OBJECTIVE:  Students will incorporate podcasting and digital photography skills to create enhanced podcasts.

1. Students will take digital photos and add images and voice over in VoiceThread to document their learning. 
2. Students will create a podcast OR an enhanced podcast.

 

 

COURSE OUTLINE

 

Students will combine skills learned in digital photography, podcasting, and VoiceThread to create a final product.

 

Digital Photography Curriculum

Camera Basics -

1. basics of digital photography- terminology
2. digital memory cards
3. universal symbols/buttons
4. power and battery life
5. macro and landscape
6. flash
7. zoom - optical vs digital
8. organizing your photos
9. mobile phone cameras versus point and shoot cameras

Composition - framing the  subject

1. subject matter - What is the picture about?
2. light and shadow
3. color
4. point of view

 

Photographic Assignments

1. still life - you compose objects
2. landscape
3. portrait
4. nature study
5. reflections in glass or mirrors
6. fragments - pieces of larger objects
7. abstracts - studies in shapes, colors, shadows, patterns, textures, etc.
8. low point of view
9. manipulated photography - adding elements not original to the photograph
10. illustrate steps in a procedure

 

Transferring images from the digital camera to a computer

1. Create and name a folder to "hold" the pictures.
2. Connect the digital memory card to the computer using a USB card reader or a cable connected from the camera to the computer.
3. When downloading pictures, select the location of the picture folder that you have created to import photos.
4. Or use Picasa or iPhoto to import and organize your photos.

 

Working with Photos

1. cropping photos
2. adjusting the image, red eye
3. simple special effects

 

Culminating Digital Photography Activity (Select 1)

      Focus you photographs on a theme.

• Create a digital slide show with at least 20 pictures, 5 will have a special effect applied to them.

• Create a one photo montage with at least 20 pictures.

 

Voice Thread

• One member from each group signs in at VoiceThread.  The instructor will distribute user names and passwords for each group.
• Create:
  • Click "Create"
  • Upload photos and arrange
• Comment:
  • Create an identity for each group member
  • Group members add written or oral comments to photos
  • Note: When commenting orally, wait for the comment to play back completely before clicking either "save" or "delete."
• Share:
  • Save the link for later sharing (paste into a Word doc) and / or...
  • The Blogging group can use the embed code to add the VoiceThread to their blogs.  Simply copy the embed code given in the large box and paste it into the HTML side of the blog post.

     Example (with written comments):                                                      

           

     Example (with oral comments):

 

 

 

Podcasting Curriculum

 

1. Overview of what Podcasting is (watch Apple's Tutorial Video- http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#garageband-podcast)

2. Differences between a Podcast, Enhanced Podcast and VodCasting

3. Hardware overview

4. Software overview (Garage Band for Mac and Audacity for PC)

 

Start with a Plan

While it's easy to produce content for a podcast with GarageBand and a microphone, approaching your recording like a broadcast professional will aid in creating a show that people will be eager to listen to again and again.

Planning topics to discuss, possible guest interviews, and your show's length in advance will go a long way to producing a professional-sounding podcast. Since you'll be recording your project in an almost live fashion, you will have the flexibility of going back and re-editing sections as you like before you commit your show as a "wrap."

Since nearly everyone has heard a radio program, you should expect that your listeners have grown accustomed to hearing material produced in a certain way. While the fun of podcasting is having the freedom to break away from those age-old formulas, you might want to consider the basics before you lay down your first show. Here is a suggested framework for mapping out your production.

 

Sample Podcasting Project:

"MCSDigiKids"- You are going to work in pairs as you interview one another on a podcast show called "MCSDigiKids!" You will first write out your questions, do a few mock interviews before recording and then do the actual recording. Make sure to plan out the following before actual recording:

 

1. Select some music clips to use (from jingles)

2. Select who will go first

3. Come up with and type out at least 10 questions per person for your interview.

4. Take a photo of each person- you will need a headshot and about 5 action shots (download these to your comptuer via iphoto to be used in your recording)

5. Make sure you introduce yourself and your guest

6. Make sure you have an "Intro" and "Outro"

7. Speak clearly

 

Sample Podcast Recipe

• Shoot for a show length of 5 to 10 minutes.
• Keep topics moving, and limit topic coverage to 5-8 minutes.
• Try to use guests as a way to break up the conversation, pace, and tone of your shows.
• Use musical backgrounds (known as jingles) or other non-music interludes at the begining and ending of your interviews

Here's an example outline of how your show should flow:

1. Show intro monologue (who you are, what you're going to talk about): 30-60 seconds
2. Intro music jingle (repeat for each show so listeners identify the jingle with your show): 30-60 seconds
3. Topic 1: 5 minutes
4. Topic 2: 5 minutes
5. Interlude (music or break): 30 seconds
6. Topic 3: 5 minutes
7. Topic 4: 5 minutes
8. Closing remarks (thank the audience for listening, thank guests, talk about the next show briefly): 2 minutes
9. Closing music jingle (suggest same as Intro music jingle): 2 minutes

Record Your Show

Recording a podcast with GarageBand can be broken down into some basic steps that you may already follow when recording, editing, and mixing live instruments or vocalists.

1. Attach your preferred audio interface and a microphone to your Mac, or use your computer's built-in microphone.
2. Create a Real Instrument track in GarageBand with your favorite preset vocal setting or build your own. (Tip: Using the Gate helps to eliminate unwanted noise when you aren't speaking, and using Compression will smooth out the overall sound of your voice. Be sure to try the vocal transformer for some really fun effects!)
3. Adjust the Gain control on your audio interface to set the recording level of your voice. It's good practice to test your distance from the microphone to determine where you sound the clearest. Attach headphones directly to your Mac or audio interface for the best quality recording (sound from speakers will be picked up in your recording).
4. Add an AIFF, MP3, or AAC file (except protected AAC files), or a selection of GarageBand Apple Loops to serve as your background music. GarageBand Apple Loops allow for the most flexibility since you can vary the length easily. GarageBand Jam Packs are also a great way to add thousands more professional loops that'll add punch and polish to your podcast. Many professional broadcasts use music intros (known as jingles) to signify the beginning or end of a show. Apple Loops offer you the ability to create your own unique copyright-free jingles for use in your podcast.
5. Begin recording, remembering to keep your original microphone position. Don't forget that if you make a mistake, you can always do a second take and fix it when editing.
6. Edit and mix your final recording.
7. Export to iTunes and then convert to an MP3 file (save that onto your desktop).
8. For now we are going to have you make 2 copies of your recorded podcast MP3 file. You will recieve two blank CD's to record to using your computer. One copy is yours and the other copy will be given to your instructor.

 

Culminating Podcasting Activity:

Students will record a 5 to 10 minute interview session for a podcast show called "MCSDigiKids." Each student will partner up and create, edit and record their own enhanced podcast and then burn two copies to CD. One copy for themselves and one for the on site instructor to turn in to Instructional Technology staff members.

 

Resources:

http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#garageband-podcast

http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/podcasts/gb3.m4v