Pupils Learn To Podcast

Are you concerned that you are too old to learn to podcast? Or even too young to learn to podcast?

Earlier this year my 7 year old daughter had a project for school - to record someone from her family and interview them about school life in the ‘olden days’.

Well unfortunately for her, other than her parents (who at times feel ancient), she only has one surviving grandparent and that’s her Granny who lives in England.

So how was she going to complete her project?

Granny is well into her eighties and does get confused at times, so we put a little plan into action.

Elisha drafted her questions and then asked her dad to phone Granny with the questions and to ‘book a time’ for her interview the next day. This gave Granny time to write her self a few notes to remind herself what to cover in the ‘interview’.

The next day, Elisha interviewed her Granny and recorded the call, which we then made into a CD and she used the information she had gleened to write up her report.

Now this wasn’t quite a podcast, but it was a great exercise for her and she was very proud to have recorded her own CD since she often listened to me being played back through the car stereo when I used to broadcast a live radio show.

I read recently that in the UK that this September, the first qualification in podcasting is to be established where students will learn how to make audio and video podcasts.

The course is to be awarded by the NCFE (the National Council for Further Education).

David Grailey, chief executive of the NCFE, stated:

Podcasting is fast becoming a part of everyday life - vicars are delivering sermons via podcasts, police departments are launching ‘crimewatch’ video podcasts and schools and colleges are recording lessons via podcasts. It’s therefore vital that we offer people both an understanding and the skills to utilise this technology.

The article also reported that podcasting in the UK has grown to a population size of 18% and awareness of podcasting at 70%, which seems much higher than my experience in Ireland. Usually at the seminars and events I speak at with regular business leaders well under 20% would have come across the term podcasting.

And remember we are looking forward to meeting podcasters young and old at the forthcoming PodCamp Ireland. In my books you are never too young to start podcasting! And it’s a simple and wonderful way for us to record family events and conversations.

I only wish I’d had the same opportunity as Elisha some 30 years ago when my Granny was alive.

Source: Times Online