Module 11
Podcasts
Group Project with Tara Hargrove
Check out her blog at www.themrshargrove.com
Here, you will be able to see her
viewpoint on certain podcast programs and get an insight on what will cater to
your needs the most. We worked together and had similar tastes, but we each found a niche within different platforms.
Audioboom
Information
Founded
in 2009 as Audioboo Limited, the main shareholders decided to give their shares
away, in 2014, to One Delta plc. who changed the name to what it is today. Audioboom
is a global audio and podcast distribution platform that offers
business-to-business services to the radio, media, podcast industries, and
Audioboom consumers to their phone app or computer. Per their website,
Audioboom describes themselves as an accessible and profitable podcast site “by
combining technical support, production savvy and ad sales know-how into one
user-friendly, economical experience”.
Audioboom
has worked hand I hand with businesses including BBC, Associated Press, NBC
Sports, Yahoo!, Cumulus Media, Westwood One, and more. It allows for automated
distribution through iTunes, Google Play, Facebook, Twitter, and even Spotify. Many
A-List celebrities use Audioboom including Russell Brand, Kidd Kraddick,
Stephen Fry, and even Snooki from Jersey Shore.
Plans &
Features
Like
most, signing up for Audioboom is free for the basic version. As a podcaster,
you pay $9.99/monthly and receive unlimited episodes a moth, up to 10,000
plays, multiple means of distribution, and analytics to breakdown the app
device and geographic region. For the more established podcaster, one with over
10,000 plays per episode, there is another option that you can choose that
helps you earn money. This was the only program I saw that had an opportunity
like that, allowing the website itself to help you profit instead of doing it
yourself. The free version allows you
to start publishing the day you sign up and has no contracts or commitments,
allowing the ability to stop at any time. Overall, the commitment to its customers is
something that took me aback due to the honesty and up-front information on the
home screens.
My Thoughts
As
podcasts go, this program was the easiest to find a podcast that I enjoyed.
Once you load the homepage, click podcasts, and you are brought to a new
webpage that allows you to choose the topic you fall under: podcasters,
advertisers, or listeners. There are Audioboom Originals and an Audioboom Network
one can peruse through to find the perfect podcast. After sifting through a few
sites, I found this one to be the easiest to navigate, choose, and listen to.
Most importantly, I felt as if Audioboom truly cared about their podcasters and
customers, something we don’t see as often as we should today.
More information on
Audioboom: https://audioboom.com/about/us
WeVideo
Information
WeVideo,
a product of European online educational programs, was launched in 2011, with
the goal of spreading its educational creativity to the rest of the world. Since
then, tens of millions of videos have been created in one of the 19.8 million
accounts. WeVideo is marketable to all: teachers, students, friends and family,
small and large businesses, and individuals in higher learning programs.
Unlike some of the others, WeVideo
is an online video editing database that allows you to record, create unique
additions, and share your final product with up to 4K resolution on some
movies. The program works on any Mac or PC computer as well as any computer
browser, so there is no issue loading up your work.
Plans &
Features
There are a few plans one can have
including the “Power” plan for $4.99/month allowing for thirty minutes of
publishing a month, the “Unlimited” plan for $7.99/month allowing for unlimited
videos and 4K resolution, the “Professional” plan for $17.99/month, and a “Business”
plan for $29.99/month, with the last two adding more and more features to their
plans.
My Thoughts
I
originally preferred Podbean when it came down to creating a podcast, but after
this assignment, and Tara’s wonderful introduction, WeVideo has now made its
ranks in my books. WeVideo was the most user-friendly when it came to creating
a podcast and editing it. Instead of having to use two different programs, it
was done easily on one.
