Scholar: Podcasts & Videos

Transcription

1 Scholar: Podcasts & Videos Note: The page numbers in this table of contents refers to those in the lower right corner. Table of Contents Workshop Description... 1 Software/Hardware Required... 1 Overview... 1 Recording Audio-only... 2 Download and Install Audacity or GarageBand... 2 Tips for Recording a Podcast... 2 Editing a Podcast... 3 Export the file as an MP3 (*.mp3)... 3 Recording Video with Jing Project... 4 Download and Install Jing Project... 4 Tips for Recording a Video... 4 Convert the file to an MP4 (*mp4)... 5 Uploading Media to the Scholar Podcasts Tool... 6 Enable the Podcast Tool... 6 Upload a Media file to the Podcasts Tool... 6 Uploading Media to Virginia Tech on itunes University... 7 Subscribe to a Podcast... 7 Uses of Podcasting and Videos in Education Things You Should Know About Podcasting Things You Should Know About Flip Cameras... 8 There s Something in the AIR: Podcasting in Education... 8 Student Assessment Using Video Feedback... 8 Help! I Need Support!... 9 i

2 1 Scholar: Podcasts & Videos Workshop Description Scholar Course sites are designed to facilitate collaboration and communication. This workshop is focused on the instructor looking to engage students in a medium that goes beyond text and links. This workshop provides instructional strategies and activities using tools within Scholar to help you engage in discussion and to encourage visual learning. Opportunities to create a simple podcast and screen-capture video will be explored and uploaded into your Scholar site. Other existing examples by teaching peers will also be presented and handouts with supporting information will be provided. Specific tools covered in this workshop will include: Audacity, JingProject, and the Scholar Podcast tool. Options for student-centered approaches to learning and sharing supported in Scholar will also be covered. Software/Hardware Required: Audio-only: Audacity* (PC): and the LAME MP3 Encoder: OR GarageBand* (Mac): Video (w/optional audio): JingProject: OR a FlipCamera*: * Borrow or use these for FREE from the InnovationSpace: A Scholar site: with Podcasting enabled. itunes (or equivalent podcast catcher software): Overview 1. Create Podcast or Video. 2. Upload it to the Scholar Podcasting tool. 3. Encourage participants/students to subscribe via their favorite podcast catcher software (e.g., itunes). 4. Consider community-sharing and allowing students to upload their own podcasts! 1

3 Scholar: Podcasts & Videos 2 Recording Audio-only Download and install Audacity (PC) or GarageBand (Mac) NOTE: If you have a Macintosh computer with the ilife software (in whole or part) you will already have GarageBand installed. These directions do not cover how to setup or use GarageBand, but FDI offers workshops for creating Podcasts with GarageBand at GarageBand also has excellent built-in tutorials to help you get started quickly. 1. Download Audacity for PC and/or for Mac from 2. Download the LAME MP3 Encoder for your operating system from 3. Install Audacity and accept all of the default values. 4. Launch the Audacity application. 5. Click File New 6. Click the Record button to begin recording your audio. 7. Click the Stop button when you are done recording the audio. 8. Edit the audio file. 9. Save the file in its original audio format. 10. Export your file as an MP3. Tips for Recording a Podcast: NOTE: Apple also offers some excellent tips on Recording Your Podcast: 1. Depending on the equipment, you should keep the microphone about four to eight inches from your lips. 2. Consider using a pop filter to place in front of your microphone. NOTE: A pop filter is basically screen material stretched over a hoop that is held in front of the mic as you speak into it. You can make a homemade pop filter by stretching nylons over a wire hanger or an embroidery hoop. 3. Make sure the recorder is in a stable position. 4. Use a normal speaking voice - don't shout (shouting will distort your recording). 5. Speak clearly. Not too fast, not too slow. 6. Try not to breathe directly into the microphone. 7. Make sure that you don't have anything in your mouth (gum, pens, etc.) while using your microphone. 8. Minimize background noise. Scholar 2.6.2: 4Help: or 231-HELP 9/7/2010 2

