You’ll note that I removed the URL you included, as I don’t cross-link to dodgy sites.
Regards,
Michael
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You’re correct; the first example is a lecture, the second was recorded specifically to be delivered via podcast. Of course, I chose the former example specifically to highlight it’s deficiencies. However, given that it was released as a podcast on iTunes U, I think that it’s valid to treat of the content as such.

Your question “Any advice about recording live lectures?” is a pertinent one. Don’t forget that regardless of the environment, or whether content is being recorded “live” or captured for asynchronous delivery, that the instructional design and the structure of the content will typically be very similar, with

an introduction
a number of learning points
and a conclusion.

In my experience, the simplest and most effective way to transform a synchronously-recorded piece of audio into a useful podcast is through judicious editing of the recording before distribution via a LAN or the internet.

In essence, this means removing segments of the audio that will distract the podcast audience. For example, in the History 4a sample, the only people who need to know about the exam are those in the lecture hall – so remove this piece for the podcast. Similarly, while it’s an endearing trait for your lecturer to forget a page of their notes when you know the person doing it, the information is irrelevant to the podcast audience – so, cut it out, as well as any other information extraneous to the topic being discussed.

Ideally, a podcast should begin with a phrase like “This podcast is about…” or equivalent introduction. This orients the listener, manages their expectations , and prepares them (the learner) for the educational intervention. Also, it means that they can turn off if it’s not for them – most people don’t like to feel like they’ve wasted their time, and if you listen for 2/3 minutes only to find out that the topic isn’t for you… well, you’ll be disappointed at best, and maybe even irritated. What’s worse, the chances are that listener will never come back to you again, even if your other sessions are exactly what they want to find out about: “once bitten” and so forth.

Don’t for get that you can supply non-audio orientation too – the OU example I provided includes a downloadable PDF transcript of the text, for example. An exception to this heuristic is if the podcast is one of a series; in this case, the podcaster needs to provide links to the previous, relates sessions or episodes of their overall narrative. This allow those who have been subscribed from the start of the series to “pick up where they left off” and ensures new listeners can access previous installments of the podcast. For example, if you were narrating the third part of a 5-part series of lectures on the Roman Empire in Britain, no-one would expect that you to re-tread the events of the invasion in 43 AD (covered in Part 1) when the subject for Pt. 3 is about Hadrian’s Wall: you merely direct your new listener to the relevant episode.

I plan to cover this aspect and other aspects of podcasting in more depth in future E-Learning Curve Blog posts, so stay tuned. Of course I will be covering recording, editing, post-producing and distributing podcasts – and don’t worry – it’s easier (and cheaper) than you think.

Best regards,
Michael
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