Podcasting is a method of delivering audio content to iPod and other portable media players on demand. This means that music assignments can be submitted to teachers from a convenient location and previewed for assessment where ever and whenever needed.
Benefits For Music Classes
Portability
Teachers can synchronize content to their media player and take it with them to listen whenever they want to. PodCasts are typically saved in MP3 format. This means that music can be played from any MP3 audio system or computer. Students can submit their work online and the teachers can download the music to MP3. This creates an amazingly convenient portability. Teachers can listen to assignments on road trips, or sit at their computer and mark work while they listen.
Community Sharing
A special class blog would be good for online sharing within the school community. Students can be encouraged to take responsibility for presenting their class assignments almost as though they were running a radio show. This gives them the opportunity to simulate work experience situations. They can write up promotional script for their original music. They can introduce each other online, and produce graphic art to accompany their musical presentations.
RSS Features
"RSS files are often used as a standardized way of publishing meta information about content." Podcasting News. This means that the class can receive an alert when a student uploads music to the web. How empowering for students to receive timely feedback about their work from the class, to be given suggestions for development by students or teachers, to have a fertile space within which to explore ways to promote their work. Depending on how public the class would like to be with its work, a worldwide audience may develop.
The PodCast Process Is Simple
Students write their work, record it and post it to a web server, typically in MP3 format.
They publish an RSS file, which is called a news feed, It is important that students take this step seriously as it is the public profile of the class. It contains meta information about the audio file, such as the file's name and description, and contains an RSS enclosure with the URL of the audio file.
Once students and teachers download the file, it can be synced to a media player. The music can be listened to together as a class, on assembly, during liturgies or other celebrations, or individually.
Continual Learning Curve
As they get used to this system, the students will continually develop better strategies for recording, presenting and reviewing their work. If they receive feedback that is encouraging, their music will develop and styles may change. Students can take down older files and replace them with newer versions of their offerings. Better still, they may choose to leave the old files up online so that they can look back over a chronological development of their own personal musical style.
Breaking Down Barriers In Education
Podcasting is cost effective, simple to do and can reach a world wide audience. This means that students can achieve high quality exposure using school or library resources. Students do not need to have equipment of their own.
Because of this alternative distribution model for audio content, students can promote themselves without the need to find a sponsor or financer.
PodCasts can be downloaded and played on equipment which does not need to be connected to the internet. This means that the student is not dependent on anything or anyone once the music has been released. Broadcasts become versatile as a way of personal or class promotion.
Pushing Creative Boundaries
Podcasting can be used for publishing any type of audio. Once students have perfected recording and posting techniques, they can move towards producing their own film clips. By filming their performances and uploading the film clips to UTube.com, an even richer and versatile promotional creativity channel will be created.
Podcasting is spreading quickly because of the rapid adoption of MP3 players, the ability for them to be synchronized to modern mobile phones and the desire of owners of newer equipment to have continually have a fresh supply of content.
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