Week 8 – Podcasting (A2)

Hello dear colleagues,

For our Open Educational Resource (OER), we wanted to narrow our topic and explore three current aspects of the mobile culture of podcasting which can have a significant impact on education.

We started from the hypothesis that the relationship of a monologue-type podcast with its listener, favored by listening in their headphones, creates a feeling of closeness and intimacy. The listener has the impression that the podcaster speaks to them, that they know them more and more through their stories. Once this “friendly” relationship has developed, the collection of data allows the Podcast to also better know its “friend” listener. With this new information, it then becomes possible to use this relationship as an incentive for consumption with targeted and paid marketing.

This week, we invite you to explore these topics while experimenting with creating podcasts. 

Four learning activities are planned:

  1. Become familiar with the Padlet audio tool by brainstorming on the importance of the Podcast for education;
  2. Record a story to know each other more intimately;
  3. Analyze these short monologues to collect various data;
  4. Critically reflect on monetization possibilities of our podcasts.

After completing our activities, will you be able to make connections with your role as educators? How does the intimate aspect of the podcast, its data collections and its marketability influence the future of our profession?

Your exploration begins here.

After completing the OER activities (Padlet), please choose from the following questions to discuss in this WorldPress forum : 

Education and intimacy: How can telling a story on a podcast be a source of learning?

Education and data collection: How can a podcast be a source of educational differentiation?

Education and marketing: How can a podcast possibly be a good (or bad) source of income in education?

Your hosts, Aaron & Seb 

( Average Rating: 4.5 )

37 responses to “Week 8 – Podcasting (A2)”

  1. danya sprott

    Hi Seb and Aaron, I just realized I did the activities within the OER, but forgot to participate in this WordPress with a post. I did want to start off by saying that I found your OER informative and interesting. I only started listening to podcasts a few years ago and even then it’s been pretty infrequent. When I do, I generally I listen to historical or comedic ones. I really do love the storytelling aspect as I love to be able to listen and imagine things play out. I find the idea of incorporating podcasting with my students to be a great idea. I think that podcasting can be an incredible source for learning for my students. Not just for presenting purposes (being able to hear one’s presentation and make edits), but I also really relate to the whole – if you want to get a good grasp on a topic, teach it to someone else. Needing to recount information to others forces us to learn about it in ways that we have a good understanding, but that we can also simplify it to teach it to others.


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  2. Megan Ravenhill

    Hello Week 8.

    Excellent job. I appreciated your use of podcasts in your site, the multimodality was refreshing!

    I will be answering the following discussion prompt: Education and intimacy: How can telling a story on a podcast be a source of learning?

    I believe it can be a source of learning because of how honest podcasts feel. How many times have we misread information or a text message because of the lack of tone? A podcast allows us to sense the tone of the author and better understand the mood. Therefore, a story can be told in a much more meaningful and authentic way. Hearing the emotion from an author detailing their lives can be much more moving and relatable when you hear their raw emotion.

    Again, excellent work!


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    1. rika vuong-lam

      Hi Megan:
      I’m usually on the end of being misinterpreted, so I spend extra time on my emails and texts to not be misread (tone).
      Although in podcasts we are able to hear the tones and have more emotional connection to the stories or broadcast, it still allows some individualized connection to the content as the degree of feelings may differ for different people. Podcasts also reminds me of the importance of maintaining culture through story especially how some stories are only passed down orally. I remember in another course where we talked about how messages or stories are forgotten if not written down or in this case, told and recorded.
      In reading your comment, it made me reflect a lot on connections to other courses.