4 Scholar: Podcasts & Videos 3 a. Try to make sure that there are no other conversations going on around you, or TVs or music playing in the background. b. Cell phones or fluorescent lights can also cause background noise while recording. Try to avoid using the recorder in close proximity to these objects. Editing a Podcast You can highlight sections of your recorded audio track. Pressing delete on the keyboard will delete those highlighted sections. You can move parts of your recording around. You can add additional tracks of background sound or music to your recording. For more information about how to do these tasks and more, refer to the information given below: 1. Audacity Tutorial for Podcasters: 2. Audacity Editing Interview Podcasts (YouTube): Export the file as an MP3 (*.mp3) According to the Audacity documentation: Audacity cannot encode MP3 files by itself, because the MP3 encoding algorithm is patented and cannot be legally used in free programs. However, Audacity has been programmed to recognize other existing MP3 encoders that you can download separately. All you have to do is obtain the appropriate MP3 encoder for your computer and then show Audacity where it is located. The first time you try to export an MP3 file, Audacity will ask you to locate your MP3 encoder. Location the file indicated below. From then on, Audacity will not need to ask you again and you will be able to export MP3 files easily. NOTE: Download the LAME MP3 Encoder from or If you use Windows Macintish You need to Download LAME and look for the file called lame_enc.dll Download LAMELib (see the Audacity website for more information) 3

5 Scholar: Podcasts & Videos 4 Recording Video with Jing Project Download and install Jing Project Quickly and easily record <5 minutes of video and audio. 1. Download the free Jing Project application from 2. Install Jing Project and accept all of the default values. 3. When the installation finishes, the Jing Project application will automatically launch. 4. Click the big Play button to watch a basic tutorial. 5. Create a Jing Project account if you don t have one already OR Sign-in with your Jing Project account. 6. Hover over the sun icon at the top center of your screen. 7. Click the Capture button. It looks like cross-hairs. 8. Select the area or screen you wish to capture. 9. From the menu below, select video. It looks like a movie tape. 10. Select your microphone or Mute audio devices. 11. Record your on-screen activities and audio (if applicable). 12. Click the Stop button in the menu below when you are done recording. 13. Playback the video to see a preview of the recording. 14. Save the file to your computer by clicking the Save button in the menu below or click Cancel if you wish to re-record. NOTE: Remember where you saved the file and what you named it! 15. The file that you saved to your computer is a Shockwave file (*.swf). Tips for Recording a Video: NOTE: TechSmith also offers some excellent tips on Recording Your Jing Screencast: 1. Set your monitor resolution to be either 800x600 or 1024x768 or consider capturing only a part of your screen. 2. If you are recording audio, refer to all of the audio tips recommended in the previous section using Audacity or GarageBand. 3. Limit your recording to 5 minutes or less as this is the maximum time allowed. 4. Plan ahead. Know what you want to show and say before you begin recording. 5. Editing a Jing Project file is not possible unless you own the pay-for version of Camtasia Studio or Jing Pro. 6. You can always cancel and re-record from the beginning. 7. Minimize desktop distractions. a. Try to make sure that nothing sensitive or personal is revealed in the background of your recording. b. Check to see if family pictures, filenames, addresses, etc. are visible. Remove these items or record a more select piece of your screen. 4

6 Scholar: Podcasts & Videos 5 Convert the file to an MP4 (*.mp4) Podcasting catcher software (e.g., itunes) usually cannot playback Shockwave files (*.swf), although participants/students will still be able to download the file for playback in any browser. If you want participants/students to be able to view the file from within itunes or on their mobile device, you will need to convert it to an MP4 (*mp4) format before uploading it to Scholar. Many programs exist out there to convert SWF files to MP4 files. A good one that is free of spyware and other malware is Freemake Video Converter (free) by Freemake.com. It is available for download at CNET provides a review of the software on their site at 12.html 5

7 Scholar: Podcasts & Videos 6 Uploading Media to the Scholar Podcasts Tool Enable the Podcast tool 1. Go to your Scholar site. 2. Click Site Info 3. Click Edit Tools 4. Check the box next to Podcasts 5. Click Continue 6. Click Finish Upload a media file to the Podcasts tool NOTE: The built-in Scholar Help also has information about using the Podcasts tool. Reference the help menu if you have difficulties with the below. 1. Go to your Scholar site. 2. Click Podcasts 3. Click Add 4. Click Browse 5. Select the *.mp3 audio file or the appropriate (*.swf or *.mp4) video file from your computer. NOTE: If you want participants/students to be able to download and view the videos on their mobile devices (i.e. iphones, etc.), you should upload the *.mp4 video file. 6. Next to Choose a file click Browse and select the file to upload. 7. Click the Calendar icon to select a publish date and time (this is when it will become available for viewing). 8. Enter a title for your podcast. 9. Provide a description of your podcast if you wish. 10. Click Add 6

