Showing posts with label podcasting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label podcasting. Show all posts

Friday, January 2, 2026

Adobe Podcast + SchoolAI

Super excited to share this smashup of SchoolAI and Adobe Podcast. Adobe launched their podcasting tool that we have all been waiting for and I thought creating a Space to allow for students to create scripts would be a wonderful addition. I am going to walk you through the steps on making this work and provide examples along the way. 

Step 1: Create a SchoolAI Account

It is free and you have access to all of the amazing things you need to run this Space with your students. 

Step 2: Remix the SchoolAI Space I created

By remixing the Space, you are making your own copy of the Space and can make any changes to the prompt that you want that could offer student more or less support depending on the expectations you have for the assignment. 



Step 3: Launch the Space and share the join link with your students through your LMS or having students scan the QR Code. 

Here is an example of what the conversation can look like for a podcast for The Catcher in the Rye after a back and forth conversation. Dot was able to summarize the conversation into a single script. I acted as Holden and was able to answer the questions posed to me by the podcast host. 

Dot: Welcome to our show. I’m Dot, your host. Today’s episode features a conversation with Holden Caulfield about his feelings on society. This episode is a classroom learning activity exploring a character’s voice and perspective.

Dot: You often call people "phony." Can you describe what "phoniness" looks like to you and why it bothers you so much?

Holden: It is pretending to be something you are not or like things only because other people like something. It's annoying that other people don't see through this crap. Being who you are matters more than anything. My brother Allie was always himself and he was better than everyone, even me.

Dot: Do you feel society pushes people to hide who they really are, and how does that shape your view of the world?

Holden: Going to the stupid school and being surrounded by those fakes and the school makes them that way. The school acts like they serve the best food on parent day, but it is garbage the other days. We do not stand a chance if the school keeps churning out phonies.

Dot: What, if anything, gives you hope that people can be genuine — are there moments, places, or people that make you believe society isn't all fake?

Holden: My sister Phoebe is the best person I know. She is going to make a difference in the world. That is one of the reasons I cried when I saw her on the merry-go-round. I wish I could be young again and live my life over. I am very sad about growing up and wish that I did not have to. It's probably why I ended up the way that I did.

Dot: That was Holden Caulfield on society — his frustrations, his longing for authenticity, and the small, human moments that give him hope. If this episode were produced, we might open with soft piano under my intro, use a brief soundbed between questions, and close with a quiet swell as Holden mentions the merry-go-round.

Dot: Thanks for listening. If you’re working on this script, tell me any wording changes, an extra question, or if you want me to add sound cues, music suggestions, or a shorter version for a class podcast. If you're happy with it, we’re finished — great work bringing Holden’s voice to life.

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Perfect

Great — glad you like it. What would you like to do next? Pick one:

  • Save the script (I’ll format it nicely for download).
  • Add sound cues/music suggestions.
  • Create a short promo (30–45 sec) version.
  • Make one wording change.
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promo

Great — I’ll make a 30–45 second promo for the episode. Do you want the promo to:

  1. Focus on Holden’s anger at "phoniness" (dramatic, intense),
  2. Focus on Phoebe and hope (gentle, emotional), or
  3. Mix both (balanced)?

Reply 1, 2, or 3.

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3

Here’s a 30–45 second NPR-style promo with a balanced focus on Holden’s anger at phoniness and hope from Phoebe. Read it aloud with calm, conversational pacing and light piano under the voice; add a soft swell at the end.

[Soft piano intro — 3 seconds]

Dot (calm, warm): This week on our show — Holden Caulfield on the messiness of growing up.

Dot (slightly sharper): "They're all phonies," he says — the schools, the people, the whole lot of it.

Dot (gentle): But then there’s Phoebe — his little sister, the one thing that makes him believe people can be real.

Holden (voice clip): "She is going to make a difference... I cried on the merry-go-round."

Dot (warm): A short, honest conversation about anger, loneliness, and the small moments that keep us human. Tune in to hear Holden Caulfield on society.