Tara’s Thoughts
"It begins so wonderful and turns into a nightmare. WeVideo is a fantastic way to get access to over a million stock images and video, as well as music. They have tons of templates and it's a fun way to add video and music to a podcast or any other type of video. They have options for plans and they even tell you that you can sign up with a valid school email for a FREE 30 day educational trial. It clearly states all the wonderful features you can use in the trial, such as access to all the images in the Essential Media Library and more. However, this is my hang up. I poured a couple of hours into the video podcast, found the perfect template, perfect images and videos and recording my voiceover, only to be told upon trying to export and finish it, that I would need to purchase the school plan before doing so. WHAT?! No where did it say I could only play with the features for free, but not actually be able to utilize them...what's the point in that? So I thought, it's all good, I can purchase a single professional license and be able to still download. Well that wasn't quite the case. The message box that comes up when you try to switch from the school trial to an individual plan is scary. It tells you that you will lose everything if you cancel the trial. I reached out through email, because there is no phone service-Yes, you heard me right. None. There is a phone number, but its a recording that tells you to leave an email. The emails did not come through in a timely fashion and I started to hyperventilate. One email that finally worked said that I would not lose my work, however, that did not console me, because after taking the plunge and hitting cancel to switch the plans, another box popped up (see below) that only gave me the options to join a district plan or to downgrade or cancel. Well, none of those are good options when you are wanting to SWITCH to an individual plan and not one of those. It also says you'll lose full access and I wasn't sure if that also meant access to what I had created so far. So I plunged in and prayed hard and selected to downgrade. Thank goodness luck was on my side. My video was still there AND finally in the top right hand area of the screen, it gave me the option to simply upgrade. After that, everything was fine. I don't know about you, but when I have spent hours working on something that I deem is great, I freak out when it gets pulled out from under me! It's like when your computer crashes and you didn't save your word document (which I haven't had happen since early college days)."
More Information on
WeVideo: https://www.wevideo.com/about-us
Spotify
Information
Spotify has been around since 2006,
is an easy downloadable app for multiple devices and carriers, and has over
forty million tracks. Created in Stockholm, Sweden, Spotify has been growing
through the years. Spotify includes audio streaming, DRM-protected music,
podcasts from record labels, and podcasts from media companies.
Plans &
Features
You have the choice of purchasing a
membership or sticking with the free version. The only downfall for the free
version is that there are advertisements or automatic videos that pop up when
they feel like it. The purchased version offers improved streaming quality and
fewer to no advertisements. After a thirty-day free trial, you can go premium
for $9.99/month. The benefits of Spotify premium are very similar to Apple
Music.
My Thoughts
When it comes down to listening to music,
overall I prefer to listen to through Spotify. I personally don’t consider Spotify
to be an easy way to create a podcast, as the majority of the database seems to
revolve around music, rather than actual podcasts. Spotify allows for one to
listen at home on a computer or on a phone on the go, and we all know how busy
our lives can get! But, for the sake of podcasts, I wouldn’t choose this program.
More information on Spotify: https://www.spotify.com/us/about-us/contact/
Podbean
Information
Podbean
has been around for ten years now, with stations ranging from arts to business,
comedy to health, religion to plain old music. Per their website, under the
about us section, they describe themselves as a “podcast publishing and
monetization service”. Podbean, like Spotify, is an easy downloadable app for multiple
devices and carriers, even allowing streaming on Amazon’s Alexa.
Plans &
Features
Podbean allows for free or premium packages, just like
Spotify, and is available for individuals or businesses. Podbean credits itself
for being easy to use and a need for very “minimal technical knowledge”.
My Thoughts
I have used Podbean in the past for a few of my assignments
and was partial to that one. The recording, loading, and publishing is easy to
do, fast, and easy to share. You can choose to share or embed your podcast to
blogs, websites, social networks, and more.
More information on Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/about-us
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Other Educational
Podcasts
A simple Google search for
“educational podcasts” brings up a never-ending list of links to peruse.
Depending on the age group that you work with, there are a number of beneficial
podcasts to listen to. If you are a bit more specific on your searches, you
will find podcasts for all age groups. Try searching “educational podcasts for
students”, and you are given more student friendly podcasts. The best part of a
podcast is the ability to fast-forward or choose a certain topic. Teachers and
librarians have the ability to listen to podcasts, find information, and use it
within the classroom and library, whether through them sharing or using a
snippet of the podcast.
Below are a few links we found that
are educational for both teachers and students. The first two links are geared
towards high school and college students but are great for snippets to be taken
from it for middle school students. The other links range from elementary to
high school.
(1) College Info
Geek: https://collegeinfogeek.com/best-podcasts/
The forty top podcasts of 2019 are listed and linked, you
are informed on how to subscribe to a podcast through a YouTube video, and you
are given a range of topics to look at and decide which podcasts fit your
tastes best. There are eight main podcasts to choose from with multiple
subcategories. For example: if you choose Hardcore History, you can choose a
whole podcast based on The History of Rome or 50 Things that Made the Modern
Economy.