8 Scholar: Podcasts & Videos 7 Uploading Media to Virginia Tech on itunes University Virginia Tech participates in itunes University. If you are interested in hosting your podcasts and more via the itunes University network and wish to link to it from Scholar or elsewhere, please visit the Virginia Tech on itunes U web site at Subscribe to a Podcast The Scholar Podcast tool provides the URL necessary to subscribe to your site s podcasts. itunes University makes sessions available directly through the itunes catalog via VT PID and password. If you are using the Scholar Podcasts tool, Participants/Students will need to paste the URL listed on the front of the Podcast tool page into their podcaster software. The directions below explain how to subscribe to a Scholar Podcast using the free itunes program: 1. Go to your Scholar site. 2. Click Podcasts 3. Highlight and copy the URL provided on the screen. It should look similar to 4. Open itunes 5. In the menu at the top, click Advanced Subscribe to Podcast 6. Paste the URL from the Scholar Podcast tool into the box. 7. Click OK 8. The podcast will begin to download recent episodes. 7

9 Scholar: Podcasts & Videos 8 Uses of Podcasting and Videos in Education 7 Things You Should Know About Podcasting 7 Things You Should Know About Flip Cameras 3.pdf 3.pdf The EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative's (ELI's) 7 Things You Should Know About... series provides concise information on emerging learning technologies and related practices. Each brief focuses on a single technology or practice and describes: What it is, How it works, Where it is going, & Why it matters to teaching and learning 7 Things You Should Know About... pieces provide quick, no-jargon overviews of emerging technologies and related practices that have demonstrated or may demonstrate positive learning impacts. Any time you need to explain a new learning technology or practice quickly and clearly, look for a 7 Things You Should Know About... brief from ELI. There s Something in the AIR: Podcasting in Education For most of us, podcasting will involve a little preparation, and perhaps a little editing or other post-production, before we ll be ready for the world to hear our efforts. The good news is that once you get the hang of a few technical issues common to any kind of audio recording, you ll be on your way. You ll need to understand some of the basics of digital audio Once a podcast has been produced and published, it s ready to be downloaded by the listener The real power of podcasting, however, is unleashed by the RSS function [provided by the Scholar Podcast tool] in tandem with the podcatcher (audio-video RSS aggregator or feed-reader). With a podcatcher [e.g., itunes], the listener can subscribe to his or her favorite podcasts, which will then be downloaded automatically to the computer at a time of the listener s choosing, usually overnight as the listener is sleeping. When the listener awakes and prepares for the day he or she can either listen to the podcasts from the desktop or transfer those podcasts to a portable audio device for mobile listening throughout the day. The podcast remains in the portable player as long as the listener wants and can be deleted at any time. Student Assessment Using Video Feedback. Professor Graham Whisen decided to provide students with feedback through recorded videos based upon what Shelly Blake-Plock suggested in her blog, TeachPaperless ( Whisen wrote, The basic idea is that you read through a piece of student work on the computer and use screen capture software to record a video of your comments as you are reading their work Seeing as I am accepting more and more work from my students electronically, using screen capture software allows me to give descriptive feedback in a way that is far more natural and personal. I used a free program called Jing. The program is incredibly easy to use and the videos can be downloaded to your computer or uploaded to Screencast using the 2Gb of storage provided to when you sign up with Jing. 8

10 1 Browser Recommendations Help! I need Support! For best results in using Scholar, use the following web browsers: Windows: Mozilla Firefox 3.0 and newer or Internet Explorer 7.1 (or 8.0 in Compatibility Mode) Macintosh: Mozilla Firefox 3.0 and newer Browsers that are not supported and will not work well or at all include Safari, Camino, Opera, & Chrome Online Resources & References Search for FAQs and answers to How do I? : and search for scholar + keyword Online Course Systems Scholar FAQ, handouts, guides, & videos: See, Joining a Public Scholar Site: and join Scholar for Faculty (Self-Enroll) or Scholar for Those Supporting Faculty Faculty Development Institute Visit the FDI website at click the appropriate term, and register for Scholar training with your PID. Live Help For questions, comments, suggestions, bug reports, or anything that needs attention: 4Help web form at or call HELP (4357). Note: When requesting assistance, please include as much information about the following: Your VT PID. Course ID and/or Course Name. Complete error messages. (e.g., "Could not perform database operation. An unknown error has occurred, For reference, the Error ID is X1X-XX1-111XXX11-XXXX-X1.") The Day, Time, and what you were doing when the error occurred. (e.g., "4/9/08, 4:32pm, wireless laptop taking quiz #4; Windows XP, Firefox 3.0") Solutions or suggestions already attempted. (e.g., searched Answers.VT.edu or called department IT for assistance) For in-depth assistance or for a consultation concerning instructional strategies & Scholar tools sign-up for a Scholar One-on-One Help session. Register through the FDI website at by selecting the appropriate term. Scholar 2.6.2: 4Help: or 231-HELP 7/14/ Virginia Tech. 9