A presentation I gave in Sept. 2008 at the WV Higher Ed conference. Covers some ideas on how to use Podcast Producer along with iTunes U to deliver recorded classroom content. WVU does not use this system.
4. Defining Podcast
A podcast is a series of audio or video digital-media files which
is distributed over the Internet by syndicated download, through
Web feeds, to portable media players and personal computers.
A podcast is distinguished from other digital-media formats by its
ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded
automatically when new content is added.
8. Capture Encode Deliver
iTunes U with help from Podcast Producer
9. What is Podcast Producer?
an assembly line for encoding & publishing podcasts
can literally be 3 clicks to record & publish a podcast
10. Podcast Producer Overview
• Included in Mac OS X 10.5 Server
• Works with Macs & PCs*
• Web-based Administration
• Customizable Workflows
• Camera Control
• Custom Intro, Outro, Titling & Watermarking
• Email Notifications
• Xgrid-enabled
11. Podcast Producer Overview
• Written in Ruby
• Can Use: Recorded Video, Recorded Audio, Saved Files, Recorded
Screencasts (Mac OS X 10.5 only)
• Publish to: iTunes U, Apple TV, Streaming, integrated Blog
• Default formats: MPEG4, H.264, 3GP, AAC, QT Streaming
• Extra formats: WMV, FLV, Real Media
14. Gotchas When Deploying
• NOT a turn key solution. Takes work.
• Macs in every room w/ a camera.
• Credentials
• Timestamps (biggie surprisingly!)
• Default encoding quality too good
• Will take trial & error to time intro and titling
properly
15. Try before you buy!
Apple will lend hardware & software for you to test
16. Notes About Example
• Don’t blink because the recorded video portion is
very fast. Podcast Producer is responsible for
assembling the rest of the video.
• Business & Economics was simply used as our test.
• I will not win Dancing with the Stars or American Idol
anytime soon.
20. What is iTunes U?
a publishing platform for podcasts as well as other audio & video
a familiar platform to many people
21. iTunes U Overview
• Uses Apple’s iTunes software and will sync with an iPod
• Part of Apple’s iTunes Store
• Over half of the nation’s top 500 schools use iTunes U
• Examples: Stanford, Duke, MIT and Penn State
• Now accessible for users with disabilities
• WVU on iTunes Launched: August 3 2007
• Average about 2,000 downloads a week. Mainly athletic
content.
22. Common Questions
• Will it work on Windows? Yes.
• Do I need an iPod? No.
• Do I need iTunes? Yes.
• Can content be protected? Yes and no.
• File formats? QuickTime, MP3, PDF
23. How is WVU using
iTunes U?
• Acts as a repository for marketing materials and
recordings of special events.
• Examples: TV commercials, unit podcasts, special events
• We will be integrating many new products using Podcast
Producer.
• Majority of the content is not academic. Lack of
academic content has hurt our chances of inclusion in the
iTunes Store.
• Simply put, we’re not using iTunes U to its full potential.
24. Tips for Using iTunes U
• Talk to your classroom tech or instructional technology
folks at the beginning.
• Think through the organization of your current and
future content. Understand the limitations.
• Seek out content creators. Student radio stations or
Journalism programs are a good place to start.
• Find solutions for capturing & encoding content.
• Don’t become a bottleneck. Provide access for content
creators early and often.
• Make it a part of every project.