This project involved creating a ten minute podcast on a subject related to my MA studies. Video game development and the video game industry are a personal interest of mine, so the subject of gamification provided rich material for the audio recording. Gamification centres on using game-based mechanics, game-thinking and aesthetics to motivate action, promote learning and solve problems (Kapp 2012).

​

The project comprised of a number of phases:

• researching gamification and finding interesting

examples and anecdotes

• writing an engaging, natural script of appropriate

length

• finding appropriate creative commons music clips 

that fit the theme and suited each segment of

the podcast

• recording, editing and balancing music and spoken

audio files.

 

The podcast file is embedded above but is also available on Soundcloud and Google Drive.

 

Research and Writing Skills

The project required writing a script suitable for a ten minute recording. The subject matter needed to be engaging, punchy and entertaining in an audio format, which required concise but also accessible writing. Audio media obviously cannot use a visual structure to help organise the content, so the script needed to be written in thematic digestible chunks that provided a natural and easy to follow progression through the subject.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

​

​

Media Production and Presentation Skills

Performance is incredibly important when recording a script to excite the listener and to provide understandable content. Several takes were used for each section of the audio voice recording to make sure that the delivery flowed correctly and that the audio was well placed and clear. 8-bit music audio segments were interspersed in the podcast to fit the theme, to provide useful signals of changes in topic, and to keep the energy level of the podcast high and ensure that listeners remain engaged throughout. Music clips were sourced from a creative commons audio library. 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

The various music and voice clips were thematically sequenced and then edited to maintain a snappy, natural progression. Audio gain levels were then adjusted to ensure that volume remained consistent across the podcast despite the variety of clip sources, demonstrating technical skills and an understanding of how to present audio content.

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

​

Summary

The podcast was added to SoundCloud and added as the third part of a series of articles on gamification on my e-learning blog. The final podcast file demonstrates an ability to research, write, edit and present audio content. As an avid podcast listener, I greatly enjoyed this process. I hope to expand my skills in media editing with certified Adobe suite training.

 

References

Kapp, K.M., 2012. The gamification of learning and instruction: game-based methods and strategies for training and education. John Wiley & Sons.

​

Header image: from the YouTube channel ExtraCreditz video on gamification.