• Is the podcast associated with a publisher, a school, or an individual that you already know is reputable?
Oertelt spoke at the very reputable school St. Cloud State University.
• What does the accompanying Web site or blog say about the host(s)? Who are they? (Remember that just because a podcast is produced by amateurs doesn't mean it has had information.)
The website gives an overview of Henry's story and his reasons behind sharing his story. He is Henry Oertelt and he is a holocaust survivor and these podcasts are the story of his survival of 5 different concentration camps.
• Did the host(s) take the time to set up discussion boards for listeners? While this isn't necessarily a reflection on the show's accuracy, it demonstrates that the host cared enough about the listeners to create a community to encourage interaction. The discussion boards are also a medium through which feedback and corrections can be made.
There are no discussion boards but this doesn't reflect negatively on the podcast for me because of the personal nature of his story.
• Does the podcast have show notes? Show notes are like citations and help strengthen the host's arguments by making sources apparent.
The author does not show notes but that is because it is a personal story and does not contain information that needs to be cited.
• Is there a way to contact the host(s)? When contacted, is there a response?
There doesn't seem to be a way to contact the host.
• How old is the show? Many podcatchers display a date stamp for the show.
The show was recorded in August of 2006 over a four hour period.
• When was the last show released? If it was some time ago, does the host explain why?
This podcast was intended to be only 12 parts explaining the long length of time between the last post and now.
• Is a special player or proprietary software needed to play the show? If a listener needs to download something special, it might not be worth the effort.
The podcast appears to be able to be played on any computer.
• How is the audio quality? Does it sound like the host is in the next chair or on a 10-year-old cell phone halfway down a well in Kazakhstan?
The audio quality is very good.
• How easy is it to acquire? Can the podcast be caught using an aggregator, or do you have to remember to download it from the podcast's Web site each time a new show is released?
It seems that you have to listen to the podcast online only.
Evaluation questions from: Stick It in Your Ear: Keeping Current with Podcasts.
Currently none of my professors use podcasts but it is something I really wish they would take advantage of. I think it would be very useful as a studying tool.
~Sarah
No comments:
Post a Comment