Thing 18: CPD23 - Screen Capture & Podcasts

Note: You can hear my voice for 30 days.

Thing 18 is what I have been waiting for. I have heard about Jing, that it is easy to use, and will download it to my computer today.  Camtasia is available at my library so I am more familiar with it.  I have used Camtasia to instruct users on how to get a password to access the online collection of databases from their home computer. Also, I have used Camtasia  to create a virtual library tour.   Some changes have taken place in the library recently so I am in the process of updating the virtual tour: taking new pictures for the PowerPoint and updating my script. 

One advice given to me when I first started with Camtasia was to not let the message/the lesson go beyond 3 minutes.  Students' attention span is limited. As Jamaicans would say,"So I get it, so I give it".

As a result of Thing 18 I created my first test podcast using Audacity.  I am excited.  The link to Podwhating was very helpful to me.  I did not know I had to download the MP3 encoder, LAME, to use in conjunction with Audacity.   For weeks I have been trying to figure out how to create a podcast.  I had the podcatching software, i-tunes, and the sound recorder, Audacity, then I was stuck.

My task this week is to check out how other libraries are using podcasts.  I noticed one Librarian blogger said that her students were not interested in non-visuals and were not keen on putting their book reviews in audio format.

On a personal note, I need to buy a more sophisticated mic for my home computer.  On this cheap mic I can hear all the emphasis on my 's' sounds.

Using these instructions I have signed up with a podcast host, archive.org. Since this is a test, this podcast will be for 30 days. I am excited!