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  3. Eduardo Rebagliati

    Hello Aaron & Seb. Thanks for sharing this OER and coming up with these fun learning activities. I think it was a good way of having a hands-on experience and making our learning more practical. I also enjoyed hearing the recordings of our classmates as it creates more intimacy and enhances engagement. It is certainly a different experience if compared to simply reading text from a name on a discussion board. It also made me reflect on how different speech is compared to writing. Usually, writing is well structured and contains longer sentences and complex ideas. Speech on the other hand, if not scripted, is often more spontaneous, simple, and imperfect. It contains a higher level of emotion as we perceive the liveliness of the person who speaks. Perhaps this is why many people (myself included) love to hear podcasts, as it is natural for us to connect with the human voice. I think it was also very interesting you made use reflect on storytelling. I believe that our love for stories is also something natural, and it is evident in books, movies, conversations, etc. Perhaps it is because our lives are stories and we enjoy hearing about the unfolding of events, especially if it contains hope at its core.


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  4. Braden Litt

    Hi Aaron and Seb, thanks for sharing a comprehensive and interesting OER. A lot of people have become aware of podcasting as entertainment, but I think you and our peers did an excellent job of highlighting the possibilities in an educational context. In terms of the part 3 prompts, I think that one of the pitfalls of monetization is that the podcaster opens themself up to pressures from an outside agency, which may change the messaging being presented. I think that one of the main benefits of podcasting is the freedom to express oneself without trying to conform to expectations. Monetization may change that. I think that podcasting could start to change the face of education as we know it due to the ability to be asynchronous and be consumed while completing another task. Time is often a barrier for me to learn new things, but podcasting allows for me to learn when and where it is convenient for me while allowing me to do complete other tasks.


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    1. Aaron Chan

      Hi Braden – I haven’t listened to that many podcasts, but I would agree that monetization can add pressure/expectations (although it’s not much compared to the pressure that educators get from public/private educational institutions haha). As mentioned by Maria below, monetization isn’t the focus for podcasting, but it’s definitely necessary for podcasts with regular, good content (since listeners typically expect podcasts to be free).


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  5. tamaka fisher

    Hello Sebastian and Aaron, Thank you for an enlightening presentation. I found it to be a very in-depth look at podcasting and really enjoyed your introductory podcast, Seb. I have not engaged with audio-only podcasts but use YouTube quite a bit for learning. Dr. Gillian Judson (2017) argues that “all educators can use tools of imagination to evoke emotion and imagination and, as a result, make everyday education more effective for all learners.” Indigenous, Black, other persons of color, LGBTQ2+, and other marginalized voices have historically been absent and, if present, are expected to speak for all instead of as individuals with unique experiences. When listening to all cultural voices becomes the expectation, and we leverage the personal effects of podcasting, our students and society will benefit. I agree that storytelling can be a potent form of teaching. You can find Dr. Gillian Judson’s TedXWestVancouverED talk at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loIZyzPVgrU.


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    1. sebastien renald

      Hello Tamaka, thank you for sharing this resource, it seems very interesting. You are right, the lack of diversity, both on screen and listening, is a problem that is finally raising awareness and causing interesting social debates. There are less present voices such as those of Indigenous, Black, other persons of color, LGBTQ2+, etc. On my side, as my English is not perfect, it is a bit the same parallel; on screen, we often see stereotypical “beauties”, for voices, we sometimes avoid accents, lisps, etc. But as Eduardo expresses it very well in his comment, the podcast is more imperfect, more spontaneous, therefore more authentic. This authenticity is so important in teaching to engage young and old in their learning. In recording my voice, despite my grammatical errors and my accent, It’s me, completely myself, imperfect, but I’m trying hard and confident. This is the kind of role model I want to be for my students. At the same time, I don’t demand perfection from them and I value the effort. We are moving away from the Podcast here, but if the podcast is more often natural and imperfect than the video, and leaves more room for the imagination, it is thus an essential tool in mobile education.


