User Guide

Creating a Podcast Episode

You can create a podcast episode by adding a special kind of content type within a course or organization Content Area, such as Assignments or Course Documents.

1. Access the Control Panel page.
2. Choose the Content Area (e.g., Course Documents, Assignments) where you wish to create the episode.
3. Select Podcast Episode from the Select drop-down list in the right corner of the action bar.
4. Click the Go button create the episode.

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Episode Information

Once you have accessed the Add Podcast Episode page, you need to complete some information to configure it.

1. Enter the name of the episode in the Title field.
2. Enter a description in the Description field.

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Podcast Media

Next, specify the media file that should be used to create the podcast. Any audio or video file can be used to create the podcast.

There are two options for adding the media file:

 

• Upload Local File: Select this option if you wish to upload the file and store it with your course content.
  Copy file from Content Collection: If the Blackboard Content System is enabled on your system, this option will be available. Select this option if the media file will be stored in the Content System, but you wish to add the media file as an episode to your course feed.

 

• External URL: Select this option if the media file will be stored on an external server but you wish to add the media as a podcast episode to your course feed.

 

1. If the content media is stored on your computer, click the Browse button for the Attach local file option and navigate to and select the file.
2. If the content media is stored in the Blackboard Content System, click the Browse button for the Copy file from the Content Collection option.
   Navigate to and select the file in your Content Collection.
3. If the content media is stored on another website, enter the address in the Link to an external URL field.
4. Click the Submit button.

 

Note: If you are using Podcast LX in conjunction with iTunesU, the External URL option should be used. Simply enter the URL of the mp3 file on the iTunesU server in the External URL field to create and distribute the podcast in your course or organization.

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Podcast Media

Podcast LX allows instructors to attach files, such as transcripts of the podcast audio content or presentations, to their podcast episodes. When course members listen and/or view the podcast, they can access the attachments via their podcatcher or within the Podcast tool in the course.

 

Browse for and attach any files that should accompany your podcast. You can specify a useful link name that indicates what the file is. If no link name is specified, the file name (e.g., Lecture1preso.ppt) will be presented as the link with the episode.

 

 

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Options

Specify the availability of the podcast episode. You can also restrict availability by date and time. Use the date ranges to specify the time range within which students access the episode.

1. If you want students to access the episode, select Yes as the Make the episode available option.
2. If you want to restrict access during a specific timeframe, select the appropriate Display After and Display Until options.

 

Once you have made your selections, click the Submit button to create the episode.