This document provides information about a podcasting workshop held at the Clarice Smith National Teacher Institute. The workshop taught participants how to create 2-3 minute podcasts about selected artworks using either Audacity or VoiceThread. Participants learned recording techniques using the Voice Memos app and transferring recordings to iTunes before importing into Audacity for editing. They also learned how to use VoiceThread to marry audio recordings with images. The workshop was led by three presenters with experience using these tools in museum and educational settings. An optional advanced tutorial provided additional instruction on using Audacity and an introduction to Prezi.

1. Podcasting Primer
Workshop
Clarice Smith National Teacher Institute
August 1, 2012

2. Why Podcast?

3. Composition Four - Melancholia, Raymond
Jonson, 1891
by Malcolm

4. Interception, Mark Tansey, 1949
by Cassie M.

5. Today’s Mission
• Create a 2-3 minute podcast about your selected
artwork. This podcast can be either:
• Audio only (Audacity file)
• Audio + artwork (in VoiceThread)
• Optional: Post your podcast on Ning (Group >
Discussion Forum > Podcasts)

6. Chris Ubik

7. Pronounced: yōōbik

8. MA, Museum Studies, Johns Hopkins University
BA, History, University of Maryland University
Co!ege

9. Laurie Stepp

10. MA, Museum Studies, Johns Hopkins University
BFA, Maryland Institute Co!ege of Art

11. Sherri Neale

12. Masters of Education, University of Maryland
Masters of Education in Instructional Technology,
George Mason University,

13. Chris’ Podcasting
Background

14. Hillwood Estate,
Museum, & Gardens
Where Fabulous Lives

15. Many para!els to this project
Read an object
Write a script
Record audio
Edit final project in Audacity
A! using inexpensive/"ee hardware and
so#ware

16. Meet Kermit
Audio Tour stop created while pursuing MA at Johns Hopkins

17. Laurie’s Multimedia
Background
What is Multimedia?

18. Sherri’s VoiceThread
Background

19. What you are going to
learn today

20. Two Options, One Podcast
Audacity
VoiceThread

21. Five
Techniques
Record using Voice Memos app
Transfer recording using iTunes
Import into Audacity
Edit in Audacity
~ Trim
~ Move
The Figure Five
Export to MP3 Robert Indiana, 1963

22. Audacity
Digital Sound Recorder

23. Free

24. Easy to use

25. Runs on Mac or PC

26. Did I mention: Free?

27. VoiceThread
“Conversations in the Cloud”

28. Web-Based
Podcasting Tool

29. Subscription Part of
the Institute

30. Marry Video, Stills,
and Audio

31. Show of Hands
Who is familiar with podcasts?
Who listens to podcasts on a regular basis?
Who has created podcasts before?
Who has used Audacity? VoiceThread?
Who owns/uses an iPod/iPhone?

32. What is a podcast?

33. An audio file similar to a radio
broadcast, which can be
downloaded and listened to on a
computer, MP3 player, mobile
phone, etc.

34. Etymology: iPod +
broadcast

35. Published
electronically in some
way

36. For Example

41. Wide range of museum podcasts
Many podcasts produced at the Smithsonian:
http://www.si.edu/podcasts/
Smithsonian American Art Museum student
podcasts: http://americanart.si.edu/
education/activities/podcasts/

42. Wide range of museum podcasts
Conversations with Survivors at United States
Holocaust Memorial Museum: http://
www.ushmm.org/museum/publicprograms/
programs/firstperson/podcast/
Virtua!y visit overseas museums.
iTunes U

43. Two basic types
Audio
Video

44. Audio
The original
Surprisingly easy to create
Can blend voice, music, sound effects
“Theater of the mind”
Think old time radio

45. Video
As technology has evolved, so has podcasts
Not always “video” based
Model: the “Ken Burns Effect”
No video camera needed
Sma!er files
More poetic effect

46. The Good News
Podcasts are easy to create
But first...

47. Ten Podcasting
Ingredients

48. 1) Choose an artwork from
the collection of the
Smithsonian American Art
Museum and dedicate time
to observing and
researching it

49. 2) Determine who your
audience is

50. 3) Develop your personal
“voice” and use it to write
and edit a script before
recording

51. 4) Generate an
introductory “hook” to
spark interest in your
listeners

52. 5) Pose observations and
questions inviting listeners
to look

53. 6) Provide nugget(s) of
pertinent information
about the artwork

54. 7) Consider mentioning a
connection to your subject
(e.g., historical or literary
reference)

55. 8) End with an interesting
closing, leaving your
listeners wanting more

56. 9) Speak clearly when
recording and be mindful
of ambient noise

57. 10) Aim for approximately
two minutes of recording
(about 250-300 words,
depending on the inclusion
of other audio)

58. Let’s give Cassie another listen

59. Let’s get started

60. Disclaimer
While we are using specific devices and teaching a
workflow using those tools, the concepts learned can be
applied to any recording device and editing so#ware.
Our use of these tools does not constitute an
endorsement of these products. You can record audio
just as easily on your ce! phone or right into your
computer as you can on the iPod Touch.

