Podcasts

 Whenever podcasts come up I think of the first time I ever heard of them. It was an episode of the teen drama One Tree Hill and one of the characters had a podcast on the show. I had to do a little research because it has been years since I have seen the show but I remember thinking something along the lines of "I will never be cool enough to have a podcast." This wasn't a wistful thought but simply an observation of the difference between my real life and a television drama. 

I guess I have to eat those words that only ever existed in my thoughts. As you might imagine, I have never thought of myself as someone that had something new to offer through the world of podcasts, or blogs either for that matter! They say necessity is the mother of invention, well I haven't invented anything but I can say I doubt I would have ever had either a podcast or a blog if not for graduate school assignments requiring me to do so.

When I am trying something I don't imagine using long term I stick to apps that offer basic services with no fees. This led me to the three podcast tools reviewed here.

PodBean

In all honesty, I have used PodBean once before for a previous semester's assignment. I recall some initial frustration because I had trouble figuring out how to get the audio file I recorded on my phone accessible on my computer so that I could download it for my episode. Now, this isn't exactly difficult as long as you use the correct file extension - which I didn't at first. There may be an easier way, recording directly on my computer for starters, but I was able to successfully get my episode uploaded. I used PodBean again for the podcast I just recorded and found it to be much easier the second time around although again, the difficulty I had the first time was relatively minor. You can listen to my latest episode on PodBean through this link: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-ge65b-112ec0f

Spreaker

This podcast tool was super easy to use. Perhaps it was the minimal previous experience I had but the process was so easy I struggle to recall exactly how it went, it just was. I think the hardest part was choosing a category and coming up with a brief description. With Spreaker there is the option to upload an image, as they say "a picture is worth a thousand words" so what a great way to draw interest if your intention is to draw listeners and develop a following. Experience Spreaker with this link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/15650470/carnegie-podcast 

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout was as user-friendly as the other two podcast tools. It did have more options but was still simple to use. I do like the visual aesthetic of Buzzsprout although I can't seem to pin down why that is. It was a little different to access the share link - the option is listed as "Email Link to Episode" but when you click on this it simply shows the URL and has a "Copy" button rather than actually generating an email. If you have an interest in making a habit of podcasting and want your episodes to be saved beyond 90 days you will have to upgrade from the free version. Check out my episode on BuzzSprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1887736/9543547

Any of these three podcast tools would be a great place to start for a novice like me. If you want your episodes to be saved you would need to opt for a paid account with BuzzSprout but PodBean will save for at least 11 months as that is how long it has been since my last podcast assignment. I didn't see that Spreaker has a time limit for saving episodes but there are limits to the total length or episodes you may save on the free account.

What other podcast tools are you familiar with? Share your recommendations in the comments below.

If you are less interested in creating a podcast than listening to them I found several articles that compiled lists of recommended podcasts.

We Are Teachers compiled a list of the best educational podcasts for K-12 students: https://www.weareteachers.com/best-podcasts-for-kids/.  And also for teachers: https://www.weareteachers.com/must-listen-podcasts/.

Edutopia compiled its own list of best podcasts for teachers: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/best-education-podcasts-betty-ray. There is also a list of educator approved podcasts: https://www.edutopia.org/article/13-educator-approved-podcasts-listen-year.

If you are interested in personal rather than professional enrichment here is a list of educational podcasts: https://collegeinfogeek.com/best-podcasts/ or https://www.listenmoneymatters.com/best-educational-podcasts-to-listen-to/

What podcasts you subscribe to? Share your favorites in the comments below.