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Podcasting for Technical Communicators

Podcasting for Technical Communicators. By Jennifer L. Bowie, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Technical Communication at Georgia State University For Currents on Saturday March 15, 2008. Overview. What is it: A brief introduction to podcasting

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Podcasting for Technical Communicators

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  1. Podcasting for Technical Communicators By Jennifer L. Bowie, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Technical Communication at Georgia State University For Currents on Saturday March 15, 2008

  2. Overview • What is it: A brief introduction to podcasting • Why should we care: Podcasting & technical communication • What would interest us: Podcasts for us • Why should we podcast: Jobs and interests

  3. What is it: A brief introduction to podcasting • Podcast: iPod + broadcast • Not just for iPods • Digital media files distributed over the internet • RSS feeds • Often played on portable media players (like the iPod) • Time-shifted

  4. What is it: A brief introduction to podcasting • Popular • 17 million podcast listeners in 2008 (predicted ) • 16% of Internet users in 2007 • 30% of MP3 player owners have downloaded a podcast Red is blogging Blue is podcasting Google Trends search

  5. Why should we care: Podcasting & technical communication • Technology and media are often part of our jobs • We are communicators • Audience, purpose, context & the five canons • Oral presentations • Lessons learned may help other forms • “New” way to reach audience and get the message across • We are researchers and interested in learning • Quick reference for us to point to

  6. Why should we care: Podcasting & technical communication • Too little time: work & personal • Jobs often have constantly changing technology and training requirements • Jack (and master) of all trades • Understand the trends

  7. What would interest us: Podcasts for us Two categories: • Job • Entertainment/Education/Life

  8. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Job/Educational ) Writing issues: some Grammar Girl: Grammar tips Podictionary: Definition and history of a word Trafcom News Podcast: Communication in various forms with clients, prospects, and employers What is missing here? Tech writing/comm: few Tech Writer Voices: Tech writing podcast by an STCer (?) Business Writing with UpWrite Press: Tips and advice for workplace writing Musing of a Tech Writer: More personal look at life politics, movies and tech writing This about it STC: very few Networking Tips for Freelancers, Work-at-Homers, and Other Professionals: Washington DC Chapter podcast http://stcwdc.podomatic.com/ STC Atlanta: Our own podcast! http://mschoen.libsyn.com/ East Bay (Northern CA) podcast http://www.ebstc.org/podcasts.html

  9. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Job/Educational ) • Technology: tons • TED talks • This week in Tech: Latest trends in tech (Leo Laporte) • Inside Mac Radio: News and updates from the Mac community • Learning Technology: many • Learn Excel from MrExcel Video Podcast • LearnFlash.com Video Podcast • Building the Pod: About using Adobe Audition • Design: lots • Appclinic – Graphic design tutorials • Tips from the top floor: Digital photography • The InDesigner: InDesign advice and help for designers

  10. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Job/Educational ) • Usability and User Experience: some • UIE Brian Sparks: User interface engineering (was SpoolCast) • UXpod: User experience podcast • Design Critique: “Encourages usable product designs” • Web Design: some but podfading (or in German or about marketing) • Boagworld: For serious designers • Web Axe: Accessibility web design podcast • Screen Space: Web design for the average person http://www.screenspace.org • Language: • JapanesePod101.com • Jordanian Arabic Language Lessons (done by the Peace Crop) • Learn French by Podcast

  11. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • Fiction: • Escape Pod (scifi), Pseudopod (horror), PodCastle (fantasy, April 1) • The New Yorker Fiction • Earthcore, Ancestor, and Infection: podcast books by Scott Sigler • Hobbies: • Gaming: Virgin Worlds • Gardening: Dirt on gardening • Astronomy: AstronomyCast

  12. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • History: • 12 Byzantine Rulers • Great Speeches in History • Military History Podcast • Advice: • Quick and Dirty tips: Money Girl, Mr. Manners, Legal Lad, Mighty Mommy, Get-it-done Guy • Savage Love • Monster Podcast (Monster.com)

  13. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • Health & Exercise: • PODRUNNER: Music for running • Tri Talk Triathlon Podcast • National Institutes of Health • Radio Theater • Decoder Ring Theatre • Spaceship Radio • Radio Adventures of Dr Floyd

  14. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • Alternative Lifestyle • Q-Podders community: www.qpodder.com • Polyamory weekly • Feast of Fools • Other interests: • Talking Traffic • Ask a Ninja • Midwest Teen Sex Show

  15. What would interest us: Podcasts for us (Entertainment/Education/Life) • Politics: • Obama & Clinton both have them • 2008 Central’s Presidential Election Podcast • Left Wing Nut Job • And much more • Education and iTunes University • Music • Interviews • News • Local • Books

  16. Why should we podcast?For our Job • Many companies or organizations have them • About 1/3 of major corporations • Examples: • Planned Parenthood • Microsoft: Voice of Support PodCasts • The Jim Henson Company Podcast • Types: • Company Sponsored • Product-based • Product-integrated • Company News

  17. Why should we podcast?For our Job • Value: • “Global” time-shifted and relatively low-cost communication • Reaches different audiences • Gives customers “more” • Establishes trust in the product or company • “Advertising” • Enter the podcasting community • Community development • Consultant Podcasts: • All the value and then some • Get name out and known • Give the client a preview

  18. Why should we podcast?Personal • Job related • Interest related • Subject • Love it • Look for holes or focuses • Time considerations • Length • Your time • Licensing: Consider Creative Commons • Music: • Magnatune • Pod Safe Audio • Creative Commons works: NIN Ghost I-VI • Money Considerations • Costs • Profit?

  19. Podcasting for Technical Communicators • We are communicators • Can be useful on the job, as a consultant, or just as an interested person • A perfect fit

  20. Thank you • Jennifer L. Bowie • http://www.rhetcomp.gsu.edu/~jbowie & http://www.screenspace.org/ • jbowie@gsu.edu • Images: • “Angel holding a microphone boom” by Herman Beunhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/_herman/2175392600/ • “Microphone” by sAeroZar's http://www.flickr.com/photos/52291469@N00/2236886057/

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