So I’ve finally had some time to use GarageBand as a podcasting suite … I have to say it is very nice.  I told my students this semester that I would attempt to podcast as many lectures as I possibly can so after the class period is over so they can download and listen to me all the time 😉 … I’m sure all of them will take me up on that one!

At any rate, the first lecture based podcast of the semester is up over at my class blog.  I used some really cheesy built-in GarageBand jazz score for the intrto music just for the hell of it.  It turned out to be OK … other than the fact it is an introductory lesson and my first attempt at doing this in the classroom.  BTW, the feed over at my class blog isn’t working correctly, so there isn’t any real way to subscribe just yet.  I am told it is being looked at.

So, all I do is walk into class with my PowerBook, plug a wireless microphone into the sound input, set the input in the system prefs, open GarageBand and go to the preferences to make sure the correct input is selected there, and start recording.  At the end of the lecture I simply export my slides as images out of Keynote and drop them into the podcast track of GarageBand, record a quick date and time stamp for the front of the podcast, and add some cheesy music.

Tuesday’s podcast of my lecture turned out to be an edited 30 minutes.  It took me about an hour to get it all together, but I must admit I was still learning how to use the software.  I may try and be more selective with the editing, but who knows.  At any rate that’s how easy it is!  Now, if only iWeb actually let me publish to my PSU webspace as easily as it lets me publish to my .Mac space … then we’d be in business.  Hey, baby steps!