Frequently-ish Asked Questions
What is a Podcast?
As the term “podcast” gets increasingly buzzy, it seems to be increasingly used to refer to all kinds of things. In basic terms, a podcast is recorded spoken-word audio created for distribution. It can take lots of different forms: monologue, interview, documentary. We’ll get into examples as you work on your Listening Journal in week one.
This means there are lots of great use of audio — including some classroom assignments — that aren’t strictly podcasts. We’ll still spend time talking about things that will be relevant, including week two’s focus on recording and editing, but the general thrust of our discussion will be to move you towards distribution.
What… is this?
This is a self-paced introductory masterclass in podcasting. The goal is to introduce you to the genres and modes of podcasting, to get you to dabble in audio production, and to imagine an audio project for yourself. During scheduled iterations of the course, the LT&I team will use this space to give feedback to the developing projects; between iterations, this site will live on as a resource to be consulted.
It’s also an experiment in a new way of offering programming. Maybe it will work! Maybe it won’t. We’ll be looking for your feedback.
What do I need for this class?
Not much. A computer — or good tablet — that you can do audio editing on. A mic of some sort (but for the purposes of this class, your cell phone headphones or the headset you use for Zoom calls is just fine). Comfort with WordPress is an asset, but not required — we will get you up to speed quickly.
Your time commitment for this class can vary widely. We will suggest weekly tasks, and you can take them on — or not. Generally, this course can be completed in 1-2 hours/week, but it will reward whatever time you want to give it. You can come back to the exercises later, after the supported part of the course is over. You can post your projects publicly, or you can choose to keep everything you do in “Draft” mode. You can follow along without ever being added to the site or the Mattermost channel.
If you do complete all four tasks before the end of the scheduled period, we will issue you a certificate to show that you’ve completed this introductory course. And more importantly, we’ll be eager to partner with you on your next podcasting project adventure.