1.20.2008

Thing 20 - Find and Subscribe to Podcasts

By now you've had a chance to explore a variety of educational podcasts, but how do you find exactly what you're looking for? The web hosts thousands of podcasts on every topic imaginable. You want to be able to locate good podcasts, listen to see if you like them, and then subscribe to a series.



To complete Thing 20 you must:
A. Learn about search tools for finding podcasts
B. Use iTunes to browse, download and subscribe to podcasts
C. Reflect on Thing 20 on your blog




A. Search for Podcasts
There are a number of search tools for locating podcasts. One is the Education Podcast Network (EPN). This site brings together a wide range of podcast programming that is exclusively related to education. It includes podcasts created by teachers, students, and by noted experts in the field of education.

Podcast Alley is another search tool for locating podcasts. Unlike EPN, however, it searches all types of podcasts on the Internet, so using it raises the possibility of coming across programs inappropriate for students. Narrow your Podcast Alley search by using the "Pick a Podcast Genre" drop-down menu at the top, left corner of the home page.

Take a little time now to explore the use of these two podcast search tools. When you've finished, go on to section B where you'll learn about one more tool - iTunes.


B. Use iTunes to Subscribe to a Podcast Series
You've all heard of iTunes, but did you know it can be used to locate and manage podcasts? If you don't already have the free program installed on your computer, you'll need to do that first. Check out this short video tutorial and then go here to download iTunes.

Once you've installed iTunes on your computer, you can begin using it to search for and subscribe to podcasts. This video will show you how. When you find a podcast series that you like, subscribe to it so you can listen to new episodes as they become available. The easiest way to subscribe and listen to podcasts is to use iTunes as your aggregator, but you can also subscribe using your Bloglines account. If you choose Bloglines, use one of the methods you learned in Thing 5.

One more thing ... Notice the iTunes U tab at the top of the iTunes page. Clicking it will give you a listing of hundreds of educational podcasts from both K-12 and higher education. If you browse K-12 and then Michigan's MI Learning, you will find podcasts created by educators in our state.

C. Reflect - Blog Prompts for Thing 20
Include in your post the name of at least one podcast to which you subscribed. Describe your experience using the various search tools. Which do you prefer and why?



No comments:

Post a Comment