There are apps built into some operating systems that perform text-to-speech functions, but I have always found them cumbersome, and their output not easy to export.
iSpeech is a cool alternative to those unwieldy apps. And it has amazing potential --- if it's as robust as it's claimed to be --- as a way to make text-based content more accessible.
Gabcast eliminates a complex step in the creation of audio podcasts. Users use their telephone to record and upload audio. There is no need for specialized software (e.g., Audacity) or hardware (digital recorders or microphones) for creating podcast files.
This could be an ideal platform for student-created podcasts, because of the user-friendly interface. Free accounts allow users up to 200MB of storage space, but require a proprietary MP3 player and do not permit "hiding" recordings from online listeners.
Google searches text, but how do you search audio? Everyzing is a site that permits performing searches of podcasts (using speech recognition technology... don't try this in a language other than English!).
Searches return transcripts of the context around a search term, and direct links to the audio.
Among the top software applications for working with audio are Audacity and GarageBand.
Of these, I have only worked with Audacity. It's extremely sophisticated and versatile, and it's even mildly user-friendly. The default Windows install requires an additional (separate) install of an MP3 encoder to permit conversion into MP3.
This nifty Audacity tutorial for podcasters demonstrates the basic steps.
Audacity is but one among many software titles that can be used to manipulate audio files. A short list of others:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/encoder/default.mspx
This freebie from Microsoft captures video/audio, and creates video by capturing from your screen --- great for putting together tutorials or webcasts.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/, and search for "PowerPoint Online Broadcast".
This download extends the functionality of PowerPoint, so that it can capture narration and video for a slide show. (This only works in the 2003 version of PowerPoint.)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx
This tool simplifies the task of producing a "movie" (Windows Media format) out of a series of pictures. You can add music, narration, text, movement... It's very easy to use, and it's a free download. It lends itself to facilitating the production of slide lectures. (One could take a set of PowerPoint slides, convert them to JPEGs, and produce the movie that way. I haven't looked to see what happens with file size, so that might be a problem.)
Since its beginnings in 2005, YouTube has been known as a major source of online video entertainment...YouTube’s reputation as an entertainment-only venue began to change late in 2007 when several higher educational institutions began cooperating with the online video community to serve truly academic content like classroom lectures and hosted talks.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was among the first universities to work with YouTube to offer UNC-produced content via the site.
Gary Marchionini, Cary C. Boshamer Distinguished Professor at UNC’s School of Information and Library Science (SILS), led the efforts to get video productions created at UNC at Chapel Hill on YouTube (see http://www.youtube.com/uncchapelhill...
Based on the work to develop the Information in Life series, the UNC YouTube channel was expanded to incorporate the entire campus community and include videos produced outside of SILS. There are currently more than 250 videos now available in different playlists on the UNC channel....
The videos are free and available for use in multiple ways, including classroom settings, home-schooling, research and more. SILS encourages use and reuse of the materials available and promotes frequent visits to the site to view the latest additions.
This recent presentation at NERCOMP (a regional affiliate of EDUCAUSE) on Podcasting at Simmons College was the one I mentioned in our recent meeting. Check out http://http://connect.educause.edu/Library/Abstract/GSLIScastPodcastingforCur/46409
For those of you unfamiliar with EDUCAUSE, it's an incredibly resource-rich non-profit association whose mission is "to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology." I highly recommend it as a site to explore for nearly any technology-related issue pertaining to higher education. The main site is available at: http://www.educause.edu/
April 25-26 (2008) are the dates for Podcamp NYC 2.0.
It's an "unconference" that aims to bring together people to talk about new media. The speaker list is worthy of note: everything from how to motivate students, whether calling a friend at 3 am constitutes a social faux pas, puppets and podcasting, and building TVs in one's basement.