[Music swell, then fade — 3–5 seconds]

Tag (soft): Subscribe to our classroom podcast for the full episode.

Would you like a version timed precisely to 30, 35, or 45 seconds, or a script formatted for recording with exact pauses and sound cues?

What is awesome about this is that the user can pause and think about the answer to the question being asked and go back to the source material to verify their answers. The Space is built to not provide the answers to the questions. The more you work on the prompt of the Space, the more specific it can be on the type of support it can provide to the students. 

This is a very short podcast interview, but it was really easy to build. Here is a screenshot and if you want to take a listen, you check out the template I created for it here



This is something I would love to bring together in ELA classes. Allow students to think about their characters and how they might respond to the questions that the podcaster might ask them. They would need to be able to dive deep into the text and make sure their answers matched the tone and personality of their chosen character. There are many students who are not comfortable getting in front of a class or on camera, but are fine recording their voice. This is another way to engage students and provide an option for those students who need them. 

I recommend that you try out the smashup between SchoolAI and Adobe Podcast in 2026!



Thursday, February 2, 2023

Student Podcasting with @Soundtrap #MakerEd #PBL #ELA

6th grade students had the opportunity to create their own short podcast episode to share their thoughts on a book they think other should read. These book talks are around 2 minutes long and allowed students to create some intro music using Soundtrap tools. You can find the Podcast, Stevens 6th Grade Ideas, on Spotify

The students set up their Soundtrap account, chose a book they liked from this year and had to record two versions of their Book Talk. The first version was an off the cuff take. They just needed to talk about the book and cover a few common points. The second version required the students to create a script to guide their Book Talk. Once they had both recorded, they were able to choose which one sounded better to them. From there, they created some intro and outro music and let their teacher know they were done. Stevens listened to the podcast episodes and uploaded each one to Anchor which pushes the podcast to Spotify. The lesson took three 70 minute blocks to complete. The first block was a short assignment with Soundtrap that had students create a ringtone so they could get used to the program before embarking on their podcasting adventure. 

Here are a few of the book talks you can listen to from my page, but I encourage you to head over to Spotify and listen to many of them and share them with your students if they are looking for new books to read. 

 
   
   
   
 

Thanks for listening and sharing. The students are very excited to share their thoughts with the world. 

Hugs and High Fives, 

Nick

Monday, May 9, 2022

Podcast Design Project #MakerEd #AdobeEduCreative

Hey folks! I wanted to share a fun project that I have assigned my students that uses Adobe Creative Cloud Express and Seesaw. Students will use ACCE to create an ad for a fake podcast they will create. Below are the directions for the assignment. 


For this activity, you can partner up if you'd like to create an ad and a sample of what your podcast would be about. Follow the steps below to complete the activity. Step 1: Decide whether or not you want a partner for this activity. Step 2: Brainstorm possible idea for a podcast topic that you think people would find interesting. Step 3: Come up with a script for a short clip of this podcast. It should be around 3-4 minutes in length. Step 4: Design an ad to promote the podcast using images that connect to your script. Step 5: Create the ad in Adobe Creative Cloud Express. (express.adobe.com) Step 6: Post the ad to Seesaw and record the podcast clip on the same page. Step 7. Post the script you wrote for the clip. Podcast Ad Requirement: Name of the podcast. Images that connect to the topic of the podcast. Names of the people hosting the podcast.

Here is a link to the assignment that has my example.


The students dove in and I can't wait to share the work they have created for the podcast assignment. 

Hugs and High Fives, 

Nick



Friday, April 26, 2019

New Podcast Episode: Talking Creativity with Jaime Casap (@JCasap) #MakerEd

I'm so happy I was able to sit down with Jaime Casap and talk about Creativity and its value inside and outside of the world of education. As Google's Educational Evangelist, he shares what he sees in education and has decided to share more of insights on a new YouTube channel.

