The Podcast

In seeing some of my classmates post, I noticed it was going to be exclusively a "gabcast.com" event, this podcast assignment. So I went looking for another option. gCast.com, another podcasting site is not accepting new signups and as of February 1, 2010 they disallowed new uploads. Option 2, Clickcaster.com, this is either down or has been removed from the web. Try number three, audacity.com. Through audacity I found that this was an audio file editor and though great for recording and uploading audio files to a webpage or server. So this is what I will try. Assuming this works, I will post the audio file as an attachment in this blog and hope all is well.

I like the idea of being able to record classroom activities so parents and students can see what is being taught. One of the biggest problems I hear from my teacher friends is parents who "help" with the homework and undo teaching efforts. Or show the students shortcuts that are not always accurate. The second related problem is when the parents become upset over what the student thinks the teacher said. While this is a mouthful the situation often arises with Mrs. X said "..." and then the parents start calling the administrators without ever know what was said. But how cool would it be to upload the lecture of today's class. Did your child have a doctors appointment and miss class? take 20 minutes and help them catch up. Want to know what your child learned in school today? here is a list of the subjects and topics. Would you like to help your child study? watch these clips and ask the study questions? Did your student just not get todays math lesson? watch it again and see if something makes sense.

In the classes that have had past, or online lectures I have excelled through. If there was something I did not understand I can play it again and again. Was the teacher speaking too fast?*pause* catch up and *play*

In an age where parents pull their kids from school for the slightest issue, vacation, or whim how nice would it be to have a resource for them to "never miss class" or at least have the opportunity to never mis the learning.

As to my experiences with audacity program, I was surprised to find it was on my laptop already. Bonus! I like it because if you stutter, stammer, or get caught in the "ums" you can highlight that portion and delete it. There are all kinds of editing options which one could use. You can inert music, or other audio files, run sections in repeat, run it backwards etc.

It does seem blogger does not have a quick and easy way to post audio only files, but attaching this a video seems to have worked. This is me crossing my fingers.

*edit: SO that didn't work, but using the help bar directed me to box.net and I am now linking

http://www.box.net/shared/1qj0pbq5d1

to this blog. * end edit*

For future reference and for classmates who read this before they post, there is a bigger list of blogger supported podcasting sites through the help site.

What I like about this:

A. it is free, not the first five minutes, but once you have the program...you have what you need.

B. You can edit the silences and if you do it right :( the stutters too.

C. IF you are a teacher who teaches the same subject a few times a day you can take the best of the crop and post that one.

D. While I would like to have audio and visual, this is pretty easy to record the basics.

I had a computer science course here at IUPUI in which the professor had in one window the speaker, in another the running time, controls etc, and in a third and the largest examples of what he was discussing be it power points, illustrations or animations. It was easy to use and follow. This was podcasting, education style, at its best by my record anyway.

The party

A general success, that is how I would say the party went. Aidan(2yrs old) made out like a bandit. He was well behaved, letting lots of other kids play with his new toys and he taught his 5 year old cousin that eating broccoli and lettuce was cool. We got many compliments. I did finally finish the swing set, 3.5 hours later, and it held up though the rough play of an 8, 5, and 3-2 year olds.

The weather was hot, sunny, and a cool breeze blew through the house. It was a great day of family and friends and went late into the night with Rock Band following the party. My wife made the cake, and though she would say it was not her best I really like the idea. That is probably because I thought of it. If you have seen Pixar's Toy Story the spaceship base cake is filled with green alien cupcakes and you are the claw pulling out the chosen cream-filled cupcake. My wife a former grand champion cake decorator was disappointed, but the kids went nuts over their own cupcake in addition to the more traditional cake pieces.

Well, that is the big todo for today, we'll see what tomorrow brings.

It was easier than I thought

The thought of me, Josh Yoder, having to create a blog was a bit mortifying. On one hand, for someone with so many opinions, this should be easy and a good outlet. On the other hand, what if someone actually reads it?
So that was it, really? Creating this blog, is sort of like facebook. Uploading a picture, type in the spaces to type, search for friends...all very similar. Of course the difference is there are more than one templates here.

I have chosen Blue to be my main color, it is my favorite for a host of reasons. For now we will leave it at that, Blue is my favorite color. The picture will have to come soon, though I do not have a recent one around.

To introduce myself I would say that I am a man of way too many hobbies. Often competing for time with work, my hobbies include cooking, gardening, woodworking, camping, hiking, and landscaping. I would also add that my biology background leads me to have at least one aquarium and/or pond as a pet project at all times. Currently I am working on a water feature for my mother. It used to be the skeleton of a freezer, dishwasher, etc. It now flows with water, and is beginning to support life, yet not ready for fish. I will be at her lake house next weekend and supply pictures then.

I work at night, loading two aircraft bound for the DFW airport. That is to say that I supervise as much as possible 40 people who load packages for FedEx into containers and then onto two aircraft... you get the idea. I am finishing my biology degree with a countdown constantly running on my Facebook page.

I have a two year old son, who's birthday party is tomorrow. (Which is why this is posting so late) I also have a lovely wife of 6.5 years of marriage; although we met in High School dating since early September (we still argue about the exact date 6th or 9th) 1998. We were accused then of each stealing the other from our respective friends, and 12+ years later still are each other's best friend.

Over this weekend I will post pictures of my family as they will all be here for said birthday party, so please hang on for that. It is a Toy Story theme cake and decorations and I hope to record my son Aidan say Buzz Lightyear, it is truly cute.

That will have to be all for now, more to come. Cleaning and cooking to be done before the guest arrive.