For some of you who are students at UC San Diego or have just heard the term “UCSD Podcast,” you may immediately think that it is an interview series or storytelling show.
However, in reality, it is something much more mundane: a system to record lectures and help students stay on top of their work.
The UCSD Podcast With A Twist
Tipping the scale in an entirely different direction, UCSD has its podcast service committed to providing professionally produced podcasts about phenomena, not pop culture. This is what the university employs to tape automatically-lectured on campus in particular classrooms.
These recordings could be just the audio of the professor, or they could include video and screen captures, depending on the configuration.
After a professor agrees to be recorded, everything else is hands-off. After the class is done, recordings are uploaded almost immediately and can be streamed at any time by students.
Who Is UCSD Podcast For And Why You Should Care
UCSD Podcast is ideal for students who need to grasp difficult concepts, listen again and again an explanation or follow a missed lecture. Noredink is simple and helps in reinforcing the learning instead of just noting down everything or writing down summaries from textbooks.
Oh, and did I mention that it’s completely free for students!
Can You Download UCSD Podcasts?
Yes, you absolutely can. The lectures are available to download onto a computer or other device that students may have. UCSD with its RSS feed per course.
That means you can subscribe to them using your preferred podcast app on Apple Podcasts (or any RSS-capable app) and automatically receive each new lecture as soon as it becomes available.
Perfect to follow up on the classes, especially if you are a mobile student.
Don’t Wait Too Long, They Expire
Remember, these broadcasts disappear eventually. Q: Can I use readings from the packs after the quarter ends? Ongoing sessions typically last 10 weeks. In the case of summer classes, this time can be a small as 5 weeks. From there, the content is taken down, and almost never gets uploaded again.
Final Thoughts
Tools like UCSD Podcast are among those things in life that simplify academic life and go unnoticed. If you are going back over material for finals or just need to hear something again, the option for streaming or downloading lectures helps keep you on schedule.
However, make sure to grab them before the quarter ends — otherwise, they will disappear into thin air.