For the last couple of years Podcasting has been a hot topic at users conferences, email lists, and other community groups.  Basically putting audio and video online as part of your course.  But we have been doing that for years?  Yes we have.  The popularity of portable media players like the iPod from Apple and Zune from Microsoft, along with a new digital media standard (MPEG 4) has revolutionized what we have been doing for years.  In theory the definition of a true podcasts includes syndication.  We will discuss that in another post later. For this post and I want to hear from you,

What types of podcasts are you doing?

Share with all of us some innovative ways you are using podcasts on your campus, in your classrooms, in your e-learning etc.  I will share a few I have seen.

Chemistry Courses

A university chemistry course has labs. These labs have been usually taught by graduate students or lab assistants. Each one teaches their own way and their are some inconsistencies across the teaching. They created video clips with a faculty member demonstrating how to safely set up and complete the experiements. Students have them right in the lab to watch and review.

A Chemistry professor works lots of problems using his Smart Board 17" monitor and Camtasia Studio to work lots of problems for students.  He basically shows them how to solve various types of problems.  Students can go online in their Blackboard Course to review and watch these videos over and over again.

Special Education.

In a 4000 level course and instructor uses podcasts as a means to interview guest lectures, experts, parents and others for both the campus and online versions of the class.  Once recorded, the instructor uses Garage Band (Apple) to edit the podcasts and add sound effects.  Sound effects in the backgroud during various parts of the interview tell students their was a key example, phrase or concept being discussed they need to be familiar with. 

Music Education

An instructor is creating podcasts to introduce elementary school teachers who were not music majors on music, instruments, in the classroom.  Still images of the piano, keys and other key elements are shown during the podcast.  The instructor uses Garage Band on the mac along with photoshop to create the podcasts.

So share your examples on effective uses of podcasts in e-learning that you have seen, or are doing.