Mediacenter
In the Mediacenter in Wijnhaven, podcasts can be recorded with user-friendly equipment and four microphones. In addition, we offer the option to record low-threshold videos in the same soundproofed space.
The Mediacentre
Important: it is only possible to record a podcast in the Mediacenter at Wijnhaven as a Leiden University staff member or in assignment for education at the University of Leiden.
The equipment is set to the acoustics of the studio, aiming to aid you with recording your own podcast. The Future Learning Office (FLO) offers the possibility of also using this space for recording knowledge clips. There is a desktop and professional microphone available in the room to facilitate this.
To introduce the Mediacenter, two of our ex-FLO employees - Christa Anker and Saskia Postema - recorded a podcast. In this podcast you can hear how the Mediacenter came to be and what options it can offer you. Click here to listen to the podcast.
Podcast
A podcast is an audio recording of a conversation between two or more people, where the topics can be very diverse. Podcasts can be used within education to convey certain knowledge to students or other interested parties (inside or outside the university). The podcast can then be listened to at any time. Additionally, podcasts can be assigned to students as a form of assessment.
Multimedia in education
Recent ICT developments have influenced and pushed the boundaries of testing mechanisms within education and one such example is the incorporation of multimedia within the formative assessment. ISGA tutor Jake Wright has collaborated with the Future Learning Office to explore the role of multimedia within the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs. He has interviewed various lecturers and students to learn more about their experiences and their best practices regarding podcasts as a form of alternative assessment or additional teaching material. Additionally, Jake has compiled a list of tips for recording a podcast with limited equipment. All these experiences and tips have been brought together in a short manual, which can be accessed by everyone who is interested in the usage of multimedia in academia. The manual can be found on the right side of this webpage.
When designing a podcast, the following points are important to consider:
- The purpose of your podcast
- The audience
- The form (introduction, middle and end)
- The availability (online or offline)
- How you will store your podcast
When recording a podcast:
- Introduce yourself as the presenter and the guests;
- Discuss the common thread with your guests in advance, and indicate roughly which questions you want to ask so that the guest can also prepare well;
- Keep your podcast short and sweet, the ideal listening length is between 15 and 20 minutes. With more substantive podcasts, for example for education, the ideal listening length is even shorter. In any case, try to keep the podcasts as short as possible and to publish it per topic or theme as a separate podcast.
- Try not to talk at the same time and let each other finish turns (using non-verbal communication; nod, raise hands).
Recording a podcast in the Mediacenter
- The Mediacenter is available on all workdays upon reservation
- To access the studio, collect the access card at the Servicedesk on the 2nd floor.
- Lecturers arrange room reservations for students.
- The podcast can be recorded by means of a Micro SD card (you must bring your own) or by means of the USB cable to your own laptop.
- For the recording of a podcast, the Future Learning Office (FLO) can provide technical support for the first time. This includes explaining how the recording is made and what options the current technical setup has.
- A manual can be found in the studio and on the right side of this webpage under the tab ‘Podcast handbook'.
More information and reservations
Check the availability of the Mediacenter or make a reservation using this website. When making the reservation please indicate if support is needed with your first podcast recording. If you have a question, you can send an e-mail to Mediacenter@FGGA.Leidenuniv.nl.
In addition, FGGA has its own podcast series under the name ‘Kennis & Verdieping’, created by the Communications & Marketing department. A podcast can also serve as a means of science communication to highlight current events or published research output. The communications department is happy to think about the content of the podcast, writing the script and, if desired, provides the moderator or interviewer. If you would like to know more or have a good idea, please let us know via communicatie@fgga.leidenuniv.nl.