(2) Listen Money
Matters: https://www.listenmoneymatters.com/best-educational-podcasts-to-listen-to/
This website boasts of the twenty-one best educational
podcasts that one should listen to every week. From history to politics, the
setup is very similar to the above link but with less options.
(3) We are Teachers:
https://www.weareteachers.com/best-podcasts-for-kids/
A popular website that I has used in the past that caught my
attention. With a total of eighteen podcasts for all ages, this website helps
you get started in finding student friendly and educational podcasts. Once you
begin to explore, you will end up finding another podcast you find to be
beneficial. The process is much like YouTube where it recommends a new topic of
feed. This website even came with lesson plans and ideas.
(4) Teacher Thought: https://www.teachthought.com/technology/51-education-podcasts-for-the-21st-century-teacher/
(5) TED Talks: https://www.ted.com/talks
or https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tedtalks-education/id470623037?mt=2
Another favorite of mine! I use TED Talks in the classroom
as motivational perks for students and a way to get them engaged while still
educating them on popular topics. All of their podcasts seem to be so igniting
and beautifully worded. Apple music now has a TED Talk Education app that you
can download for on the go.
(7) Best Value Schools: https://www.bestvalueschools.com/educational-podcasts-high-school-students/
(8) Cult of Pedagogy: https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/educational-podcasts-for-kids/
(9) eLearning Industry: https://elearningindustry.com/educational-podcasts-student-listen-4-amazing
(10) Podbean’s English Grammar Help: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/ivnhd-500f/English-Grammar-HELP-and-Podcasts-for-the-Inquisitive-ESL-Student--We%27re-Interactive%21
This is a great podcast for ELA students of all ages who
need to research or write a paper. The podcast hosts many reminders of what to
do in a certain writing situation.
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Topic
Makerspace and STEAM in the Library
Our Podcast: The
Written Portion
“Welcome back to the Novel
Librarian with Tara Hargrove. In today’s episode we’ll be talking about
Makerspace and STEAM and what they have to do with the library…
Traditionally libraries are meant
for reading and research. They contain rows upon rows of books, both fictional
and nonfiction. When outsiders think of a library, they think QUIET, BLAND,
STRICT, and sometimes UNINVITING. But being in the 21st century, so
many things have been thrown out the window when it comes to school libraries.
For years the word differentiation has been thrown at classroom teachers from
all directions. We all know students, and everyone in general, tend to have
different ways they grasp content that is to be learned. Some understand better
when they hear what is being taught, while others are more visual and need to
see images and videos along with the new concept. Then there are those who are
hands on learners and understand better when able to manipulate with their
hands. Librarians are collaborators, doers, experts at finding the best ways
for students to learn in order to become future ready citizens. This is why
makerspace has fit so brilliantly into the library learning commons and has
changed the way the worlds sees what a library is for.
The same still holds true as it did
many years ago when the first free modern public library opened in 1833,
libraries provide information literacy. The difference seen in libraries today
though is that this information literacy is brought to light in a different
way, one that can help reach all learners, no matter what age, race or gender.
If you try to pin down a single
definition for makerspace, it will not happen. Makerspace has a bit of a
different meaning to everyone who uses them, but one thing they do all have in
common is that they are collaborative, hands on learning where students figure
things out by purposeful “play.” Think about a kindergarten classroom. Most
contain areas for free centers. Those centers could include a playhouse and
kitchen with all the play toys one would need to pretend to cook with. Another
might have playdoh in it where the students try to recreate a picture. Then
there are building blocks where students, even at 5, can build buildings,
forts, castles and whatever else their minds come up with. This is purposeful
play and good for their growing brains. But why stop at kindergarten? Studies
has shown that even having makerspaces at the high school and college level has
benefited students. According to research by Ludwig, Nagel, and Lewis,
makerspaces are critical and related to the health profession field and its
undergrad students. They took several undergrad, premed students and put them
into makerspace groups, allowing them “to create tangible solutions to
health-related problems”(2017) and they discovered that what the students
learned and figured out is critical to their future in the medical field.
