Digital Age Learning Platforms
In
the digital learning age, one begins to question the cost of education. In a glance
it could be free. If an individual desire to learn exists, there is always a method. While college may cost $200 to $900
a credit hour, Apple Podcasts are free. If one seeks knowledge for the sake of
pure learning, today’s internet environment and Apple Podcasts facilitate that
learning.
A
review of podcasts shows the simplicity of the system. If an individual has an
Apple ID, they can access the system. An interesting aspect is Apple
regulates that Podcasts are free https://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/fanfaq.html.
This facilitates an individual’s pursuit of knowledge in its purest form.
In
the development of a podcast, a creator must subscribe to certain standards https://itunespartner.apple.com/podcasts/articles/creating-your-show_requirements. By establishing a set protocol for
Podcast creators to follow, it facilitates functionality of the system and a
reliable experience for the subscriber. Another aspect is the vetting by Apple.
By reviewing each Podcast, the corporation ensures a certain level of ethical
standards. Another feature for developers of podcast is a built-in analytics
program https://itunespartner.apple.com/podcasts/articles/podcast-analytics_data.
This system provides data on downloads and views of the podcast.
In
reviewing the Apple Podcast platform, the only limitation is the requirement to
have a website to host the video/RSS feed https://itunespartner.apple.com/podcasts/articles/creating-your-show_requirements.
Though the Apple site offers a link to preferred Podcast hosting services, such
websites can cost between $20-$80 a month depending on data requirements. Although Podcasts are free for the
subscribers, there is a cost for the producer of the content.
The greatest advantage of a Podcast
is the ability of a creator’s information to be free to the world. As a creator
of content, an individual should be prepared to not only develop the idea to
set the world on fire, but also provide the means and artwork to ensure its
publication on Apple.
This is great information on the utility of podcasts. I have also found podcasts to have utility in delivering short or medium-length content/messaging to drive traffic elsewhere. For example, to tease a new book or drive up interest in a webex or conference. As a medium, the podcast has a lot of good uses.
ReplyDeleteI agree in the usefulness of podcasts. Your comment of using podcasts as a teaser is a new aspect I’ll ask about in my job. Too often, YouTube and Facebook are the mediums of choice. Podcasts may offer a new venue to drive interest as you mentioned.
DeleteThanks for sharing this introduction to Apple Podcasts. In the past, I've listened to casts for recreational/soft enrichment purposes. I appreciate the fact that Apple vets these podcasts especially since the "evils" of Wikipedia (aka a non-refereed source) have been drilled into my conscious by grad school professors. Now, I'm wondering if it might be possible to find a way to offset the cost of producing the podcasts.
ReplyDeleteThe thought of copyright/intellectual property review has been on my mind lately. I appreciate how Apple reviews the podcasts and the rigor behind video formatting. I concur on costs of hosting podcasts or videos. It is an area I am also reviewing to find cost efficient websites and hosting services.
DeleteWonderful information about podcasts and the Apple ecosystem that supports them. I have used the Android app, Podcast Addict, for years. It pulls podcast information from Apple. I took for granted the consistently high-quality of the podcast system and shows. I agree, podcasts can be a great way to engage with educational material and complex topics. The podcast app I use has features to skip silence and adjust the playback speed.
ReplyDeletePodcasts represent many of Kelly's forces; becoming, flowing, accessing, sharing, filtering, remixing, and interacting. Regarding remixing, I'm thinking of content providers, NPR for example, that provide apps to create a personal listening experience by creating a playlist of show segments. It would be nice if I could search within audio as easily as text. Sometimes, I would like to listen to something again or look up additional information and it is a challenge to find the right five-minute clip.
I'm not sure how I would use podcasts to lead. But maybe that is the point. Perhaps the technological forces will result in productive, collaborative, coordinated work that does not require much, if any, guidance from a person designated 'the leader.'
Good point, Joe, about podcasts reflecting several of Kelly's "forces." As to using podcast to lead ... I like to think about leadership as multilayered, and podcasts could be used to disseminate strategy, policy, kudos, or simply provided by the training folks but encouraged by the leaders for personal development.
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