After playing around with podcasting (and running out of server space) I finally decided to take the plunge and have set up an account with another service provider that gives me a lot more space and bandwidth.

I have also decided to use Loudblog as I am impressed with the way it works on the Comprehensible Input site.

So, here it is - pod-efl - and it'll be the place I'll use to blog and collect links, etc about podcasting too.

Sean Fitz has notes on his site for a presentation that he has prepared on podcasting in education.

Other than this, I'm sorry Yahoo, but, I'm starting to tire of this space.  Its limitations and look-and-feel have started to irritate me, and so I'm not going to continue writing here (for the moment, at least until I see what the next update is like).

I'm moving back to my good old blogger site, blog-EFL, and will continue blogging (and podcasting) there.

On the Cutting Edge-ucation is a blog whose aim is to build "a repository of instructional ideas and strategies for using podcasts in schools."

Some of the same people also seem to be behind the Landmark Project and the Educational Podcasters Network and one of the people involved is David Warlick, who is author of Classroom Blogging: A Teacher's Guide to the Blogosphere.

'The first rule of podcasting is that there are no rules in podcasting' says Eric Rice in his 'How to build a 10 minute podcast' on his blog

It's nice to remember this advice, and Eric's guide makes a lot of sense. The trend in general seems to be for shorter podcasts. As most people don't have a lot of time to listen to that many podcasts, ten minute and even five minute shows mean you can listen to more, although it all depends on what the podcast is about, though.

Personally, I think the ideal length for a podcast is twenty minutes, but that's because that falls in with my podcast listening time: 20 minutes on the way to a class (discounting the leaving home, buying a newspaper, pulling the mp3 player out of the bag time ). Then a couple of times a week, I have a period of time  when I walk between schools, and I can usually fit in two 20 minute podcasts then. However, that's just the way my day works out.

As far as students are concerned, short podcasts are obviously better for lower level students, but I think there's room for a 20 minute podcast at the higher levels.

The Sushi Radio podcast is a great idea for a short podcast - the shows last 10 minutes or so, and have so far covered different areas of the world, with guest presenters. I'm tempted to do one about Barcelona, and am hoping to get my act together as things start slowing down work-wise for the summer. I should be able to spend a lot more time blogging and podcasting then.

David Penrose also has excellent advice for podcasters on his blog, giving some clear steps for podcasters:

1. write it
2. Record it
3. Publish it
4. Promote it

They may seem straightforward, but the advice David gives in his post is very useful.