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  6. John Wu

    Hi Aaron and Seb, fantastic OER and intro group activity! I really enjoyed listening the everyone else’s views and experience on Podcasts while sharing my own thoughts on the topic. As many have pointed out, there is a sense of personalization/intimacy when the Podcaster is talking which amplifies the listener’s attention. Compared to addressing several people at the same time (say in a classroom or lecture which produces a rather “detached” feeling), using Podcasts to build connections and communities is a fantastic way to engage your audience. One thing which I forgot to mention in my Padlet recording is the multi modal nature of Podcasts. On a basic level, Podcasts are purely audio where as most productions today also include a visual element/video recording which enhances the experience. People who want to listen to audio can do so through RSS feeds while others who prefer watching their Podcasters host also have an option to do so. This work well for education as it can cater to different learning styles while remaining easily accessible/streamable from any mobile device. In essence, they’re great tools to help the Podcaster understand themselves better while also having the opportunity to connect with listeners through dialogue and interaction. I wouldn’t mind if there was an official MET Podcast, would definitely tune in or contribute!


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    1. Aaron Chan

      Hey John – that’s a good point regarding the multi-modality of podcasting. I’ve found that video-recorded podcasters also produce a different tone than pure audio podcasts (perhaps it’s easier to open up/speak freely when no one is “watching”). That said, I think the video component is one thing that makes certain podcasts (e.g. Joe Rogan’s podcast) so successful – listeners truly feel like a “fly on the wall”, sitting in on a conversation between people they find influential. How would you feel if MET courses discussions were done via mobile “podcast”/audio recording (opposed to text)?


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      1. John Wu

        Psychologically that’s true, people do seem to be slightly more aware of their behaviour/appearance when a camera is in front of them where as for audio only, they seem to be more candid as you mentioned. Maybe it’s safe to say ones with video elements are more focused with providing a spectacle or entertainment where as audio only is more content focused. I think it would be an interesting experiment if a MET elective course was conducted without text, or at the very least, requires students to contribute via voice instead of discussion boards. Optimistically I assume more people would participate since they could treat it like a comfortable conversation (eg: sending voice recordings through Whatsapp) and requires less time than say, typing out a response. Speaking can be spontaneous so that works in it’s favor I guess


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  7. Agnes

    Aaron and Seb, I think you did a wonderful job at taking us through your OER, and the activities and learning experiences were relevant and intriguing! I enjoyed engaging collaboratively with peers in the activities, and adding my own audio file and comments to the padlets. Two of the topics you selected- financial gain from podcasts, and headphones intimacy, provided deep reflection this week when considering my interactions with podcasts. When I use headphones, you are so right- it feels as though I am a part of the podcast, or in the room with the people that I am listening to. There are no sounds of crowds that are distracting, in which I would experience if I was in person. When watching television there is a distance from our seats to the TV, similar to the phone; while watching an interview on my phone, there is a distance between my eyes and ears and the screen, so it feels as if I am not as intimate or inclusive as I do when I have the sounds directly to my ears. Certainly agree with headphones improving the connection with the speaker/podcaster/entertainer etc. In terms of educational podcasts, I find a majority of podcasts have teachers as special guests. A positive of making income from educational podcasts is that teachers may receive payment for their ideas and input. Often teachers are providing their time, ideas and specialties in an extracurricular setting, so why not encourage that teachers are paid for their contributions? All other professionals would receive income for their contributions, so I think supporting teachers who are helping to advance best practises and ideas is awesome!


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    1. sebastien renald

      “In terms of educational podcasts, I find a majority of podcasts have teachers as special guests.” Thanks Agnes, you make a good point here. As a teacher, I can’t imagine becoming a full-time podcaster for educational purposes. It’s a bit like an influencer, there is a popularity/followers aspect to make it a job. On the other hand, to be a guest in a Podcast to discuss education and to offer my perspective on a subject that is one of my specialties, such as interdisciplinarity, I would be delighted. I would do it on a voluntary basis, but at the same time, expertise has a price and a salary will certainly influence my preparation and my attention to detail. However, I wonder how this can work? A fixed amount for the recording or a rating according to the number of plays based on the data? Here is one of my recent discoveries: https://10minuteteacher.libsyn.com/ This is a good example of a teacher who has mastered podcast pedagogy and it is short and to the point, in the spirit of mobile culture.


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    2. John Wu

      I definitely agree about using headphones, having a good pair really enhances the sound quality/listening experience (just like music) and filters out other environmental noise. Depending on the subject matter (eg: more serious or personal stories), using headphones can create the sense that the Podcaster is addressing directly to you where as for more casual/light topics I would probably be fine with using speakers to listen or play it in the background.


