Podcasts Tool

The Podcasts tool allows you to upload multimedia files to OWL-Space as a podcast. These files will automatically download to subscribers' computers as they become available. You can set the release date and time for each file, allowing you to upload course video clips or presentation files ahead of time and set them to release in time for each matching unit. You can also upload recordings of lectures as a podcast, interviews, source data, and many other possibilities.

The main Podcasts tool page shows an Add and Options tabs at the top, and below is the RSS address of your podcast, and a list of all your podcasts below. Users who choose not to subscribe to your podcast can manually download each file from this list, and you as the author can also revise or delete each file. The RSS address is used for members to subscribe to your podcast by inputing this address in their own podcatcher applications.

The Add tab allows you to add a new podcast. Press the Browse... button next to the Choose a file box to pick a file for the content of your podcast. In the Publish Date/Time box, enter the date and time you want the podcast to be released to subscribers (as well as posted on your OWL-Space site Podcasts tool section for manual download). You can either directly enter the date in MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM AM/PM format, or click on the calendar icon next to the box to use the calendar interface to pick a day and time. The Title and description boxes allow you to enter some brief information about your new podcast.

Finally, press the Add button to send your new podcast to the Podcasts tool. Note that even if you select a publish date in the future, your podcast will show up in the list right away (when viewed from your OWL-Space account). However, it will not be visible to your members until the publish date and time has arrived.

The Options page allows you to set whether your podcasts will be viewable by the public, or only by members of your OWL-Space site. In order for anyone (including site members) to subscribe to your podcast and use a podcatcher application to download them automatically, you must set the Podcasts tool to display podcasts publicly. If you choose Display to site, the podcasts will only be available to your site members, and they can only get them by going to the Podcasts tool and manually downloading them. Press the Save Changes button to save your new settings.