Podcasting has taken the Internet by storm over the last few years as an accessible way to disseminate information, from sharing opinions and personal stories to academic work and research through a digital audio format. Podcasting also allow creators more freedom to express their creativity in their work by inputting their own voices, music, and sounds than reading and writing alone would typically allow.
As an academic tool, podcasts can serve as a form of a durable assignment that has the potential to not only increase the learning of the student by engaging their creativity but educate the people they choose to share it with in a format more appealing to the non-collegiate. It also may fit non-traditional learning styles better than the typical writing assignment or term paper, as not every student can (or wants to) write a long paper, but most students can verbally discuss the topics that they are passionate about. Podcasts also allow for the real world to better access academia by providing a bite-sized discussion of research that can be shared outside of researcher-to-researcher or student-to-teacher interactions.
Open access to education is paramount during a time where the rising cost of education gatekeeps the pursuit of knowledge behind paywalls.
The Makerspace offers a variety of recording hardware and software, including:
What's the Difference Between Gain and Volume?
Gain focuses on the strength of sound as it is input into the system from the microphone.
Volume focuses on the strength of sound as it is output into our ears through the headphones.
Both are measured in decibels.
Be Careful with How High Your Gain Is!
The higher/stronger it is, the more sensitive the microphone will be to sound. With high gain levels, your speaker's voice will be louder but you may be able to hear unwanted background noises like fans, other voices, or external sounds. When recording in groups, this can be an issue as a higher gain may cause a microphone to pick up the other speakers' voices instead of isolating their voice to their own microphone/recording track.
What's the Difference Between Stereo and Mono?
Stereo audio plays back different audio from the left and right sides of your headphones, making it sound like the sound is moving around you
Mono audio is a less three-dimensional sound that plays the same sound in both the left and right headphones.
Podcasts are typically made/exported in mono.
Ready to make your own podcast? Here are some steps to take and tricks to follow when setting up your own recording:
Ready to publish your work, or wanting to use someone else's publication in your podcast? Learn more about Creative Commons Licensing below!