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  8. JenniferPetrovics

    Great presentation there was enough hands on activities that allowed me to read and immerse myself in the content. I liked that you had us go back and evaluate one of our colleagues podcasts and rate one that we liked. In terms of more educational information in the form of podcasts and youtube, I think that’s a good thing. You no longer have to create all the material for your classroom. You just have to sift, mine and create a knowledge mill yourself of information that has already been created. My students see and hear enough of me talking at them, it’s great that there are more resources for them to hear another voice, perspective or angle to solving a problem. The only piece now, is to curate your top favourites in podcasting and learning so that the content is relevant and clear. Great work on the podcasting presentation and the monetization of podcasts is not something I personally would pay for when there are so many free video options. As Michael said in his Part 1, sometimes monetizing podcasts feels like ‘War of the Worlds’ in terms of radio shows that are now portable on my phone. It is great to listen to while you are on the go, but for learning, I like to see videos so I can see the tangible object rather than the book on tape.


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    1. sebastien renald

      “It is great to listen to while you are on the go, but for learning, I like to see videos so I can see the tangible object rather than the book on tape.” I too prefer video for learning and I think my students do too. It’s quite simple, it involves the sense of sight in addition to hearing. On the other hand, it is less accessible in a context of mobility. Have you ever tried text-reading apps? Lately I was busy with 3 very intense classes and the readings were piling up. I am someone who needs to get outside and move. I spent a lot of time in front of my computer and I was less efficient. So I decided to download some text-reading apps and went for a run with a voice that read me the text of my university courses at the same time. I felt like a multitasking god! I believe that mobile technology has allowed me to be more efficient, but at the same time, I lacked the visual ability to highlight, annotate, proofread… In the end, when writing my essays, I realized that I had retained much less relevant information only heard and not read. I think the podcast is an implicit source of learning, less explicit, related to the entertainment it offers. Thanks for your comment Jennifer!


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    2. John Wu

      As a food for thought, most Podcasts and radio shows by extension include live video recordings as well. Though I wonder if this affects the mobile nature of audio only podcasts compared to watching the same segment (eg: listening for an hour vs watching/listening to a video for an hour), would it affect the modality or ways it could be used to educate listeners. I guess it essentially funnels down to the question of “is the power of voice enough to create an attractive learning experience?”


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  9. Maria Agop

    Thank you Aaron and Seb for an interesting and fun OER! I thought it would be a bit weird recording my voice and telling a story, but it was actually so fun! I believe people learn from stories, at least that is how our ancestors learned. Storytelling in podcasts can reveal a person’s core nature and character, and it could be a great benefit if you connect with that person or the host of a podcast on a deeper level (e.g., sharing an experience, having the same struggles, and battling some type of addiction). The host of a podcast can share his/her story and offer solutions to some problems that worked for them, and that can be a great learning experience for listeners. I don’t see podcasts being a good source of income in education, and I don’t think that money should be the focus here. Podcasting can be a great hobby that you can unwind at the end of the day by sharing your experiences and speaking genuinely to your intended listeners and if it generated income, that would be an additional benefit, and I have the same opinion about streaming live on Twitch, which I believe has some of the podcasting components, but it differs in being visual and more interactive with the host/streamer.


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    1. sebastien renald

      “I don’t think that money should be the focus here” I completely agree with you, hence the question of marketing, good or bad. Marketing and Education are not a good duo, but inequalities in education are often linked to the financial situation of families in relation to accessibility. During our discussions, Aaron and I imagine a situation where the podcast becomes more than a learning tool and can be transformed, like social media, into a means of encouraging consumption. For example, there are many excellent podcasts for learning English with personal tutors and designed by some of the world’s English teaching experts. Like some apps, these podcasts are costly and not accessible to everyone. We then wonder if this is not a limit of learning by podcasting. Fortunately, there are plenty of free options… Food for thought. And thanks again for sharing your disturbing and fun gun bullet story!


