Prior to this week, I had not considered using podcasting in educational settings. I’ve listened to them before and thought they were interesting and informative, but I never made the connection that they could be used in formal educational settings. I’m not quite sure why I never made that leap.
What is a Podcast?
It is an audio recording similar to a talk show that can be downloaded and played on an iPod, MP3 player, computer, tablet or smartphone (Weobong, 2016). Podcasts are relatively easy and inexpensive to create, and they can be used in education, professional development, and employee training. They can be uploaded to iTunes, a website, or a learning management system (Weobong, 2016). Where it will be hosted is a decision that should be made early in the development process (Podcast Academy, 2018).
Why Use Podcasts?
Podcasts can be used to help personalize the learning. This is done by allowing employees or students to select the podcasts they want or need to listen to from an archived training library. Podcasts can also be used to present a lot of information in a way that is easier to process than large amounts of written content, and they can be listened to at the employee or student’s convenience (Weobong, 2016; Gray, 2017). Podcasts can be a great tool in learning and development, but they should not be the only one (Weobong, 2016).
In education, podcasts can be used for lecture reviews and to help students catch up when they have missed a class. These can also be used to supplement information provided in class. Students are more likely to listen to a podcast than to read a large amount of written text, and they can listen when they are doing other things (Gray, 2017). However, it is important to remember to break lengthy or technical lessons into shorter chunks, so students can maintain focus (Clark, 2007). Podcasts are great for students with learning disabilities, visual impairments, or language learners. Teachers can also allow students to create podcasts to demonstrate their learning (Gray, 2017).
Creating Podcasts
There are several things to consider when creating a podcast. One is having a good microphone, which is necessary to ensure good sound quality. Next, a recording and editing software is needed, and a great free one that is highly recommended is Audacity. Another is to create an outline instead of a script. This will help keep them more personal and conversational. It is also important to keep the podcast archives organized by naming them well, so they are easily accessed (Weobong, 2016; Podcast Academy, 2018).
When beginning a podcast, you need to identify the reason why, who the intended audience is, and what they would want from the podcast. You also need to consider how it will be named. Will it have a clever or descriptive name, or be named after the publisher. Other things that should be determined before launch include: 1) the length of time for each podcast, 2) the frequency of release, 3) how episodes will be titled, and 4) the format of the podcast. Podcasts are commonly done as a solo show, with co-hosts, or as an interview (Podcast Academy, 2018).
What Does This Mean for Me?
This is an area that I have never looked into before. As I read this week, I kept seeing how this may be something that could be used in my district and imagining which teachers would use it. I will do some more research into this and approach some of those teachers to see if it is something they would like to pursue. If so, I will help them to get started.
One resource that I have found that I am exploring more is Listenwise. Here is a video that describes how it can be used in elementary classrooms.
Another resource I found that may be helpful is this website: 40 Best Podcasts for Kids and Teens in Elementary, Middle, and High School
Resources
Clark, R., (2007). 2007. Leveraging multimedia for learning. Retrieve April 12, 2019 from http://www.clarix.com/whitepapers/captivate_leveraging_multimedia.pdf
Weobong, D. (2016) A Guide to Using Podcasts for Employee Training. Retrieved April 11, 2018 from https://www.eleapsoftware.com/a-guide-to-using-podcasts-for-employee-training/
Podcast Academy (2018) How to Start a Podcast Step-by-Step. Retrieved April 11, 2018 from https://www.thepodcasthost.com/academy/resource-library/
Gray, C., (2017). Podcasting in Education. What are the Benefits? Retrieved April 12, 2018 from https://www.thepodcasthost.com/niche-case-study/podcasting-in-education/
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