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Podcasting

Podcasting borrows from several technologies, old and new. In its simplest form, a single podcast recording is a downloadable digital audio file. However, the general term podcast is a series of recordings made available through a subscription process. A software application on a computer or mobile device, called a podcatcher, is used to subscribe. Once subscribed, the podcatcher periodically checks the subscription and automatically notifies you of new content. So the only things you need to get started listening to podcasts are a computer or mobile device, an internet connection, and podcatcher software.

Audio podcasts are by far the most popular, but video podcasts can be subscribed to and delivered as well. Again, a computer or mobile device is needed and the video files are much larger than the audio files. A big advantage to audio podcasts is that you can walk around enjoying scenery while listening to a podcast. A video podcast on the other hand requires you to look at your device. That’s why video podcasts have made their way to the small TV devices such as Apple TV, Roku, Amazon’s Fire TV, Google’s Chromecast, and more. 

CIRT News Podcast  

The CIRT News Podcast is an audio selection of the articles in CIRT News which offers expertise, resources, and training to assist faculty in ways that enable them to develop greater capacities for using technology for teaching and research. Subscribe to the podcast with iTunes by clicking this button: iTunes button

What our staff is listening to:

Podcatchers 

  • Apple iTunes - can be used for subscribing and listening to podcasts. iTunes also has a built in directory of podcasts. iTunes is available for both Mac OS and Windows operating systems.
  • Stitcher is a free software available for iPhone (iOS) and Android phones
  • Grover Podcast is a Windows app that manages podcasts for Windows 10 

Creating Podcasts

Setting Up a Podcast and Creating Episodes 

Podcasts are like radio or television shows. They are comprised of several episodes, which are published over time. Depending on the nature of your podcast, you may be able to quickly create an episode, but an episode is a small part of the whole. A podcast is composed of two parts, the recording (an audio file) and something called an RSS feed. The RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed is the heart of the podcast. It contains information about the podcast like the name and the author, as well as information about each episode, including the name, date published, file size, duration, and the location of the episode content. The content files are typically audio files (in .mp3 or .m4a format) or video files.

CIRT staff will gladly assist you in getting your podcast recorded, as well as create a website and home for your show. We use WordPress on the UNF Faculty Domains platform to house and publish podcasts. Please e-mail us at cirtlab@unf.edu to set up an appointment.

Recording Software