As this is the penultimate post in this series about Podcasting for E-Learning, I’ve linked to two learning organizations with a well-deserved reputation for producing quality podcasts at the end of this post, but before you rush to find out more about SyberWorks’ and Xyleme’s podcasts, read on…
If you’re serious about podcasting, consider investing in a mini-studio. A well-equipped mini-studio can be a valuable asset to any learning organization. For a relatively small investment, you can provide employees with a comfortable environment to create high-quality audio and video content for their multimedia presentations.
There are a variety of environments that you can use to capture podcast audio and video. These range from using a simple desktop microphone and a webcam, to using a dedicated studio. Which environment you choose depends on your target audience and your budget. Presentations directed at customers or a similar public audience usually benefit from a higher-quality environment. For less formal presentations intended for a smaller or an internal audience, a webcam with built-in condenser microphone may be adequate.
A mini-studio.
Click on the image to view a QuickTime VR of the studio in a new window
A level of quality somewhere between these extremes is usually required for internal communications intended for distribution across a large organization, such as an executive presentation for the entire company or a training course viewed on-demand by a large number of employees.
At its heart, a mini-studio is a room that is modified to serve as a dedicated space for recording multimedia. Ideally, the mini-studio should be a permanent installation; it is a place to record and produce content in an appropriate environment. It should contain equipment that is easy to use, in good working order, and that is configured to enable users to do their work without being distracted by technical details.
- The room you choose might be a former office, conference room, or storeroom. You should choose a room that you can use exclusively for the mini-studio. The room will require some modifications, so don’t expect the space to serve other functions. Pick a room that is large enough to accommodate the equipment and one or two people. You should expect to use a room that is at least 10 x 10 feet.
- The mini-studio should be located in a quiet area of the building. Any background noise will become part of the recorded content and may be distracting to viewers and presenters. Try to select a windowless room that is located away from the following:
- Traffic noise—from cars, trucks, trains, and airplanes—makes a poor background for narration.
- Server rooms, demo rooms, training rooms, or similar spaces contain large numbers of computers that create noise and require ventilation equipment, which also creates additional noise.
- Lift shafts. Even if the lift is rarely used, or not used at all, ambient noise from roof-mounted equipment such as air conditioning and refrigeration systems may create additional noise.
Meeting rooms, conference rooms, training rooms, and exhibition spaces—especially rooms that use public address (PA) systems. - The main ventilation system. Some buildings have ventilation fans placed along a central shaft with smaller ducts connected that move air to various parts of the building. Rooms near this central shaft tend to be noisier than rooms farther away from it.
- Be sure to provide a comfortable chair with an adjustable seat height for each narrator. Also, you will need to provide a table, podium or a desk for the speaker’s notes or laptop computer.
And that’s it for podcasting - for the moment. Check out these two organizations if you want to hear some interesting e-learning related podcasts.
SyberWorks, Inc. is an e-Learning solutions provider based in Massachusetts. Their staff 
have create a collection of original articles with the intent of making unique and insightful contributions to the e-Learning community. Their podcasts and related educational resources including blogs and PDF-based articles are located in their Syberworks Online Media Center.
Xyleme, Inc produce the XylemeVoices learning industry experts podcast library. The Voices podcasting is a series of 10-15 minute conversations with learning industry experts on hot 
button topics from their area of expertise. The series’ participants to date include Allison Rossett, Ruth Clark, Janet Clarey, Conrad Gottfredson, Bryan Chapman and Clive Shepherd. These podcasts are educational in nature (not corporate sales pitches), and are promoted through online ads, social media, and press releases.
Oh yes, and here are the links to my E-Learning Curve Podcast, and my E-Learning Curve’s Other Podcast.
Tomorrow: One last podcast thing…
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