Podcasts & Video

Until now, we have been focusing on sites that heavy on text and images. However, the Web provides the opportunity to explore a variety of media. In the final session of this class, we will explore sites that allow for sharing audio and video materials.

Schedule for Week 6

OVERVIEW By Tuesday - Learn about podcasts, including how to subscribe to and create a podcast.

EXERCISE by Tuesday - Subscribe to at least two podcasts.

OVERVIEW by Wednesday - Learn about online video sharing sites.

EXERCISE by Wednesday - Embed a YouTube video into your WordPress blog.

READING by Wednesday - Read at least one of the following articles:

• "Making Waves: with podcasting anyone (yes, anyone) can create their own radio show anyone (yes, anyone) can create their own radio show," School Library Journal, 10/1/2006
• "An Outlet for Creativity: Plugging in with teen-centered podcasting," American Libraries, March 2007, reposted through Meredith Farkas' Information Wants to be Free blog.
• "Podcasting as an educational building block in academic libraries," Australian Academic and Research Libraries, December 2007, available through InfoTrac. If the above link does not work, you can log into InfoTrac remotely and search for it through Educator's Reference Complete.
  

DISCUSSION by Thursday - Post a comment on this page reflecting on the reading and your experience subscribing to podcasts and using YouTube. To help in your reflections, you may want to look at some examples of library podcasts. Consider the following questions:

• What kind of programs could a library implement to incorporate podcasting or video sharing?
• Several public libraries and many school libraries block sites with audio or video for technical reasons as well as for "appropriate use" reasons (Here's a link to an interesting article from a school IT person who lifted restrictions on YouTube). Is it reasonable to block these sites? Are there ways libraries can facilitate the use of these sites (e.g. providing workstations where users can download content to their iPods?)
  
• Are there ways you might use podcasting or video sharing in the future?