I'd like to record how happy I was to listen to some recordings by German teacher trainees today, and to get to know some future language teachers who are interested in trying out new teaching methods. During the last few years, there had been resistance from teacher trainees taking part in my IWE projects, but 'times they are a changing'

I recommend that you listen to this podcast and add a comment:
http://seminar-karlsruhe.podspot.de/

Ruth

The International Writing Exchange(IWE) courses can ve found at www.writeit.to/sys.
Please get in touch if you would like to join our international group of undergraduate classes studying English by discussing cultural issues in Moodle and talking about them globally with Skype.

Ruth
ruth.vilmi at writeit.to

The International Writing *IWE* is my baby! I started it in 1993. It was one of the very first global email projects, and is still flourishing today. I hope that my current students will find time to post some voice messages here. They are also very busy writing to Round 49 of the IWE at www.writeit.to

I just recorded a very long message telling you about it but Podmatic encountered a bug, so I lost both the writing and the recording, so this time I'll just give you a link. You can comment and ask questions after looking at this page, and I'll give you a voice recording soon, once Podmatic has fixed the bug!

http://www.writeit.to/ruth

Last night , I had a long Skype chat with Rita Zeinstejer, a teacher I met on the EVO online podcasting course earlier this year. She talked to me about the CAEB Project, a project she was starting between her English class in Argentina and a Spanish class in the USA.

To learn more about this ambitious project, look and listen and add comments at>

http://caeb2006.podomatic.com

Today I'd like to add a link to a new intercultural podcast that claims to be the first in the world. It's hosted by Anne Fox from Denmark and Laurent Borgman, from Germany, and their first show was a great success. You can listen and comment on it at>

http://www.absolutely-intercultural.com/

I met Laurent Borgman many years ago. He and his wife visited my home in Finland one Christmas to discuss some international EU projects he was organising. Perhaps Laurent will see this and tell us a little about those projects, what the outcome was, and what kind of work he is doung with his classes today..

My prevous recordings were done using Podmatic's web interface, with no editing done. This time, I'm recording simultaneously with the Podmatic interface and, for the first time, with my Creative MP3. Please comment and let me know if you notice any differences in the quality, and if there is a difference, which version is better.
Well, unfortunately, I only managed to include the Podmatic recording here. next I must try to upload the Creative file, which I had to change from .wav to .mp3 format, using Audacity and Lame software.

Ruth.

This message is my reply to Scott's latest podmail.

Ruth

I'm going to try to import Scott's podmail into my podcast now. The volume is very low, but perhaps it will improve on its trip through cyberspace>-(

Below are the instructions that Scott sent to me as a text message. I'm a visual person and it's much easier for me to see them written dow. Thank you, Scott!

Ruth
Hi Ruth,

On podOmatic, with the podcast as well as email functions, you have the choice either to make a recording over the internet or to upload one you've made on your mp3 recorder (and stored on your local computer). Recording through podomatic is probably the simpler of the two (though the sound quality is more prone to degradation).

For an email message:
1- select podMail from your account page (http://podomatic.com/podcast)
2- choose compose and enter address, subject and text message as you see fit (any of these steps could follow the recording - this is my process).
3- click the Red record button and wait for the connction to be established (you might have to click "allow" on a pop-up dialog for the flash player - Flash is installed on your system isn't it?)
4- Once the link is established begin talking into your microphone (the signal indicator should move in relation to the audio input - this is the green/yellow/red animated horizontal bar).
5- Press Stop Recording when you've finished your saying what you have to say.
6- Before pressing the send button, you might want to listen back to your recording with the preview button.
7- You can re-record if you are not satisfied with the results

The only difference if you want to import a file you've recorded on your own system is to press import instead of record. You will then need to browse to the actual file on you own system to tell the browser to upload it to podOmatic. You can preview it before sending if you wish.

I've not used the mixOmatic option yet so can't say anything there.

So, sorry for the long message, next we need to let our friend know how to listen to the podOmatic message we've just sent them.

I think it should be intuitive - I just sent you a voice message Ruth, could you listen to it.

