Podcast PD Week 3 - What IS a Podcast?

As educators, many of us have made mistakes. Some mistakes may have been big and others were so inconsequential they went unnoticed. I am starting this post with an apology for a mistake I have made with Podcast PD (I am sad to say this is not the first time I have made this error in my teaching career). What is that mistake? I assumed you, the reader, knew what a podcast is. BIG mistake on my part! And I'm sorry. As with any new material we introduce in the classroom, we need to be sure that our students and /or our audience has a cursory understanding of the new concept being taught. We need to provide definitions for new vocabulary. In my excitement to share podcasts with you, I neglected to give you a definition for the term podcast. This week I will right that wrong. I have solicited the definition for the word podcast from those who are involved in podcasting. Here are the definitions I received from three amazing talents in podcasting:

Angela Watson - "I define podcasts as an online talk radio show you can download and take with you wherever you go."

Jeff Bradbury - "The term “Podcast” originated with the combination of the words “iPod” and “Broadcast.” Originally this was designed to describe a piece of digital media (audio or video) that was distributed by an RSS feed.  A Video is only a video.  An audio file is only an audio file.  It is only when you place that file on a feed where the content can be searched for and SUBSCRIBED TO when the “cast” part comes in. Creating a movie on an iPad and calling it a “Podcast” is like going to the office and making a “Xerox” when you are really making a copy.  We as educators are mislabeling the term and it is being watered down."

Chris Nesi - "A podcast (video/audio) is content that a user subscribes to and receives automatically. Content is released on a regular schedule to the consumer. Podcasts express the passions of their creators for the benefit of their audience who will share the same interests and passion."

I hope that these definitions help shed some light on what a podcast is and isn't. I also hope that you have subscribed to one of the podcasts I have mentioned in my first and second posts. If not, there's always this week's recommendation, which brings you two podcast!

This week I offer you two podcasts:

EdTech You Should Know and Instructional Tech Talk with Jeff Herb (@InstTechTalk) and Jon Samuelson (@jonsamuelson)

Jeff Herb produces two wonderful EdTech podcasts (along with co-hosting at least one more-TechEducator Podcast). He is a wonderfully knowledgeable host with a voice well suited for a professional radio gig. EdTech You Should Know brings you one tech tool each episode. The shows are short (4-15 minutes), but include a wealth of information! The longer format of Instructional Tech Talk offers the same listening experience as The House of #EdTech, with interviews, Twitter recommendations and a plethora of knowledge. Episodes range from 16 - 69 minutes. The show was on a brief hiatus, but is back with new cohost, Jon Samuelson, and a new app recommendation, Periscope.

Tips and Tricks

Make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing to your favorite podcast. Every time a new episode is released, it will automatically be added to your podcast catcher. Also, Start from the beginning, as many podcasters refer back to previous episodes and previous content. It's like starting with season one of a new TV series-by subscribing and starting at the beginning of a podcast, you can binge on the episodes like you might a new Netflix show.

Be sure to join me on Twitter Sunday evening for the 4th week of #PodcastPD