Podcasting

In 2006, I attended the National Gallery of Arts’ Teacher Institute on Dutch Art in the Golden Age.  This institute had a podcasting component to go along with its art history aspect.   A podcast is a multimedia digital file made available on the internet for downloading to a portable media player, computer, etc.  We created our podcasts with the assistance of the software Garageband 2.  Garageband is an apple compatible product which communicates directly with iTunes and iPhoto.  These two programs were used to bring our images and narrations into our podcasts.    Participants created podcast which revolved around our learning of Dutch Art.  We selected a work or works to include in the podcast.  Some also used additional images they created or were allowed to use.  We created narrative scripts which we recorded directly into iPods using microphones you can actually attach directly to the device.  We used Belkin Tunetalks (pictured right) but there are other devices available.

Garageband allows you to edit images, to some degree, and is quite easy to edit your recorded narration as well.  Garageband also has a variety of musical options one can utilize for background scores of the podcast.  I have included the one I made at the institute here for you.

Over the past few years I have created podcasts with some of my fourth grade students.  It is an interesting project which asks them to recreate their art history knowledge through the creation of a podcast.  The project involves research, writing scripts, recording their scripts with expression, syncing images to their narration, editing, and of course the many technical aspects of the project.  It supports, quite nicely, literacy skills in the Common Core.

I have included the podcast I created at the NGA Teacher Institute for your viewing.  I hope you enjoy!

-Thom Knab