So, we all seem to UNDERSTAND
makerspace, but why in the library? And why STEAM instead of STEM. To answer
the first…two things come to mind…why NOT the library? And let’s face it, there
already aren’t enough hours in the day for teachers to cover all their
objectives and skills and although makerspace can take the place of traditional
learning in the classroom, it can downright stress teachers out to completely
flip what they are so use to doing. So easing them into helps. Lots of teachers
do have STEM or STEAM areas within their classroom, but on a smaller level.
When a makerspace is put in its own area of the library, it tends to be
community centered and can be on a larger scale. AND it can be an extension of
what they students are learning in their classroom. This makes not only for the
perfect place for students to collaborate and learn, but for the teachers and
librarian to do the same.
And why STEAM vs STEM? According to
a study published in Journal for Learning
through the Arts, a tug of war began years ago between STEM which is the
integration of science, technology, engineering and math and STEAM which adds
the element of ART (2016, p.14). However, their results show that the
“proponents of STEAM…clearly plays a role” (2016, p.14) in younger students
understanding science better. With only nine total hours of exposure to STEAM
learning, students showed a growth of 50th to the 63rd
percentile on their standardized science test. This is huge! It seems art is
like math, necessary in more than one area of learning. It’s like it’s
cross-curricular in a way.
So, as you can see, makerspace and
STEAM are both necessary components in the education of our students who will
one day be the future behind our workforce.”
Our Podcast: The
Spoken Portion
WeVideo- All the Frills
PodBean- The Nitty Gritty
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Podcast Uses in the
Library
Eases/Benefits:
- Most schools offer Wi-Fi to hook up to and students can listen on their own phones/devices in the classroom or library.
- Most schools have a computer lab or library, with or without headphones, available for students to access podcasts.
- Interactive and engaging.
- Some come with an attached video as opposed to just a spoken podcast.
- Students have availability to it after they have listened.
Challenges/Caveats/Potential
Limitations or Issues:
- Not all students have access to internet or a computer.
- Students may wander and not focus on the podcast that was assigned.
- Some schools may block podcasts from students without the teacher/librarian realizing it until the day the assignment is put into place.
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My Recommendation(s)
My recommendation is different from a BOOM! here is my
favorite. Each one had something unique to it that I really enjoyed, while
others had something I could definitely live without.
Here is my breakdown:
- Best recording and editing program goes to WeVideo.
- Best place to listen to music, with some podcasts, goes to Spotify.
- Best place to listen to podcasts goes to Audioboom.
- Best place to go to create a quick and easy podcast goes to Podbean.
Tara's Thoughts
“I love listening to podcasts...I'll be honest, I don't normally use listen to them from the teacher or librarian side though, I like to listen to them for the sheer pleasure. I absolutely love to listen to Ted Radio Hour, The Chalene Show for health and fitness reasons, beauty secrets and tips from The Skinny Confidential and Enjoying Everyday Life with Joyce Myers to get in some soul food. I have always used Pocket Casts to house my podcast channels on, but have found myself using Spotify a little bit too. I also listen to my new districts podcast through Facebook, which you can find here. So many avenues and such a great way to get in a little bit more knowledge as you're driving around running errands, working out or even getting ready in the mornings for work. My husband has been obsessed with The joe Rogan Experience which is pretty awesome (but the language is for grown up ears only).Although I love to read, I don't always have time and I feel like I can absorb listening to others talking about subjects and ideas I'm interested in just as my six year absorbs what I read to him at night before bed. Even when I taught fifth graders, they would beg for me to read to them...there's just something about having someone else read to you that is so calming and enjoyable.”
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Bibliography of
articles researched for podcast:
Graham, N. J., & Brouillette, L.
(2016). Using Arts Integration to Make Science Learning Memorable in
the Upper Elementary Grades: A
Quasi-Experimental Study. Journal for Learning through the
arts, 12(1).
Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1125147.pdf
Slatter, D. & Howard, Z. (2013). A
place to make, hack, and learn: Makerspaces in Australian public
libraries. Australian Library Journal, 62(4),
272–284. Retrieved from https://www-tandfonline-
com.ezproxy.shsu.edu/doi/full/10.1080/00049670.2013.853335
This blog post brought to you in partnership with Tara Hargrove⤵⤵
Visit her blog at www.themrshargrove.com
I enjoyed reading about Spotify. I hear this app quite a lot, but didn't know much about it. Thank you for sharing this information. I also like reading this post, it was very detail.
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