61. My Philosophy #1:
K.I.S.S.

62. Keep it Short and Simple
As complexity increases, so does production time
Aim is to keep the learning curve as sha!ow as
possible
Add be!s and whistles as time and comfort zone
permits
To that end...

63. Five Things
Record using Voice Memos app
Transfer recording using iTunes
Import into Audacity
Edit in Audacity
Trim
Move
Export to MP3

64. The Object of the Exercise
NOT Perfection.
You won’t leave here being the next podcasting maven.
But you could be!
Some of the most popular podcasts began in someone’s
basement, e.g. The Leaky Cauldron’s “PotterCast.”
Remember, as the Good Book says:

65. Don’t Panic

66. My Philosophy #2:
Keep it Free

67. Free is your friend
Low budget ≠ low quality
Many "ee tools available
Audacity
Apple’s iLife suite (bundled with every Mac)
VoiceThread

68. My Philosophy #3:
Have a Plan

69. Create a Gameplan
Know what you want it to sound like
Script it
Stay flexible
Setbacks wi! occur
Interviewee gave a fantastic quote
Didn’t hear the A/C unit kick in until we were
reviewing the material.

70. My Philosophy #4:
Choose Wisely

71. Elements of a good podcast
Hook
Music
Royalty Free
Interviews
Humor

72. Examples Abound!
Interwebs, iTunes, YouTube, Vimeo
Also:
Radio
TV
Inspiration can come "om unlikely sources

73. Who is comfortable
with digital recording
and editing tools?

74. This could be you

75. To Recap:
You’! learn how to create podcasts using two
applications: Audacity and VoiceThread
You’! only need to do five things and one is a drag and
drop
“Perfection” is not the object of the exercise.
Don’t Panic. But if you do I’! have the Soothing Voice
at the ready.

76. But First:
Hands-on iPod Demo
Turning the iPod on/off
Plu(ing in the microphone
Plu(ing in the headphones
Volume controls

77. Step 1: Record the
Audio (hands-on)

78. Voice Memos
Look for this blue icon on
the iPod Touch:
Tap and you’$ see the image
on the right

79. Record Button Go to Voice
Memos
Sound Meter

80. Record Button Top turns red
becomes a pause
button
Stay out
of the red
Hit pause button to stop recording

81. For best recording
Hold approx. 6” %om
mouth
Speak slowly and clearly
Use an external mic

82. Reviewing your recording
Go to your
voice memos

83. A tale of two triangles
This
Touch this triangle
triangle for leads you
playback astray

84. Step 2: Transferring
the recording to
iTunes (hands-on)

85. Step 3: Importing into
Audacity

86. Step 4: Editing in
Audacity (hands-on)

87. But first: save your
project!
• “Save As...” to the desktop
• Naming Convention:
• Last Name_Title of your Piece
• e.g. Ubik_Hercules.aup
• The “.aup” at the end is VERY important!

88. Basic Editing

89. Audacity Editing
Cheatsheet is
available on Ning!

90. Step 5: Exporting
MP3 (hands-on)

91. Break Time!

92. VoiceThread
(hands-on)

93. Plug in Microphones

94. What is VoiceThread?
VoiceThread is a Web 2.0 tool used to create multimedia
presentations.
VT is a thread of voices for one project, playing one
right a#er the other.
It a!ows viewers to leave comments 5 different ways.
It a!ows viewers to share their presentations in
different ways.

95. Different Ways to Manipulate VoiceThread

96. How to create your
own VoiceThread

97. Get your picture, doc, video %om any of these sources.
Best place is right %om your desktop.

98. Click the “Create” tab

99. Comment means you can record your podcast and
marry it to the picture.

100. Settings in VoiceThread
Playback Options
in
VoiceThread.
Teacher should
control
any changes....

101. Movie Export
Exporting as a movie. Downloads as an MP3 file.

102. A VoiceThread can be a thread of voices-each
of your students linked to each other for one
project.
Notice you have an
embedding code and a link.
That link takes you
directly to your one
VoiceThread.
That VoiceThread could be
a podcast "om each of your
students.

103. Teachers must pay attention to the
Publishing Options!
This is where the
teacher decides what to
a$ow when the VT
becomes public.

104. VoiceThread Example
https://voicethread.com/share/329904/
This was the end result of a project done with 5th
grade students and the Smithsonian American
Art Museum.

105. Things to Keep in Mind...
Be very careful with rights issues. Know when to turn private on and
off. Know when to make the project public or private.
Make sure there are no student last names on projects.
No pictures of students.
Check with your district technology team to find out if they wi! a!ow
VT to be used and seen by parents. Parents might have to sign forms
a!owing their child’s voice to be heard on Internet.
Check with your principal to make sure sharing student work over the
Internet is okay with them. Again, parents might have to sign a
release.

106. Optional Tech Tutorial
4:30 – 5:15 p.m.
Main classroom – Advanced Audacity, with Chris
• Recording directly in Audacity using external mic
• Adding "ee sound effects
• Introducing multiple tracks
• Moving audio file "om Audacity into VoiceThread
5:15 – 6:00 p.m.
Main classroom – Prezi, with Laurie