Essentially, the person receives a message from podomatic telling them that so and so has sent them an audio recording (similar to those lovely virtual hallmark cards). The person must click a link to be taken to podOmatic and then they get to listen to the message after following a link or two.

It might be useful to send a message to your own address first to see how everything unfolds.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes.

For a future experiment, I might try sending a message to the whole Yahoo! Group. stay tuned...

Listen to my recording about my own experiences with this software
http://www.podomatic.com/mail/show/inbox/2006-01-27T12_11_00-08_00

Download the client program from www.marratech.com
Use the link "Download Client Software" and download Marratech 5.1
There is a free version of Marratech software too, which is perhaps the best news for most teachers!

I was introduced to this marvellous software through a message from Sus and the Nordic Voice group and I believe that it can ve of interest to many of you who read this podcast.

I tried out the Marratech Conferencing Software with Nellie and we were both VERY impressed. It includes a two-way microphone (where both of us could speak at once!), video, chat, and large central white page where we could upload any pages we chose and discuss them. The links on the pages could be viewed too! As far as I understand, all of this is for free.

Ask the expert Per.Westman@netuniversity.se if you need to know more.

This could be an excellent way of helping each other. I was personally hoping to try to edit some recording in Audacity with someone! Another way could be by using Skype and Festoon. If anyone has experience with Marratech or would like to test this software with me, please let me know by commenting!

I've just found this great podcast made by Aiden Yeh for her speech class. Follow this link to see how her students use podcasts in various ways such as for finding clues from listening comprehension recordings, and for producing informative podcasts and self-evaluations.

http://aidenyeh.podomatic.com/

Today I learned a new term, Learncasting.

Alan Carrington from Adelaide University used this term in his online presentation>
http://ajax.acue.adelaide.edu.au/~allan/London311005/index.html

He explains that that Learncasting may include multimedia as well as text and sound. It should provide a means for lively , dynamic interaction between individuals and groups of learners.

In my very first posting, I made contact with students through Geoff Taylor, English language teacher at the Bardwell Road School, Oxford, UK. Take a look at how well the students are working here, and listen to their recordings>
http://bardwellroad.podomatic.com/

I commented on their first posdcast, where Jose was the guest producer.
Click the small green arrow below to see a photo of Jose. Unfortunately, the photo has been distorted.

I have been teaching communicative writing courses on line since 1993 and it's high time that I learned how to use the latest technology for using sound for language learning purposes. I plan to use the wonderful resources at our disposal in the online EVO course as much as I can and to pass on my newly-acquired knowledge to others.

I'll start by asking very basic questions about the gadet I bought to record and listen with, an MP3. I'll also ask questions about how to make this podcast , i.e. this Web page itself, how to edit text, and how to record and edit sound, as well as how to save the sound files in the correct format, and how to upload them to this page. After reading the questions, please scroll down to read the answers and comments from my online tutors and peers.

My final aim is to add some interesting recordings for you all to listen to>-( I'd love you and your students to comment with their own podcast recordings please>-(

QUESTIONS ABOUT RECORDING WITH AN MP3

I have a Creative MP3. It came with a manual in 14 languages. There were basic instructions on Getting Started>
-Set up computer
-Insert battery
-Transfer music
-Disconnect player
-Play music

There was also some text called 'Some Basic Functions
-Playing Music
- Listening to FM radio
-MP3 encoding
-Locking your player

There is also a FAQ section but NOWHERE in the manual are there instructions for recording. Would some-one kindly help me to make my first MP3 recording by writing basic instructions.

ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE CAN BE FOUND IN THE FIRST 5 COMMENTS

QUESTIONS ABOUT EDITING THIS PAGE

1. I can't see any way to edit this new page of mine. How do I find the instructions for editing please+

THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS IN COMMENT 6

Is it possible to divide this podast in some way, to separate the various questions and answers+ I would imagine that one would make a new posting or something+
How can one make use of html tags here please+ What is the tag line for please+
Why do some the the keys on my keyboard change their symbols here please, so a question mark shows as a plus sign+ Can I change this+