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  10. zheng xiong

    Hi Aaron & Seb, thank you for leading us into the discussion of the podcast. Now that I have a longer commute, I may actually look into the popular podcast channels you listed. I’m not sure if it’s problem with my laptop audio access, it seems that I can’t open the audio file. Could you hear the audio on your end?

    Answering your question on how can telling a story on a podcast be a source of learning. I think to consider listening to podcast as learning need to have some perimeters, for instance, the content needs to be value-adding, meaningful, and insightful. Random conversations or small talks are social being not strictly learning. For podcase to be considered as learning, I think the learning objective needs to be voiced out clearly, and the content needs to stand out and be easy to digest while learners are learning-on-the-go. Interesting that you phrase it as “telling a story”. Yes! Story-telling is appealing and attractive these days, in view of how marketing campaigns use storytelling techniques. Story-telling goes back to centuries when storyteller was a profession. People would tip the storyteller if they tell a good story. Hearing a story activates people’s emotional engagement, which makes the story or the content more memorable. In the educational context, story-telling is fun and engaging, that’s why I believe podcast is a nice way to learn at fragmented times. I wouldn’t recommend using podcast as a primary way of learning.


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    1. sebastien renald

      Hello Zheng, to hear the audio of the mini podcasts on the Padlet, it is not enough just to click on the play in the center of the image. You must scroll down a bit and press the other PLAY icon at the bottom of each audio post. I hope this will work. I can email you a screenshot if you want.


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    2. Aaron Chan

      Hi Zheng Xiong – Depending on the subject, I would agree that the podcasting medium isn’t an effective primary source of learning. In terms of efficiency, I would much rather go through written text (and find what I’m looking for), than listen to a long podcast (since it’s not really a medium that can be simply glazed/skimmed over). I suppose what it does offer is consistency? Since podcasts thrive on their ability to engage/entertain listeners, successful podcasters make it easy to listen in hours on end. And similar to audio books, I think it also makes the learning process more passive and easier to digest?


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  11. MichaelErickson

    Thank you for the awesome activities. I must say – as I alluded to in my opening ‘podcast’ – that I was a little skeptical about this week going into it (not because I didn’t want to record my own voice – quite the opposite, there is no ‘be quiet’ button on me) because I had zero experience and a personal, unjustified bias towards them. However, the activities you laid out for us in the manner that you did really connected with me. I truly do feel ‘closer’ to the students in this class now. In fact, I would say this is as close to knowing people in a course in this entire program for me! Even though I have completed the activities I look forward to hearing everyone else’s stories.


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    1. sebastien renald

      Thank you Michael, we are also very happy Aaron and I to hear the stories of other students and this was our starting hypothesis when exploring the topic of intimacy: we wanted to create closeness and show how the podcast can be a tool to get to know yourself and others better, and then use that relationship to encourage learning. I put myself in the shoes of the teacher who listens to the stories of his students and who gets to know them in order to adapt his teaching to their different personalities and educational needs (a form of data collection). We also opened the marketing door of podcasting to provide another line of thought, but now that I’m critiquing our own OER, I believe we could have stuck with that aspect of intimacy which already offers a world of possibilities. Thank you also for sharing your passion for math and sports short podcast to possibly make money. 🙂


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    2. Aaron Chan

      I’ve never tried sports gambling, but your simple system and profit of $1200 was enticing for sure (and still more than I’m currently up on stocks/cryptos haha). But all in all, I also do feel “closer” to you guys without actually engaging in a direct conversation (apart from these posts). I’ve been listening to comedian Bill Burr’s monologue-style podcast for a few years now, and I feel like I have developed a strange relationship with his voice/personality (because he brings up a lot of personal subjects). It’s interesting how the podcasting medium can allow millions of people to form this odd one-way, yet personal, relationship with the podcaster.


