Using a Campus Pack Podcast

A Campus Pack podcast allows you to create and listen to or view learning content or instructions anywhere any time.

This guide covers the following topics, use these links for easier navigation.

• Navigate to Space - View My Space
• Listening to an Entry and navigating the Episodes Menu
• Leaving a Comment
• Adding an Episode
• Recording an Audio Podcast/Vodcast
• Recording a Video Podcast (Vodcast)
• Uploading a Podcast/Vodcast
• Linking to an External Podcast
• Editing and Deleting a Podcast/Vodcast
• Subscribing
• Exporting Campus Pack Podcast

Navigate to Space - View My Space

Note:  We recommend using Chrome or Firefox with Campus Pack. If you are using Safari, you will get a ‘login error’ unless you enable cookies through preferences. Login to VU Collaborate and go to your space.

1. Login to VU Collaborate from My Spaces select specific unit space. 

2. Click on Learning Space.

3. A podcast will be located under the Table of Contents within the content modules. Click on the name of the podcast you wish to open.

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Listening to an Entry and navigating the Episodes Menu

If the teacher has already recorded and posted a Podcast in the space, you can listen to it by:

1. Clicking on it from the Podcast homepage.

2. If there is more than one podcast you can select the relevant podcast by clicking on the Episodes menu.

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Leaving a Comment

When you have viewed an episode you can leave a comment for the author/s by:

1. Scrolling down to the bottom of the page and clicking on the arrow next to Viewer Comments.
2. Insert your comment into the provided text box.
3. Click on Add.

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Adding an Episode

The teacher may provide permission to record or upload your own Episode to the podcast.

Follow the steps below to do this.

1. Click on New Episode.

2. Enter a title for the new episode into the text box that appears and click on the blue Add New Episode button.

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Recording an Audio Podcast/Vodcast

Once you have created and titled your new episode, you will have the option to record, upload or link a new podcast.

Note:  Before you begin recording, make sure you are in a quiet space where you are unlikely to be interrupted. If your device does not have an inbuilt microphone you will need to connect one.

To record a podcast:

1. Under the Media title, select the Record Media option.
2. If you are recording audio, a tab will appear with Record, Pause and Stop buttons. When you are ready, click on the Record button.
   • If you need to take a break for a moment, click on Pause and this will halt recording temporarily.
   • When you are finished, click on the Stop button.

3. A playback bar will appear. This allows you to listen to the podcast you have just recorded by clicking on the play button. You can overwrite your previous recording by clicking on the Record button. 

4. Once you are satisfied, scroll down and enter a description or transcript of the episode in the text editor box.
5. You can choose when to release the episode by entering dates under Availability. You can choose a date for the episode to be released and also a date for it to be removed from display.
6. If you want to save your progress, click on the grey Save button. When you are finished entering the information, click on the Save & Exit button to leave the page.

Note:  Please include a transcript of your episode. It will make it more inclusive for those of your peers who might have difficulty accessing recorded dialogue.

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Recording a Video Podcast (Vodcast)

You also have the option of recording a video podcast (Vodcast).

Note:  Before you begin recording, make sure you are in a quiet space where you are unlikely to be interrupted. If your device does not have an inbuilt video recording capability, you may need to attach and enable a webcam.

1. Select the Video tab under the Record Media option.
2. Check that your camera or webcam is facing in the direction of the action you would like to record. To begin recording click on the Record button. When you are done recording, click on the Stop button.

3. You will now be able to watch your recording back by clicking on a play in the playback window that appears. If you are unhappy with the recording and would like to start again, click on the Clear button.
4. Once you are satisfied, scroll down and enter a description or transcript of the episode in the text editor box.
5. You can choose when to release the episode by entering dates under Availability. You can choose a date for the episode to be released and also a date for it to be removed from display.
6. If you want to save your progress, click on the grey Save button. When you are finished entering the information, click on the Save & Exit button to leave the page.

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Uploading a Podcast/Vodcast

You can upload media files from your device into the Campus Pack Podcast. 

1. Under Media, select the Upload Media option and then click on Choose File.

2. Navigate to the episode file on your device and select it by clicking on Open. This can be an audio or a video file.

3. The file title will appear next to an attachment icon, make sure you have selected the correct file.
4. Scroll down and insert a description or transcript.
5. When you are finished click on Save & Exit
6. Once you have hit Save & Exit you will be directed back to the episode. You will have the ability to listen back to the external podcast by clicking the play button on the playback bar.

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Linking to an External Podcast

It is also possible to link to a recorded podcast on an external website.

1. Under Media, select the Upload Media option and then click on Link to External Media.
2. Insert the URL address of the podcast into the text box provided.

3. Once you have inserted a working URL address, a green tick will appear. Click on Check Link to make sure you are linking to the correct podcast episode.
4. Once you have checked the link, insert a description or transcript of the episode in the text editor box provided.
5. If you want to save your progress, click on the grey Save button. When you are finished entering the information, click on the Save & Exit button to leave the page.
6. Once you have hit Save & Exit you will be directed back to the episode. You will have the ability to listen back to the external podcast by clicking the play button on the playback bar.

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Editing and Delete a Podcast/Vodcast

If you notice any problems with the episode you have created, you have the option to Edit or Delete it:

1. To edit a podcast/Vodcast, click on the blue Edit button.

2. On the page that opens you will have the option to modify the title, change the format of the episode (recorded, uploaded or linked), modify the description or transcript and change the episode availability dates.
3. When you are finished, remember to scroll down and click Save or Save & Exit to preserve your changes.

You can Delete an episode after it has been published:

1. Click on the red Delete button in the top right of the screen.

2. By clicking on Delete, you will be asked whether you sure you want to delete this episode.

Note:  The message will appear on the screen to confirm whether you want to delete the episode. Click OK to delete the podcast or click Cancel.

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Subscribing

1. If you would like to receive regular emails on the activity level of the podcast, click on the Settings drop-down menu and select Subscribe. A new page will be loaded.

2. On this page, ensure that you click on the checkbox. A tick will appear when the box has been checked. Next, click on Submit. You will now receive regular email notifications summarising the podcast activity.

Note:  Subscribing is not generally recommended unless you would like to closely monitor traffic to the podcast. You may receive up to one email per hour if you elect to subscribe in this way.

Exporting Campus Pack Podcast

You may want to have access to your Campus Pack Podcast in future for different purposes. But you won’t be able to access your Campus Pack Podcast when you lose access to VU Collaborate or access to the particular unit. Therefore it is recommended that you export your Campus Pack Podcast for future purposes.

1) Click Settings, then Click Export.

2) Choose a format. There are two options to choose from. If you export as a standalone website, every podcast entries will be exported as a different HTML file. In contrast, if you export as a single web page, every podcast entries will be exported on the same HTML file.

3) You also have options to include or exclude tags and comments in the exported document. To include tags and comments, check the tickbox next to respective items.

4) Click Export to proceed. Once you click Export, you’ll be automatically taken to the home page of your Campus Pack Podcast. Your export will be created as a .zip file. Sometimes it can take up to several minutes.

5) To locate your download file, click settings, and export.

6) Click the export link to download.

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