Technology for podTheatre

Teachers are rightfully concerned about the costs associated with podTheatre. Unlike traditional readers' theatre, you need more than paper scripts. Thankfully, the costs are minimal and most of us find we use a mix of existing hardware and free software.

Hardware

The initial hardware requirements for podTheatre are very basic: any computer that can accomodate a microphone... and a microphone. Almost any computer shipped since 1998 includes either a dedicated microphone input or a universal serial bus (USB) port that accepts almost any input device imaginable. If your computer is only a few years old, it can be used to record, edit, and distribute a podTheatre production.

If you ask "serious" podcast producers about microphones, they will try to convince you that a microphone should cost $200. The best microphones are expensive and impractical for classroom use. These high-end mics require external power, a pop-screen, and a mix-board to be everything they promise. Avoiding "geek-speak" as much as possible, a condenser mic is a capacitor — it uses changes in electrical resistance to detect sound. The diaphragm-capacitor of a condenser mic often requires external power. The sound quality is great, and the sensitivity is high, which is why a "pop screen" is sometimes required. A pop screen sits between the mic and the speaker, blocking the bursts of air from sounds like "p" that can cause "pops" when recording.

Trust us... you only need a decent dynamic microphone for classroom use! A dynamic microphone uses a plastic or metal cone that reacts to sound waves. Sound causes pressure changes; these changes in pressure vibrate the plastic or metal. The cone is attached to wire coils, which move around a magnet. (This is ideal for a science lesson!) Skipping all the science, for now, let us just suggest that the more rugged, abuse-resistant dynamic microphone technology is a lot better for most classroom applications.

People are quite emotional about their hardware choices. The truth is, there are a lot of good computers, microphones, and additional hardware available for podcasting. Balance your needs and expectations against the realities of a teaching budget and the classroom environment. 

One final hardware note: Without mixing boards or a specialized USB hub, most computer software only allows for one input source at a time. Multi-microphone setups are not complex, but they do require a few additional pieces. If you can use a single, omni-directional mic, do so until you know buying more hardware makes sense. 

Software

One of the best software applications for podcasting / podTheatre is the free Audacity. That's right... free! There are versions of Audacity for Windows, OS X, and Linux. There is an Audacity wiki dedicated to the various uses for Audacity.

The biggest name in podcasting and podTheatre is definitely Apple, the company responsible for the iPod and all things "iLife." GarageBand is Apple's entry-level application for creating music and podcasts. The iLife suite, which includes GarageBand, iPhoto, iMovie, iWeb, and more, includes everything you need to create, edit, distribute, and even promote a podcast. While not free, iLife is under $80 for a single copy and under $100 for a "family pack" (five computers).

Other Tools

For podTheatre to be all it can be, consider assembling a collection of sound effects. While digital samples are cheap (or even free), students will enjoy recreating "old-time" sound effects for a podTheatre production. A number of books and Web sites detail everything from the use of foil for thunder to a paper cup with rice or beans for a rattlesnake.

If you do use digital effects, most MIDI keyboards, even those under $100, can be used with GarageBand to trigger sounds. The "effects department" of your production will be able to press keys on the keyboard and set just the right tone for your production.