PoducateMe: Practical Solutions for Podcasting in Education
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For CareerChat, we outlined a very specific format for the project before we purchased
even a single piece of hardware or software. Our goal was to provide students with a
series of informative telephone and in-person podcast interviews with professionals who
would discuss job-search techniques and various career topics. We also decided that
each episode would be restricted to no more than 15 minutes in length (we felt that our
students were likely to lose interest in episodes stretching beyond this time limit). We also
wanted to accomplish our goals with a minimal investment of time and money. Not
counting the computer, we sought to spend less than $1,000 total on both hardware and
software while maintaining a high level of production standards.
In brainstorming potential topics, we made an effort to avoid the trap of simply
repackaging information that students could hear at our numerous job search workshops.
We recognize the value interactive sessions provide students and we did not want our
podcast to dilute the relevance of these programs. Our podcast would more or less serve
as value added content to the workshops by offering supplemental information and
focusing on topics not addressed in these sessions.
Recognizing the value Miami graduates could lend to our project, we planned to utilize
our alumni network to identify professionals who might be willing to speak on specific
topics of interest. It was important for us to include Miami alumni for this project because
we felt that students would assign greater credibility to professionals with whom they
shared a frame of reference. Also, it was felt that professionals would be generally more
receptive to and enthusiastic about interview requests from their alma mater than those
without a connection to the university.
Once the format, content and budget of the podcast were determined, we were well
positioned to research and purchase the hardware and software necessary to produce
our program.
System Considerations
Because digital audio files require intensive processing by your computer (especially if
you use multiple effects plug-ins and robust recording software), a fast processor and
large amount of RAM is recommended, if not necessary.
In most cases, you’ll want to have at least 512 MB of physical RAM and a 600 Mhz
processor. Owners of computers that come with only 512 MB of RAM should definitely
consider upgrading to 1GB or more (you can never have too much RAM). Another
important consideration is to have a hard drive that can keep up with your recording—
look for something that spins at 7200 RPM or faster.
As you create your podcasts, you’ll quickly accumulate a large number of sound files on
your hard drive. Considering that every minute of stereo digital audio (recorded using a
CD-quality 44.1 kHz sample rate and 16-bit depth) requires roughly 10 MB of hard disk
space, you can begin to understand that your resources will be uniquely taxed by your
recordings. You might consider freeing up space on your hard drive with the purchase of
