Podcasting Introduction Training…
Podcasting Introduction Training course. I was very disappointed in this day course. You would think if you are doing an Introduction to Podcasting Course that one of the first things you would do is actually be on the microphone recording something, but no, we did not do that at all, in the whole course. We were basically taken through the theory of how to Plan a podcast, ie how frequently you want to publish the podcast, how to distribute it, where to get royalty free content, what to do before you launch (social media etc), and then we went onto using the Software programmes, which were Adobe Audition, or Audacity.
So instead of taking us through a practical session of what to do to record a podcast, ie, connecting up an external microphone, then bringing up the software, and then learning how to record, and being given tips on how close or not close to the microphone you should be and any other tips that someone who is teaching the course should share, we basically learnt about editing. There were already recordings set up on the software which we got to play around with, which is all very well if you know how to do the basics of recording first. So this course failed in that regard. I mean who puts on an Introduction to Podcasting course when you don't do any recording of a podcast! It beggars belief.
Another thing that did not work well at all was that we were in a room with 6 students, 3 opposite each other, and on both walls behind us was a tv screen which was connected to the editing software screen that the tutor was using, but because nobody told anyone to bring distance spectacles, I couldn't see where the tiny mouse was and what was being done, (it's bad enough looking at a mouse pointer on a laptop in front of you, but across the room was impossible), so I had to keep asking the tutor to come over and show me again. Such a waste of time, when in the pre-course notes, this should have been mentioned and people could have come prepared. Bring your distance glasses! Such a small thing, but huge when you can't see a flippin thing.
Then thirdly, something else that didn't sit well with me, was at the end of the course, before you could sign off and get your attendance certificate, you were required to fill in on screen, your feedback. It is highly unlikely that anyone will ever put their real feedback when it is not anonymous. So that didn't leave a great taste in my mouth also.
And the course was supposed to finish at 5pm or around about, and we finished at 4.10pm, which meant there would have been plenty of time for all of us to have had a quick round of recording on the microphone.
I got the sense the tutor wanted to head off home or somewhere else. Not impressed at all.
I would definitely not recommend this course unless you are already up with programming and are technically ofay with these kinds of things, but if that's the case, I wouldn't bother. You could teach yourself what we learnt by going on Google. It certainly is not an Introduction to Podcasting, but an Introduction to Editing Recordings course.
Very disappointed indeed. Don't waste your money.
1 out of 10 I'm afraid.