News and Views Podcasts

One of the best methods for incorporating media into an online course is to add audio content; audio is compact - so that users even with dial-up internet service can gain access to the media materials.

If you are interested in creating your own audio content, it is inexpensive and fairly easy to do (view some of my materials on MERLOT at
http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMember.htm?id=18564 ).

Although you can create your own audio content, you might also consider linking to the "News and Views" content available through National Public Radio
(http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php ) or your local public radio affiliates, such as Minnesota Public Radio (http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/podcasts/ ). in addition to "subscriptions" (to your iTunes or other podcast listening software), many sites provide links to specific broadcasts that you can share with your students. The secret is to check your favorite sites frequently in order to find the direct link while it is still posted (and then sharing this immediately with your students).
Future Tense with Jon Gordon is one of my favorite programs, so I listen religiously. As an example, (http://www.publicradio.org/columns/futuretense/
2006/10/23.shtml#008208 ) is an interview with Microsoft's Kristin Johnson that talks about the security of the new Vista Windows operating system (first broadcast 10/23/2006).

If you are interested in more information about what a podcast is, you can read more at WikiPedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast ).