For podcasts, we recommend students post audio files to Discussions. If the instructor sets up a topic, students can post their own podcast threads. Other students and the instructor can subscribe to those threads and will be notified when they are updated.


Set up the Discussion Topic

  1. In your course, click Communication.
  2. Click Discussions.
    click Communication in the course navbar, then click Discussions
  3. Click New.
  4. Select Forum.
    click New, then New Forum
  5. Give the forum a name, like 'Podcasts'.
  6. Select Create a new topic in this forum with the same title.
  7. Add a description that includes directions.
    Give the forum a title and select to create a new topic in the forum with the same title, and add a description that includes directions for the students
  8. Select any options you want to apply to the forum. Note that any options or restrictions set at the forum level will cascade down to the topic level! We recommend selecting "Display forum description in topics" so directions are also shown on the topic screen when students click through the topic.
    select Display forum description in topics and remember that any options or restrictions set on a forum will cascade down to the topics 
  9. Select visibility options for the forum.
    set visibility options such as by selecting forum is always visible
  10. Select locking options for the forum.
    select locking options for the forum such as by selecting to unlock forum
  11. Click Save and Close.
    click save and close


Here is the forum and topic set up:

the Discussions List will show the new forum and topic with the description directions visible in the dliscussion list


How It Works 

Once you have a forum and topic set up, students can post to the topic. It is recommended they post a single thread, and update it with periodic podcast episodes throughout the length of the assignment. Other students and the instructor can subscribe to the thread, and will then receive notifications when the student posts a new episode to the thread.


How Students Can Post in the Topic

Each student should post one thread to the topic.


When they create their thread, they can either include their podcast recording file in the post, or add it as an attachment. This image below shows both ways the attachments show up.two threads by different students, the first using the Record audio feature, the second using the upload attachment feature


In the post, they can add their file via Quicklink menu (OneDrive or URL if they placed the file on the Web). 

how a student can add an audio file via the Quicklink menu using OneDrive or URL options


Or if they add it as an attachment, they can either Upload their file or Record Audio. 

the upload or record options in the attachments area of a thread creation


Note that the Record Audio feature does not allow editing, and the recording can only be up to 3 minutes long. However, there is also an option to Upload a File in the Record Audio tool.

record up to 3 minutes with no editing, or use the upload file option to upload a file


Students (and the instructor) can then subscribe to the thread. 

click Subscribe for the thread you want to receive updates for


When you click Subscribe, you will have different notification options.

options to show notifications in the minibar only, send an instant notification, or include in the summary of activity



When a student has a new epsiode to post, they can just reply to their own thread.

showing a thread with the same student's reply and second podcast episode


Every time the student updates the thread, such as with a new post containing the next podcast episode, those who subscribed will get a notification. In our case they received an email notification.

student BU email with the notification of an update to the thread the student subscribed to