Listening to and Downloading Podcasts

First, if you are having trouble listening to or downloading podcasts from our library, hang in there!

This page gives some background information for users who are new to podcasts and the technology supporting them. If you read this and still have questions, please let us know. Though we can’t provide technical support for each computer or user, if we can answer simple questions for you, we are happy to do it.

What is a Podcast?

A podcast is an audio or video recording that comes as part of a series of files—the sound version of a blog. You can subscribe to and download the series (called Web syndication). The word, podcast, is derived from “broadcast” and “pod”—from the success of the iPod, since podcasts are often listened to on portable media players. The stream of information that allows you to subscribe to the podcast series is called a “feed” (or RSS feed, or Web feed). Once you subscribe to a series of podcasts, the newest files are automatically “fed” or “pushed” to your computer when the creator makes them available through a Web feed service (we make our podcasts available on iTunes, Soundcloud, YouTube,Vimeo, or the RSS feed that your computer is set to use).

Once you subscribe, when you connect to the Internet, your computer automatically downloads the “feed” and you have it available to load it onto your iPhone, iPod, or other listening device by syncing to your computer.

Do I Have to Have an Smart Phone or Tablet to Listen to Your Podcasts?

No, you do not have to have a smart phone or tablet to listen to these podcasts or “audio/video blogs.” If you want to watch or listen on your computer, just find the conversation you’re interested in in our website library. The only requirement is a broadband (strong) Internet connection.

If you do want to “take it with you” and you have a smart phone or tablet, you can download or stream our podcasts from Soundcloud, iTunes, Vimeo, or YouTube onto your smart phone or tablet. See the section on Accessing Our Podcasts through iTunes, below.

Accessing Our Podcasts through our Website Library

Once you get to our website library page, you’ll see chronological listings and many ways to search for podcasts that may interest you. Once you get to the podcast you want, you can use the audio or video player on the page (press the arrow key), download the podcast for listening to later, or play via “pop out box,” which allows you to continue searching the site with the podcast still playing.

Accessing Our Podcasts through iTunes

Once you get to our iTunes site, you can scroll down or search for podcasts (“command F”). Once you find one you like, you can listen to it there, or you can download it or subscribe to the feed by clicking on any of the links that say, “view in iTunes.”

This opens iTunes on your computer, taking you to the iTunes store. If you are not already a subscriber, you can click on the “subscribe free” button. Then, click on “podcast” in iTunes and you’ll be taken to your subscribed podcasts. You should see The New School listed there.

Once subscribed, you should be able to skip all the other steps and go directly to “podcasts” in iTunes on your own computer. If you don’t see the newest podcast or aren’t sure, click on “refresh.” Any new podcasts should start downloading.

To transfer to your iPod or iPhone, connect the device and allow it to sync, once the podcasts have downloaded to your computer.