Technology: Podcasting

Podcasting for Music Educators

What Is Podcasting?
Podcasting is fast, personal, convenient and cool. Podcasting is the latest method of posting audio or video programs over the Internet for listeners’ can easily access. Some podcasts are free, but most require users to subscribe and download the files from the Internet and save them to their computer. Listeners can then use their computer, iPod or MP3 players to play back the content. Podcasting is being used for: band promotion clips and interviews; Talk Shows – Industry talk shows or organizational investor news, sportscasts, news coverage and commentaries; training; and story telling for children or the visually-impaired.

Educational Uses of Podcasting
Podcasting is fast becoming a regular part of contemporary teaching strategies. Professor Bernie Dodge is offers a class in a series of Saturday Seminars for Teaching with Technology entitled “Educational Podcasting to Future Teacher Candidates” at the Teachers College in San Diego University. This course is targeted to teachers at the K-12 and college levels as well as others involved in the training of adults. No prior experience with podcasting is needed. For a complete course syllabus, go to: edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec700/POD/indexS06.htm. At edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec700/POD/resources.htm, you will find the best in-depth educational podcasting resources for educational podcasting information on the Internet.

There are several high schools committed to major podcast efforts school-wide, and not just as it pertains to music. Students learn to become both producers and developers of programming. Whitey M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago has developed a detailed out-source of podcasting. They are now in their second full-season with over 200 podcasts produced by students outside of class and with five new 10- to 20-minute shows a month. Their streaming URL is stream.wyoung.org. Be sure to listen all the way through the first one, as it explains so much about their studio. At this same Web site, there is also a video that provides much insight about how Whitney M. Young Magnet High School produces their podcasts from behind the scenes as well as a cool new transport device. If you’re interested in learning more about their podcasting shows, here are a few of the shows to peruse.

1. Inside Look of February 2, 2006: Describes in detail what the students do in the recording studio from the students’ point of view.
2. Artist Spotlight of November 3, 2005. Discusses Sima Cunningham’s new album.
3. Sportstalk of November 3, 2005. The producer, Derek, has interned at two radio stations this past summer.

Faculty adviser, Martha Murphy, marvels at how quickly students adapt to this technology. All of these shows were developed outside of the classroom. But the impact of podcasting goes through the entire school’s curriculum with programs covering radio, theater, politics, current issues, sports, interviews, and artists. Two of their podcasting students have graduated and completed their first year of Sound Production at Columbia College in Chicago and two more are expected to apply to the program this year.