June 2009 TipThis is a featured page

Including Podcasts & Audio files on your Wetpaint site

There are numerous ways for students to record sound files including cell phones, iPods, flash drives and laptop computers. These sound files can help enrich learning in numerous ways. Interviews can be conducted with guest speakers or visiting assembly musicians. Daily announcements can be recorded and posted to a Wetpaint wiki, a class Moodle site or a school's website or blog. I recall hearing an elementary school English instructor record a Poetry Jam of her students reading their poems - it was great to hear her kids read their work. Podcasts make our students creators and presenters of the content. It's very powerful learning.

Below is a short recording I created using Houndbite:



Here is a sample of iMeem's player - this is a recording of a sample job shadow interview that was recorded by one of my students and a fellow staff member. You can see how it fits into our project by viewing our sample ePortfolio project wiki. The students have taken this much further than we could have imagined and our original sample isn't as impressive as what our students have created on their professional ePortfolios.




The method for placing your sound files on your Wetpaint site is similar to those steps you would use for placing any other embedded item like a YouTube video, a DocStoc (pdf or Word) document, or a Slideboom (PowerPoint) presentation. Here are the basic steps:

  1. Wetpaint does not act as the host for these types of files. They tend to be a bit large and require a 2nd party hosting site. That is where Houndbite or iMeem can help. These services are to sound files what YouTube and TeacherTube are to video files.

  2. You will need to sign up for a free account at either of these sites and then respond to the verification e-mail that they will send you.

  3. You can record your sound using Apple's Garageband (on a Mac) or Audacity (Mac or PC) Try to keep the file size below 8 MB. If they are simple voice recordings you can skip the high quality sound level and go with basic settings - that will help reduce the overall file's size. Longer recordings can be broken into separate, smaller parts that can be placed as separate recordings. Save or export your file as an MP-3 file.

  4. Upload your file to the sound file host (iMeem or Houndbite). Once you've uploaded your file you should be able to view your uploads and locate the embed code. Houndbite's embed code looks like this:

    June 2009 Tip - Wikis in Education
  5. Select and copy the Embed code. Then using the EasyEdit Toolbar in Wetpaint, paste the embed code into the Widget. iMeem has a resident widget on Wetpaint. For Houndbite, you'll be using the "Other" widget.

  6. You can resize the player box or format how text will flow around the player box on your page at this point.

  7. Choose save and your embedded sound file - the player will then appear in a player box on your Wetpaint page.
Houndbite seems more geared towards voice recordings such as podcasts, speeches, lectures and presentations - the types of files educators tend to create. Another great feature about Houndbite is a resident recording app that allows one to record their message directly on their upload page.

iMeem appears to be centered around music files. iMeem's player often only plays 30 seconds of audio and then suggests a viewer then jump to the host's site to listen to the entire broadcast. This is an attempt to make certain copyrighted materials are only excerpted - not used in full.

Whichever sound host you decide to use, make sure that you're aware of copyright restrictions of recorded music and voice materials. Garageband sound clips can be used freely by students. A creative commons licensed music provider like Freeshare could be a source for freeware sound files you can use in both Garageband and Audacity. Freeshare is an option only if your wetpaint site is restricted to invited members (students) only - it is not considered rights-free when audio files are placed on an open public site like a blog.

Have fun and feel free to add your sound files below to show how you're using this terrific tool with Wetpaint!

Al Tucker
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July 24, 2009
A new related find: Wetoku

I just discovered a new means of recording both sound and video (vodcast) together to create interviews with side-by-side video panels. Here is a sample that founder of Wetoku, David Lee has posted on his blog:



A simple cam and microphone is all that is necessary to create this type of recorded interview. This is still in private beta, but you can apply to be a beta tester by contacting David through his website at: http://www.wetoku.com/




altucker
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beyondny posting your helpful audio file guide 2 Jun 22 2009, 7:59 AM EDT by beyondny
Thread started: Jun 21 2009, 10:27 AM EDT  Watch
Al Tucker, I have posted your page on upoading audio content in it's full form on my wiki, giving you full credit, is that okay? I am creating a site for clinical professionals to help refine their ability in counseling method titled Motivational Interviewing. I want to assist others in posting practice audio files and I am brand new to wikis and podcasts.
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altucker What do we do about inappropriate content? 0 Jun 19 2009, 1:54 PM EDT by altucker
Thread started: Jun 19 2009, 1:54 PM EDT  Watch
This issue keeps popping up, it will not go away - the reality is that we cannot insulate our kids from the myriad of content that is the internet. It's impossible to protect them from idiocy. Our kids are also susceptible to danger on the street, from the influence of peers, from all types of media, from driving on a highway to hundreds of other risks the young face every day. A simple Google search can turn up all types of bizarre results. What we can do as adults, is to TEACH - to model, and to help them make good choices.

There are also technology steps we can take to help protect the young - if you don't want your kids searching YouTube or any other media hosting site - post their sound/video files and embed to their wikis for them! Collaborate with kids on their sites - that's how we can model responsible behavior. The reality is that the internet isn't G-rated and we can't make it that way - it's just not going to happen.
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adasVav Including Podcasts & Audio files on your Wetpaint site 0 Jun 11 2009, 8:02 PM EDT by adasVav
Thread started: Jun 11 2009, 8:02 PM EDT  Watch
This tip arrived just on time…..we were looking for options for simple recordings into wikis, however, after looking in houndbite.com website, I saw some options of recordings you can listen to. I can not send my 14 y/0 to use this website and “by the way” to listen to the inappropriate recordings. The parents will not like this option as well. This is the reason I don’t send my students to look for clips in YouTube. I like the simplicity of the process and I might use it by myself.
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