Here is the episode that can also be found on all of your favorite podcasting stations.



Here is an episode of Jaime's new YouTube channel. 


Thanks for listening and feel free to reach out if you have any suggestions for guests on the show. 

Hugs and High Fives, 

NP

Friday, April 12, 2019

New Podcast Episode featuring @JuddWinick on @Anchor #MakerEd

Hello Internet!

I'm excited to share a great conversation I had with HILO creator Judd Winick. In this episode, we talked about creativity from an art perspective and how we can support that in the classroom. Judd shares stories from his childhood that really showed the power of supporting children in their creative endeavors.



Check out this episode and all of my other episodes on various podcasting places around the Internet. My home base for my podcast is The Maker Mentality and it is hosted on Anchor.fm.  

Monday, March 25, 2019

Season 2 of The Maker Mentality Podcast #EdChat

Hello everyone!

I'm so sorry it has taken this long to release the first part of Season 2 of the Maker Mentality Podcast. Life has been feeding me a steady diet of curveballs and I finally just decided to release the first three episodes today and I can release the others when they are done.

This season is all about creativity. I have asked my guests about their thoughts on what creativity means to them and what role it plays in learning.

These three episodes feature some of my favorite people sharing great ideas. Check them out here or anywhere else you can find podcasts.

Jessica L. Williams



Meenoo Rami


Andrew Collins



Stay tuned for more episodes in the coming weeks. 

Hugs and High Fives!

NP

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Season 1 of The Maker Mentality Podcast #MakerEd

If you are looking for some podcasts to fulfill your Maker needs, The Maker Mentality is exactly what you need.

The first season is available to binge right now! Season 2 will be dropping in the New Year and it will be filled with some amazing guests.

Check it out here, or you can go to the following podcasting places to hear The Maker Mentality.

Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Spotify
Stitcher 
Radio Public
Pocket Casts
Breaker



Thanks for listening and let me know if there is anything you'd really like me to cover or someone you would like me to have a conversation with in a future episode. 

Hugs and High Fives, 

NP

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

New Episodes of The Maker Mentality Podcast! #MakerEd #EdChat

Hello Makers! There 8 brand new episodes of the Maker Mentality Podcast available right now!

I've been thinking about starting a new podcast for quite some time. I had fun with my NerdyCast and people asked if there was a chance for a new episode down the line. I thought I would try something new and have a Maker focused show that allows other great MakerEd folks share some tips, tricks, and tools on MakerEd! I'm using Anchor to house all of my episodes, but you can find all of them on other podcasting platforms as well. Here is a list,

Google Podcasts
Spotify
Breaker
Pocket Casts
RadioPublic
Stitcher

I will be recording and posting based on the availability of my guests. I like this format because it allows people to binge listen if they want. I also promise to keep episodes in the 15-20 minute range. That is tough for me because I like to hear people share awesome things, but I want to make these podcasts episodes be digestible for the average listener. Here is an embedded widget that has the most recent episode, so feel free to listen right here if you want.



If you have ideas for guests or topics, please feel free to reach out to me on Twitter or by leaving a comment below. Thanks for all of your support and I can't wait to hear all of the amazing things Makers are going to share on the podcast!

Hugs and high fives, 

Nick

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Education/Innovation on @Anchor

Note: Anchor is now part of Spotify and my show and the Star Wars show are no longer active there. 

I'm excited to announce the launch of Education/Innovation on Anchor.FM

Anchor describes itself as, "It’s like radio, but bite-sized, interactive, addictive, and way more fun."

It's an amazing format that takes the idea of podcasting and makes it accessible and interactive. Instead of having 30 minute episodes once a week, a person can jump on the app, shares some quick thoughts, and other users can call in and leave their thoughts. I've been looking to do podcasting again,  but the work behind running a full podcast can be too much. Anchor allows me to share all of my nerdiness is simple and easy to consume chunks. It also allows my friends to share their ideas as well. 