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  12. JacksonLiang

    Thanks for the great podcast materials Aaron and Seb. I especially connected with the intimacy part. I think the source of learning from podcasting can come from this intimacy and perhaps people’s ideas of storytelling. After all, with emotions come purpose and that’s what education is meant for– some kind of purpose. This reminds me a bit of Indigenous storytelling and makes me wonder how speech and this sense of connection can be similar or different than in-person storytelling. Analyzing an auditory text comes with different things to focus on such as jargon, intonation and speech patterns.


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    1. sebastien renald

      “After all, with emotions comes purpose and that’s what education is meant for– some kind of purpose.”

      It’s true, I agree. The subject of social and emotional learning (SEL) is gaining more and more importance in education and it is becoming clear that engaging the learner emotionally in a learning situation leads to stronger engagement and motivation. The teacher is sometimes a storyteller and the students generally love these more personal moments of exchange, just like the teacher who takes the time to listen to the stories of their students. What my students like about the podcast is precisely not having to tell their story directly in front of a group, not having to worry about their appearance because it does not involve the video, therefore feeling less pressure. Generally, they do not like to hear their own voice, but this discomfort is quickly dispelled.

      On this subject, here is a site that suggests 9 podcasts on SEL:
      https://www.movethisworld.com/social-emotional-learning/2019-8-2-7-best-podcasts-to-learn-more-about-social-emotional-learning/

      Oh and keep me posted about the two ketchup packs left. 😉


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  13. rika vuong-lam

    Hello Sebastien and Aaron:
    In participating in your activities, I found that podcasts are very intimate and open in that I exposed deeper stories I rarely share with a common friend. It gave me a sense of strength to speak to fears or feelings I usually hide. People see me as a happy and strong person, but in my podcast, I exposed a more vulnerable side I usually do not show. So in this sense and to your question: Education and intimacy: How can telling a story on a podcast be a source of learning? On a personal level, it can be a source of learning of the self. Some might not see this as important or educational, but I beg to differ. Identity is very important in helping one develop their perspective or stance in a given situation or conflict, it also helps the learner develop their voice in writing and speaking. Identity is also part of Arts and Humanities and in gaining understanding of one’s own perspective, we also open ourselves to Learning the perspective of others. This is important as we develop higher thinking and more understanding when we are able to listen to the stories and perspective of others and our own. It decreases radicalism, the belief that we all have the same suffering (if we came from the same place and time). Podcast can also be utilized for differentiated instruction as students with Dyslexia or language delays may prefer to present their work in podcast forms to best articulate their understanding.

    Thank you for a very calming, yet informative presentation.


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    1. MichaelErickson

      Thank you for sharing your story Rika; it is not easy to share personal info (I know I keep everything personal close to me and use humour as a defense mechanism).

      I have to say, you have a natural storytelling ability and an incredibly engaging voice. I could easily see podcasting in your future – I’d listen to whatever you talk about!


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      1. rika vuong-lam

        Thank you, Michael. I think I too contemplated for a more “normal” story. But as an educator, I have found that to build relationship with students, especially older ones, it starts with sharing our own stories. Only then will students open up and tell their stories. Almost like a form of modeling. Just like podcasting. Students become more creative and exploratory when they see examples of others. So I do remind myself to share openly with my vulnerability to allow others to also open up about their true perspectives and ideas.


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        1. Agnes

          Rika, what a beautiful statement that you included in your above comment, that stories build relationships/connections with our students. I believe in this, as students want to learn more about who they are learning from/with all year. Your testament you shared in the padlet showed vulnerability and openness. Thank you for sharing your story with us!


