can be used at a university

In our campus setting, podcasts can be used to provide students and other listeners with audio recordings they can listen to anytime, any place — from a computer or an mp3 player. For example, on the Podcasting Resources page, you can read about “Small Bytes,” a technology-focused podcast produced here at SCSU, and “Cloudcast,” a St. Cloud Times entertainment podcast produced on campus at KVSC-FM.

Podcasts can be used for a variety of purposes:

  • Instructor lectures and presentations
  • Training and tutorials
  • News and announcements (such as “Cloudcast”)
  • Exploration of a particular topic (such as “Small Bytes”)

silhouetteFor educational purposes, a podcast could be:

  • Lecture recordings
  • Recordings of question-and-answer sessions with the instructor
  • Exam review
  • Audio recordings such as music or speeches (Be sure you don’t violate copyright or intellectual property law. MnSCU’s online primer is a good place to start)
  • Pronunciation guides for language classes
  • Presentations by students

Podcasts can offer convenience and flexibility for instructors and students:

  • New episodes of a podcast can be downloaded automatically
  • Instructors can record and publish their own podcasts
  • A variety of recording options are available for podcast production - see Create & Deliver
  • SCSU is currently investigating the use of Apple’s iTunes U to limit the listening audience.