More than a few (as in, I don’t want to say “many”) faculty are generating podcasts as part of their course content, but even within that group, how many use already available podcasts to supplement their own course materials?  In my experience, that number is relatively low even among faculty generally familiar with podcasts.

Within my own class (Intro to Computers), I’ve identified several podcasts; in particular, The Real Deal by Tom Merritt and Rafe Needleman is an excellent supplement to my course content.  In the past, I’ve always made the link to a specific episode available within the context of my instructional module; I can’t confirm it, but I believe that link gets overlooked or ignored by students.

So, my question is, “How can I/faculty better incorporate already existing podcasts into my/their course?”

I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to survey my students to see how they use any MP3 player they may have and learn what podcasts they listen to if any; then I can begin to help them use podcasts and - here’s the key - better integrate podcasts into the way my course functions.

The first way is to integrate required reading for learners via a Google Reader tag and/or a Diigo tag.  I already use a shared_cfclass tag in Google Reader to tag articles I want to discuss or highlight in class; that tag results in this resyndicated feed.  I’ve also used, although not as much recently, a Diigo/Delicious tag to highlight specific webpages for the same reason.  I use those as an optional resource for learners currently; I could make subscribing to those two feeds required to ensure learners are engaging the content on a regular basis.  With learners using one or both feeds (or perhaps I could combine both into one Yahoo Pipe feed), I could easily begin including specific podcast episodes in that feed.  An important aspect of that would be to tag the podcasts and articles on a schedule synchronized with the course content.  Basically, instead of providing links to learners in a course module that they’ll blitz through too quickly, have them reading an RSS feed through which a podcast and other content will be delivered.  I’m wondering if that wouldn’t give the content more immediacy and attract more learner attention.

A second idea is apparently a bit more complex than I initially thought it would be or altogether not possible.  I’d like to be able to tag - using any social media tool - a podcast episode in a manner which the original enclosure would appear in a resyndicated feed.  If I tag a podcast episode using Google Reader or Diigo/Delicious, the text and description or made available in my resyndicated feed, but the original enclosure can not be accessed through my feed.  If a tool makes that possible, learners could simply subscribe to a resyndicated podcast feed I’ve created using their podcatching application.  I know the tools I’m currently using don’t enable that type of functionality, so I’m looking for a tool or possibility.

For general interest, what’s on my iPod?  At the moment, it’s a collection of general news, technology, sports and educational technology podcasts.  There’s also music, but I generally don’t use the iPod for music - I prefer radio ;-)

America Votes 2008
The Buzz Report
CNN=Politics Daily
Dilbert Animated Cartoons
EdTech Weekly
EDUCAUSE Podcasts
ESPN Around the Horn
ESPN Fantasy Focus Football
NY Times Front Page
NBC Nightly News
The Real Deal
TED Talks

I looked forward to this session at EDUCAUSE Southwest Regional Conference since I suspected Camtasia Relay may work the way I’d like for a pod/screen/lecture-casting system might work; my live-blogging notes are available online, and I have a few thoughts following the session. As other posts have done, I’ve bolded my own personal revelations and/or conclusions below.

Geraud Plantegenest, Michigan State, commented that one of the most significant features to offer learners with a podcast, from their experience, is variable speed playback controls. That allows learners to listen to a recording at up to twice the original playback speed; learners then can review a lecture in 25 to 50% less time than the original time. This feature is not one I had considered in the past, but as a student, I know variable speed playback could be incredibly useful for review purposes.

In very rudimentary and concept-only terms, Camtasia Relay is a new product based on Camtasia Studio. Realy splits the front and back ends of Camtasia Studio into two pieces. The recording tools are captured in a client application to be installed on a standard computer; the encoding and publishing functions are deployed as a server application. With a profile created to specify encoding and publishing options, a faculty member only has to start and stop a recording from the client application. Once the recording is stopped, the raw file is sent to the server for encoding and publishing per the specifications within the profile.

A few specific questions that were answered during the session.

• Relay supports publishing to media servers and iTunes etc.
• TechSmith is working on a Blackboard plugin and e-mail notification to users.
• The client application can latch into LDAP, active directory etc to authenticate identity before publishing a recording to a channel.
• The application is currently in a very limited closed beta; the beta may be expanded between now and mid-summer with a potential product release at that time (if I heard correctly).
• No preliminary licensing structure or pricing estimates are currently available.

From what I’ve seen and read, I believe the approach used by Camtasia Relay is the most reasonable and cost-efficient configuration possible for lecture-casting from classrooms. It avoids the need for and does not press for the purchase and installation of encoding devices in individual classrooms, and there’s not a secondary market for an upsale to streaming classroom lectures which I generally believe has little to no value. I do hope the licensing and pricing structure will focus on the server application and allow a more open distribution of the client application across an institution; I believe that would make the most sense given the client seems near useless without the server application, and the more open distribution would make the solution more scalable and cost effective for educational institutions.