We’ve just updated our online tutorials for using iTunes U and Blackboard. Go on and head over to learn more! (Note that these tutorials relate to using Blackboard with the iTunes Building Block written by and released from Vanderbilt University).
iTunes can easily convert audio files that were recorded with portable devices such as iPods or other recorders to podcast formats such as AAC or mp3 (see post on The Difference to learn more about these formats). The following video covers converting files with iTunes and adding information such as titles and artist:
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Here is a step by step for converting files to AAC or mp3 format:
Convert to AAC (m4a)
iTunes makes a duplicate copy of it in the new format. To check the file type (since you now have the original WAV file and an AAC file with the same name, right click your file and choose Get Info. There you will see the file type and be sure you choose the converted one). You can also add information to the track, as well as podcast artwork that you have designed. Drag converted the file out of iTunes to your desktop for easy uploading.
or Convert to MP3
Thanks Doug Seidler over at NESAD for pointing this out to me!
Another great explanation from the folks at Common Craft. Here’s their newest one, released yesterday, “Podcasting in Plain English”:
[Update: This device works with previous versions of the iPod Nano and Classic and is no longer needed with the latest versions of these devices]
Faculty and staff have been using the Griffin iTalk Pro this semester with much success to record lectures and presentations. A group of students took one to El Paso, Texas, for Alternative Spring Break to record a series of interviews with Habitat for Humanity staff, local residents, and the students in the group.
While there are a couple of posts here about using an iPod with the Griffin iTalk for audio capturing, below are a few things to keep in mind to avoid snafus and to cut down or eliminate editing after you’ve recorded (although in some instances, and for more refined productions, editing will be unavoidable).
Recording:
Lectures:
Interviews:
Editing and Producing:
(Click the tags on the right for more posts and information on using the iTalk or for any of the topics mentioned here.)
The Flip Video Ultra has been a big hit among faculty, staff, and students who have used it this semester. The video and sound quality are impressive for such a small, easy to operate, uncomplicated device. So far it has been used to record short student presentations, capture video of projects, and to video short student-related events. I promised to write a little something about using the Flip Video Ultra camera for video podcasting, so here’s a brief overview of what to do and what to keep in mind when using it.
Shooting:
Editing and Compression:
Are you using iTunes U for a course you teach or would you like to? iTunes U access is integrated into Blackboard through a Building Block from Vanderbilt University. To learn more about requesting and managing an iTunes U course page, Read the rest of this entry »
GarageBand and Audacity are both free programs that allow you to create, record, edit, and compress audio podcasts. GarageBand comes free on the Mac and Audacity is a free software program that you can download for Windows. (Links to these programs found in the right column of this blog.)
Penn State’s Educational Technology Division has created some excellent, short video screencasts detailing how to use each program. These screencasts are available as podcasts on Penn State’s iTunes U page.
To visit this page and view these screencasts, click the link below (requires iTunes installed on your computer). Screencasts are about 3 minutes in length and are enough to get you up, running and creating podcasts in no time!
Take me to Podcasting at Penn State Tutorials
Apple’s QuickTime Pro is $29 and allows to you to record audio and video, and also enables you to compress and export these and other media files to various web-ready and iPod-ready formats, and works on Macs or PCs (internal or external microphone and/or internal or external webcam needed for capture). QuickTime Player is free and required to upgrade to the Pro version. The Player comes on every Mac, and on a PC when you download iTunes. If for some reason you don’t have the Player on your computer, you can download it free.
Apple has some tutorials for QuickTime Pro posted on their website:
Mac:
Creating an audio podcast with Quicktime Pro
Creating a Video podcast with Quicktime Pro
PC:
Creating an audio podcast with Quicktime Pro
Creating a Video podcast with Quicktime Pro
This short 90 second clip covers how to use the Griffin iTalk to record audio on your iPod, which you can later convert to podcast ready formats. Use it to capture lectures, record interviews, discussions, forums, guest speakers, etc.
…This next 3 minute video covers what to do with the voice memo files that the iTalk puts into iTunes:
Cell or landline, you can create a podcast on-the-go without access to a computer or other equipment. First, you visit http://drop.io to set up your account, or “drop”, as they call it.
Next, you choose a url name and a password. You are then given a unique phone number and extension to call. When you call, you are prompted to record. Later, you visit your site and there is your MP3 file, ready to listen, share, embed, or download. Very cool, and free! I have attached instructions with my sample test. Try it out!
If you are using Blackboard (or not) and you would like to request that an iTunes U page be created for your course, log in to Blackboard and choose the course you are teaching.
After your request has been sent, you should receive an email within 48 hours letting you know that your course has been set up. (Further instructions on what to do to add content will follow).
If you are using Audacity and can’t export your project to the MP3 format, you can export it as a WAV file. WAV files are extremely large. This is fine, but if you want to upload that file to iTunes or Blackboard, you will want it to be smaller and compressed, in either AAC (m4a) or MP3 format. Here’s how you can use iTunes to accomplish this:
Convert to AAC (m4a)
iTunes makes a duplicate copy of it in the new format. To check the file type (since you now have the original WAV file and an AAC file with the same name, right click your file and choose Get Info. There you will see the file type and be sure you choose the converted one). You can also add information to the track, as well as podcast artwork that you have designed. Drag converted the file out of iTunes to your desktop for easy uploading.
or Convert to MP3
Thanks Doug Seidler over at NESAD for pointing this out to me!
This short clip will take you through the basics of using Audacity to create an audio podcast.
Download Video: Posted by <f
The video below will take you through more advanced features of Audacity. Be sure to watch the Basics video first. Download Video: Posted by sheehy at TeacherTube.com.
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