Anchor is free to use and easy to sign up on your iOS or Android phone. You can favorite other great stations and check them out. I've found one called Star Wars Explained. 

This is a perfect platform for me to nerd out over Star Wars and then call in and leave my thoughts. Long term, I think this has tons of applications in the classroom and I look forward to exploring that down the line. For now, check out my station and call in if you have something to add. I look forward to your thoughts and hope you will create your own station for me to enjoy as well. 



Sunday, January 15, 2012

The Nerdy Teacher: Apps, Podcasts and Consulting #EdChat

Things have been pretty crazy for me the past few weeks. So much so, I've "felt like a plastic bag drifting in the wind." ;-) Here are some of the things I have going on and really want to share with all of you.

 

Apps

 

A little while ago, I saw a post by Kelly Tenkely about a site that will help turn your site into an app. When Kelly suggests anything, I always take a few minutes to check it out. While playing around on Mobile by Conduit, I really liked what I saw. I started to play around with it and the next thing you know, I had an app. Well, I have an app on the Android Marketplace and one will be in the Apple app store in the next couple of weeks. It's called The Nery Teacher. Check it out!

 

 

 

While messing around, I was looking at the pricing structures of each and was amazed that you could choose many different types of pricing. The Android setup was far more complicated than the Apple setup (Not Surprised). I had to choose different prices for different countries if I was going to charge. I really liked checking things out, so I set the price for $0.99 and started to fool around with the other pricing structures. The next thing you know, I hit upload and my app is set for $0.99. That simple.

 

I do not expect to roll in the dough for making an app, but it made me think about the content I offer on the site and if people are going to pay, I should offer some more Nerdy Teacher stuff. This lead me to the next adventure. 

 

Podcasts

 

This is an idea that I have been tossing around for many months. Tim and I were going to do a very awesome #EduBro podcast and it would have been epic, but the time involved was just too much for us. Having said that, it is still not out of the realm of possibility. 

 

There have been too many times when I have been talking to people about various education, technology and pop culture stuff and I have thought, "I wish everyone could hear this conversation." Well, doing a podcast once a month or so would be a great way for me to share some of the great conversations I have with my friends with all of you. It would be a nice addition to the new app and it would be silly good times. Look for a Nerdy Teacher Podcast in the coming year. (Side note: I'm not sure if I want to call it The Nerdy Teacher Podcast. I'm really looking for something a little different. Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comment box.)

 

Consulting

 

The thing that has kept me busiest has been consulting work. When I wrote my first post over two years ago, I never thought I would be doing any of this. I was shocked when people asked my opinion on things, so you can imagine when companies started to ask for my two cents and offer to pay me for it. 

 

I wasn't sure what I was doing or if I was being helpful, but I started to get my business legs underneath me and it became an exciting adventure. I get to help people who are looking to help other teachers and students. There have been times when I have used a product and wondered if a teacher was ever asked their thoughts before it was rolled out. Now, I'm that teacher in some cases. 

 

I've had a chance to work with some great companies and you have seen their ads here and there on my site. I tell myself that I will only work for companies that I have had a chance to explore and feel good about. Product reviews are always honest and I spend time on them to make sure they are checked out. 

 

I'm always looking for ways to help out companies that are looking to help out teachers and students. I'm not naive to think that they are not in it for the money, but if I can help make a product better for teachers and students with my knowledge of what teachers and students want, then I feel like I'm doing a good thing. There are tons of crappy products out there, but if I can help steer educators toward the good ones, then I feel awesome. 

 

That's pretty much everything that I have been doing the past few months. I've still have many of my siller posts rolling around in my brain (Everything Learned about Education I Learned from Watching Phineas and Ferb, etc) that you will see in the next couple of months. I'm excited about the different adventures in my future and I can't wait to share them with all of you. 

 

If you have questions, suggestions or ideas, please feel free to drop me a message in the comment box, send me a tweet to @TheNerdyTeacher or send me an email.

 

Have a great Sunday everyone!