Have you ever listened to audio-only content on the Internet? This act of publishing a recording on the Web has a new name, and is really blossoming now on the Internet. The phenomenon is called podcasting. It’s a perfectly fine name, but it really does not get to the core of what is required, or simply, what the phenomenon is all about. Many podcasts (the MP3 files you download) are in the form of a radio show. The content varies as widely as what one will find in the millions of weblogs, but the idea behind it is this: you will subscribe to a show (a podcast) that you like. Your computer, when connected to the Internet, will download new content as it becomes available, and you are free to listen to it whenever you like, where ever you like. How? You can put these recorded shows on your portable MP3 player. Like an iPod. Or not, the choice is up to you.
Podcasting Facts:
For those of you who have a fair number of digital devices in your home, podcasting is like indie-radio + TiVO + a pair of headphones. All you really need, however, is a computer connected to the Internet.
Podcasting really took-off in 2004. Former video-DJ Adam Currie (of MTV fame) helped popularize this new format. Some of the most popular podcasts today are repackaged radio programs. Yet, the simplicity of this technology can allow almost anyone the ability to self-broadcast with a podcast. Starting in October of 2005, we’ve begun podcasting in Goochland.
With all technologies new, there’s a learning curve until the technology is simplified. Apple came along this summer and added a podcasting-subscription feature to iTunes. This enabled millions of folks to easily and conveniently subscribe to podcasts using the iTunes music program on both Macs and PCs. To get started, you will need iTunes version 4.9 or higher. iTunes is available as a free download from Apple.
So, let’s assume you have iTunes installed. Next, you need our Goochland Podcasting URL: this file tells iTunes what is available on our “show.” Within iTunes, go to the Advanced menu, and select “Subscribe to Podcast.”
In the window that appears, type in: http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/podcasts/TechnologyTimesLive.xml. I know, it’s long. Yet, that’s it. You can also control-click on this link (right-click for Windows users), select “copy link” and paste the URL into iTunes. Once subscribed, iTunes will download the latest podcast from Goochland’s server. If you would like to hear older podcasts, you can also click the “Get” buttons next to older podcasts.
Once downloaded, these podcasts will live on your computer. As we produce new podcasts, iTunes will automatically download them (when iTunes is running) and have them ready. If you happen to own an iPod, well, iTunes can also put these podcasts on your iPod for listening away from your computer. Users with other MP3 players can also listen to our content on their players, as well.
Earlier this year, I interviewed Kim Bachmann at Goochland High School in addition to one of her students, about the Digital Graphics program. When our podcasts finally went live, she connected her computer to speakers, and she and her advanced students listened to Mr. Bennett and Mr. DeWeerd talk about dual-enrollment through J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
You can also find our podcast, TechTimesLive! through the podcasting directory within iTunes. In iTunes version 5, or 6, do a search for "Goochland" and be sure to subscribe!
You can also subscribe to our podcasts, among others, in addition to RSS newsfeeds of all flavors, using the new Google Reader. This web-based news aggregator will play-back podcasts and collect entries from newsfeeds together.
Once again, to subscribe using Google's Reader, paste-in the URL for our podcast. Initial tests using Apple's Safari 2.0 browser resulted in some odd play-back speeds (we sound like we've enhaled a helium balloon), but other podcasts play-back okay. It might not be your first choice for listening to us, but this option just emerged and is in beta (a state where software is still under development).
Our first podcast, TechnologyTimes Live! has, as of October, 2006, over 50 episodes, and documents technology and technology integration in Goochland County’s schools. It has a world-wide audience, and was among the first K-12/school-based podcasts in the U.S. Listen to TechTimes Live! with iTunes.
TechTimes Live has now published over 120 episodes! Check out some of our archives from the left-hand side of this page to see how far we’ve come!
We jumpstarted the 2006-07 school year by introducing teachers to podcasting. Because each teacher’s weblog is configured to act as a podcasting server, teachers have begun to publish podcasts. We will maintain the list, opposite left, to post links to weblogs where teachers are also publishing podcasts. Click the “RSS-Podcast” link at the bottom of these blogs to automatically subscribe via iTunes.
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