Podcast Is The New Essay

@LisaBerghoff/@MrKimDHS

It's funny how media tends to come full circle. Radio programs are seen as a thing of the past, but podcasts are innovative and very now. If you listen to enough podcasts you will quickly notice that it is pretty obvious when a podcast is done well. Of course, most things when done well come across as effortless but actually take careful planning, skills, and effort. The elements that make a podcast great share much in common with great writing. There is a clear focus, ideas are supported with details or facts, transitions are used to connect ideas, and the conclusion leaves the reader with a sense of closure or not depending on the author's purpose. 

If you don't think podcasting aligns with your content area (I'm looking at you math!) please know that this information is for anyone who teaches students content, asks students to express ideas, or wants to motivate students and get them excited about learning.  The nice thing about podcasting is that is does not require a lot of fancy equipment, nor does it require audio editing skills. At the end of this post is a clearly defined process you can use with your students to get them up and running. 

Here are some examples as well as tools you can use to podcast in your classes.

Authenticity And Student Voice: 

When using  podcasting in your classes,  you can also have the added bonus of giving an authentic experience  by having students interview people outside of school for their podcasting content. Or, the students' podcasts can be shared both within and outside of the school community to get real feedback from listeners all over the community, country, or even the world. Think about having students take a stand on an issue. They would need to do some research, including interviewing an expert in the field. Then, they can use one of the podcasting templates on Soundtrap to record and edit their podcast. The links could be shared with students in the class who will listen and then critically analyze the merits of the issue that was presented. 

Another way to use podcasting to shine a spotlight on student voice would be to have students create book talk podcasts. They can share their thoughts and reviews on various books. You can have QR codes in your classrooms linking to those podcasts so students can hear from other students about the books they may want to read. 

Flipped Lessons:

Our contact time with students is so precious! Do you ever find yourself doing most of the talking during class and then the students need to analyze and make meaning from information on their own for homework? Consider using podcasts to replace lectures or student presentations.

You can absolutely create your own podcast using Flipgrid or any of the other tools mentioned in this post. No need to be on camera! Just record your voice and share the link or download. If you don't feel like you have it in you to create your own, no worries. Much like YouTube, there are many podcasts already created that are nicely produced and engaging to listen to. No offense, I'm sure you are fascinating but sometimes it's nice to mix things up a bit. You can also think about listening to podcasts for your own professional development. 

There are some wonderful podcasts covering various topics on education. Here are a few to get you started.  A simple google search will yield so many podcast options depending on what you are teaching. From science and math to civics and grammar, you can find a podcast that will meet your needs and your students can listen on their own and when you are back together in the classroom that is when your students can engage in what they learned. 

Podcasting For Assessment:

Are you asking students to generate written work to assess their comprehension or critical thinking skills? If you ever ask students to write as a response to a prompt, or critically analyze and then draw a conclusion, you may want to consider trying a podcast for one of those activities. Students can use Anchor to create their podcast and share it with you. They still need to use the same skills of comprehension and analysis. You are just asking students to express their understanding in a new way. 

Ready, Set, Podcast!

Regardless of the assignment and the tool, you will want your students to follow a process to ensure that they produce something that not only sounds good, but that makes sense.

If you want to dive into the deep end, check out this Teaching Podcasting Guide For Educators, created by NPR. If you want the short version, here it is:

1. What makes a podcast good?

    Have students listen to and evaluate the merits of a few podcasts before beginning

2. Plan your podcast

    Outlines and mind maps work great for this stage in the process

3. Do your research

    Your podcast can be nice to listen to but you need to make sure you have your facts figured out

4. Write a rough draft of a script

    It is important to mention to students that this is going to have to be revised many times. That's just the     way it goes. 

5. Choose a tool

    Encourage students to look at a few options and choose one that is comfortable to them. 

6. Practice

7. Edit

8. Share

 Want help getting started? Let us know! We are here to help.

Still not sure podcasting is for you? Maybe this will encourage you to give it a try.