What Can You Do With a Podcast?

What is a Podcast?

  • A video overview by the “podgrunt” at
  • A digital recording (mp3 file) of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or a personal audio player.
  • PODCAST = Broadcast & iPod
  • Apple’s iPod is in the name, but it is not necessary for a person to use an iPod to listen to a podcast.
  • Downloadable audio files are sometimes called podcasts.
  • True podcasts allow users to subscribe to “feeds” to automatically receive new episodes of the show.
  • Podcasts are time-shifted content that can be consumed at your leisure.

What equipment do I need to listen or watch?

  • Computer with Internet Connection
  • An i-Pod or mp3 player (optional)
  • You don’t need and i-Pod or any portable music player to listen to a podcast

Software for Podcasts

  • Downloading vs. subscribing
  • Podcasts Feeds –a.k.a. RSS Feeds
  • Commonly written in XML
  • Often contains summaries of, and links to articles on a web site.
  • Form of syndication allows for “broadcasts” of podcasts.

Software: Podcatchers or Aggregators (for subscribing)

  1. Juice (
  2. Odeo (
  3. iTunes (
  4. Yahoo! Podcasts (

Finding and Subscribing to Podcasts

  • Look for direct links from a blog or a web site - click on the file and listen or go to RSS feed, copy and paste URL into podcatching software.
  • Podcast Directories to search for what you want.
  • Podcast Alley (
  • Podcast Bunker (
  • Indie Podcast.com (
  • Tech Podcast (
  • Podcast Pickle (
  • Podcasts.net –
  • Itunes –
  • PodFeed.net (
  • The Education Podcast Network (

Some advantages to i-Tunes

  • -iTunes – “rss - built in”
  • Download iTunes from Apple Website
  • Show iTunes Basics
  • Download and play a podcast from Music Store
  • Subscribe to a podcast with iTunes store
  • Education
  • Higher education

What can I do with a podcast?

  1. Listen to lectures from LCCC classes
  2. Learn a foreign language
  3. Keep up with latest information
  4. Professional Development
  5. Share musical performances with colleagues and parents. (get permission from Composer, ASCAP, BMI and Harry Fox Agency)
  6. Record audio notes from a class
  7. Promote your events with a weekly magazine show.
  8. Recruitment
  9. Audio lessons (aural skills, listening etc)
  10. The list is endless!

What are the limitations of an Educational Podcast?

  1. Supplement not substitute in education.
  2. Lessons are limited to drills or play-alongs
  3. No immediate feedback can be given unless instructor anticipates common problems.
  4. It is only audio unless you happen to have a video podcast and then it must be very short duration.

Sources

Podcasting for Educationpresented by Andy Seymour & Todd Seymour from the EdTech Musician Podcast

Beginning Podcasting Workshop by Robert BufordDavid Shulman; Conference on Information Technology, Charlotte, NC October, 22, 2006.

Podcasting + Video Podcasting Training Essentials at

Suggested Reading

  1. Cochran, T. (2005). Podcasting the do-it-yourself guide. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Publishing, Inc..
    ISBN-13: 978-0-7654-9778
  1. Geohegan, M., & Klass, D. (2005). Podcast solutions: the complete guide to podcasting. New York: Friends of ED.

ISBN 1-59059-5554-8