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    2. sebastien renald

      Rika, thank you very much for this very intimate sharing and just like Michael, I think you are an excellent podcaster with a perfect voice and intonation. What a difficult childhood story… I imagine that this story has repeated itself in your head several times and I dare to believe that telling it is a form of outlet that makes it possible to make the weight of guilt less heavy. You’re right, telling a story is a way to learn more about yourself. And when someone else listens to this story, they can also learn because there is a form of identification and sharing that allows them to feel less alone, to tell themselves that what happened to them, although it was different, could also happen to someone else and that having the courage to tell this story is a first step towards a form of healing. Regarding the identity, I imagine that you know Watson. Here is an excerpt that resonates well with your words:

      “So why is storytelling so intrinsic to the way people live their lives? A number of authors (e.g. McAdams, 2001; Singer, 2004; White, 1989) suggest that storytelling is the way in which individuals make sense of their experiences. Further, the telling of stories can have very real effects on individuals and contribute to the shaping of their lives (White, 1992). Storytelling becomes a mechanism through which identity is crafted (La Pointe, 2010), a point recognised by White (1989) in his term self-narratives.”

      McMahon M, Watson M. Story telling: crafting identities. Br J Guid Counc. 2013 Jun;41(3):277-286. doi: 10.1080/03069885.2013.789824. Epub 2013 May 2. PMID: 24009405; PMCID: PMC3756621.

      Thanks again for sharing! 🙂


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      1. rika vuong-lam

        Thank you, Sebastien. It was a story I did not talk about but found it was always on my mind. I have recently opened up to my husband about it and found it helpful with my stress and anxiety. So I thought as a podcast, this was a story for healing but also to build trust and relationship with my “listeners.” Part of culturally responsive pedagogy, we argue that educators need to be open and share in order for students to do the same. Part of our anti-oppressive pedagogy too, we argue that having staff reflective of the students is also important to the students’ sense of belonging. Not every person will have the same story, but a story of vulnerability and struggle makes educators seem more humane to students. I say this from experience. Through conversations with students that are not in my class and who have a liking to me, the feedback is my relatability but also my willingness to be open to them and speak to them like there is no hierarchy. From this feedback, I have better understood how to continue on a path of anti-oppressive pedagogy.
        Your mention of storytelling is a mechanism to craft identity reminds me Indigenous perspectives and how storytelling is crucial to maintain their culture and identity. Due to residential schools, that was difficult to do. Hence, so many indigenous cultures and languages are going extinct due to the genocide.


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    3. Aaron Chan

      Thanks for opening up, Rika. Your story made me wonder what it is about this medium that encourages us to open up (opposed to written or face-to-face discussion) – I actually had to resist this urge myself haha (but why?). And I do agree that it can be an effective source for self-learning/examination. After years of failing to journal consistently, I recently started the habit of beginning each morning by doing a 10-15 min voice recording (these are just voice memos that stay on my phone). I feel this practice of speaking aloud really helps me process the events of my day-to-day life, and it’s quite different from chatting to a real person or simply thinking in my head.


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      1. rika vuong-lam

        Hi Aaron:
        Your example of journal writing is a wonderful reminder. It makes me think to spiral that activity to allow young students to do voice journals. We are fixated on language being writing, forgetting that art and oral is also a form of language. Especially young students who are beginning writers. Helping them to develop their voice and articulation through oral journal recording would be a great start to developing that. Students can also choose different languages to record their memo and can do it anywhere, making the activity mobile. If they have a sudden thought, they could record. It could be a bunch of mini entries for a day.


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  14. sonia virk

    Aaron and Seb, this week was one I was looking forward to and you did not disappoint. Podcasting is ranked high on my list of mobile technologies and I have been able to integrate it into my classroom seamlessly as well. I really liked your link to the guide for educators on podcasts because it is a great place to start. I will soon add to your Padlet with an audio recording to immerse myself in your presentation. Awesome work!


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    1. sebastien renald

      Thank you Sonia for this great comment! Aaron and I learned a lot about podcasts and the many possibilities in education. This is a fairly recent discovery for me too. For about two years, I have been encouraging my students to use the podcast as a medium to create team projects and I am doing more and more oral feedback directly from my phone. It’s not a podcast per se, but it’s an audio medium that saves me a lot of time and makes my students feel like I’m talking directly to them. It is this intimate aspect that we explore in the first part of our OER. Check the MOTE extension on Google, it’s really great. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mote-voice-notes-feedback/ajphlblkfpppdpkgokiejbjfohfohhmk


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