Podcast+Lesson+Plan

Podcast Lesson Plan 

**Lesson Context** The Jefftine University community is a diverse group of people with backgrounds rooted in areas far outside the brick-and-mortar university campus. The administration recognizes that many students have full-time jobs, for example, or families. For these reasons (and more) students have to attend class at opposite ends of the day, often with long commutes in between. Because of this, Jefftine University can seem disconnected; the university community can seem less like a whole entity. The library conceives of its place in the university community as a common space where student life, faculty research, and the life of the mind can thrive. Certainly, there must be a way we can transcend the barriers of time and space to bring the rich mosaic of life and opinions truly representative of both students and faculty at Jefftine University to those both within the university community and without. A college-wide radio station was one idea floating around, but such an endeavor required space in both the facilities and in the budget that simply doesn’t exist. With the general popularity of podcasts and with the ease in which they can be created, the University feels it has found a solution to its problem. We thought podcasting might engage both faculty and students, encouraging conversations to continue outside the classroom and giving them the tools to do it. The library will begin hosting podcast workshops to survey community interest. Separate sessions will be held for students and faculty. The goal of the lessons is to stir interest of the JU community in using multimedia tools to further their education and also keep them updated on school issues and events.

 **Standards** ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

 **Student Profile** Separate classes will be offered in separate sessions to students, faculty, and staff. The student class will focus on how to create a podcast and acquaint them with the medium’s uses. Faculty classes will concentrate on using the technology to record lectures for students or communicate original research to colleagues. Staff will learn to use podcasts to advertise for and disseminate recorded events. The podcasting workshop outlined below is designed for students on the undergraduate and graduate levels of all ages. In a setting like New York City, where many students commute some distance to campus, it is possible to feel that you can’t everywhere or experience everything that goes on. Podcasts can be set to download automatically and, in .mp3 format, they can be listened to on a variety of portable devices, entirely at convenience.  Students walking into this class should have an interest in communicating original ideas, and some basic familiarity with managing computer audio files using software such as iTunes. Students would benefit from having worked with sound editing software like Audacity or similar beforehand, though such knowledge isn’t necessary to reach the goals of the lesson.

**Essential Question**  How does technology help to foster a sense of community and stimulate discussion?

**Goal** Participants in this workshop should walk away having learned about using technology to communicate to a wide range of people. They should know and be comfortable using the software used to create, subscribe to podcasts, and understand the wide range of possibilities for a new, highly accessible medium in the context of the JU community.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">**Objectives** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In pursuit of the above goal, students will learn: - What a podcast is - How a podcast works - To use computer audio equipment to record audio content - To use sound editing software such as Audacity to edit audio content - Other sources for podcast content - To export audio content in a format suitable for podcast - Where they can find a hosting service for their podcast

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">**Action Plan** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 1. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Environment/materials// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The class will be conducted in a computer lab containing as many computers as individual or group work requires. The room is designed with computers in rows facing front. The instructor’s computer should be linked to a projector with the screen’s image projected against the wall behind and to the side of the instructor. Additionally, the computers will need to be outfitted with headsets and microphones for recording. Each should have the following software: Audacity, Mozilla Firefox, and iTunes. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Students should bring to workshop a short script of about 90 seconds in length to serve as a solid basis for audio content. They will have some idea of what to include in the script from email correspondence between the workshop instructor and registrants at least a week prior to the workshop.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 2. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Special needs// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> JUL acknowledges that the student profile of this class is rather broad. With this understanding, it is only natural to expect that some students are at a more advanced stage in digital audio editing whereas other students may have never so much as played an .mp3 file on their computers. The time allotted for independent work is generous, so as to allow for those students who may need additional guidance at a particularly crucial stage of the workshop.

3. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Outline of Lesson// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [Duration 1 hr 50 mins] - Introduction [30 mins] Self-introduction; background; role in JUL [2 mins] Survey the class to gauge familiarity with podcasting/digital audio software [8 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Ask if they’ve listened to podcasts, the various purposes for podcasts, where they’ve found them before, what they’ve liked about them, what they’ve disliked about them// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Explain what a podcast is [5 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Talk about digital audio files (.mp3s), what makes a good podcast series// //Show them a few examples of podcasts:// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//RadioLab// <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; line-height: 19px; white-space: normal;"> //<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; line-height: 19px; white-space: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; display: inline !important; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">// JUL's first podcast: //  // <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">media type="file" key="proejct2.whoa.mp3" HowStuffWorks// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (QUESTIONS) Explain how a podcast works, how it is updated, how to get them [5 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Tell them about .mp3 format; draw comparisons to a blog; talk about RSS and continually updated content// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (QUESTIONS) Introduce them to sources for supplemental audio content [5 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Re-play example podcasts and ask students how many parts of the podcast they can identify//

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Audacity demonstration [15 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Point out the relevant parts of the software <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Point out the features for creating a new audio track (File menu, play/record buttons)// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Record sample audio <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Draw comparisons between the ‘parts’ of podcasts previously identified and the ‘tracks’ in Audacity; add another track with downloaded music//

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Independent work [25 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During this time, students should use the short scripts they’ve drafter to record audio using the headsets and Audacity software. They may take additional time to re-record if necessary. After everyone has recorded, additional tracks may be added. Sources for these additional tracks may be written on a chalkboard while students are recording (Creative Commons, that sort of thing). Instructor should make himself available for specific questions/concerns at this time.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Conversion/publication demonstration [15 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Using Audacity software, show students how to ‘export’ their finished podcast as an .mp3, ready for syndication (QUESTIONS) Review again where podcasts may be hosted, and remind students of the importance of updating their new series on a regular basis (QUESTIONS)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Conclusion/assessment [25 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask questions based on their workshop experience [10 mins] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> //What parts of creating a podcast did you find the easiest? The hardest? Why?// //What parts of creating a podcast did you find the most enjoyable?// //Why did you choose to include certain audio? What seemed appropriate about it?// //What are podcasts good at doing? What are they// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//**not**// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> //good at doing?// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask for volunteers to explain their projects and to show the work they’ve done so far in class [5 mins] Invite observations/constructive criticism from other students [5 mins] Final questions [5 mins]  <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">