Discussion: Somewhat like the return of vinyl records, the recent resurgence of the Podcast medium, initially on the back of some hyper-popular journalistic properties, might have been unexpected. Podcasts demonstrate the enduring power of sound, the spoken word, and narrative, above and beyond the engagement possible with visual media. It is probably safe to say that the resurgence would not have happened without current mobile technologies – Podcasts are perhaps a quintessential mobile experience.
523 Inspiration: For education, and mobile learning especially, Podcasts offer a proven medium that is equally convenient and accessible for both learners and educators. Better networks and devices have considerably elevated the potential of educational Podcasts since their first appearance on now-outmoded iPods.
I see podcasts as aligning with DIY learning and the ability to personalize the education experience. While I am not personally a fan of podcasts, I can see how others may enjoy them. My concern with this frontier is similar to that of Wikipedia, in its early years. Anyone was able to edit entries and the vetting process was nowhere near the level it is now. I worry about the quality of content and the level of expertise when delivering educational information. What kind of vetting process is in place around certain subjects? The ability to claim certain credentials or expert-level knowledge in a particular subject seems to be an easy one. Once again, this is where a strong critical eye and logical thinking will be needed because podcasts do help to align with interest-based education and a desire to gain more information on certain topics like history.
Postcasts (and e-books) have been a huge part of my everyday life for coming up on 10 years. To me I feel it has been a whole education I’ve gained ‘on the side’ while doing other menial (mobile) tasks such as driving, working out, cleaning the house etc. Specifically with podcasts, I think @Nicole Magne (May 15th comment) really nailed the authenticity aspect, which I think youth are particularly prioritizing and keyed into. There is something special about podcasts in which the narrative is not controlled and there are no time limits on conversations. My favourite ‘type’ of podcast, which is seemingly quite common is that of a comedian interviewing a researcher. Comedians are like the modern day court jester, very intelligent observers often using humour to speak truth to power. The researcher is someone on the cutting edge of fascinating information in their esoteric field, information which would normally be published in journals and only reach other scholars. Somehow this dynamic seems to make for really enlightening conversations. One of my other specific favourites is a podcast with 4 friends who are tech investors (can you guess which one?). Through podcasts we get to be flies on the wall listening in on the conversations of the smartest people in the world ~ if that is what you are into… how can this not have a massive impact on education? It would be a shame if it didn’t. I really like the example by Sacree (May 13th comment) of getting kids really excited about history through podcasts – that is wonderful.
Podcasts are a part of my daily routine. I enjoy podcasts for all facets of life such as comedy, history, politics and pop culture. I have a podcast for everything! The wonderful thing about podcasts is that there really is something for everyone. As a language teacher and language learner, podcasts are a wonderful educational tool. I use podcasts for oral comprehension for my French students while also asking them to write, record and edit their own podcast. Students enjoy talking about their passions while also working on language development. I also use it in my Indigenous studies class. As Nicole mentioned, oral traditions is an important part of my Indigenous communities. Students explore, listen and present a podcast from an authentic Indigenous source.
Podcasting is the perfect match for the new standards of hands-free mobility afforded by phones, smart watches, and wireless audio headsets. What other combinations of mediums allow you to exercise, garden, commute, or craft all while learning and absorbing information? By removing the need for vision (our eyes) from the equation, this medium’s freedom is unparalleled.
In an increasingly AI-generated landscape, authenticity is king. When written content is created by machines, the true and trusted voice of experts is undeniable in the podcast format. There’s an intimacy in listening to conversations and personalities. Humans have evolved from oral traditions, I believe podcasting is simply tapping into our deep evolutionary connection of storytelling.
I want to acknowledge that the audio format is not always accessible to those who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, with impressive AI-powered speech-to-text capabilities in many modern web browsers, accessibility issues are being acknowledged. Increasingly, we are seeing that podcast creators are releasing podcasts in video and multimodal formats, expanding the reach and impact which podcast-generated content can have.
Hello Steve, avid podcast listener,
Would you please, o, please help me unravel the magic of the cast?
I love dialogue, debate, conversing, storytelling, lectures, audiobooks – anything pertaining to oral narrative. While I have dabbled in very few podcasts (Revisionist History and a few gardening favorites, mostly), I can’t quite understand the allure of why podcasts have sp suddenly become a socially dominant and preferred mode and method of listening and learning in the face of so many other varieties of knowledge dissemination. Seeing it as a topic in our introductory tasks for 523 makes me realize I have suffered from the Dunning Krueger effect as there is clearly something more compelling about this phenomenon that I have never before considered.
Is it fun? Relaxing? Educational? Meditative? All of the above and more? What’s the catch? What’s the deal? What’s driving this trend?
HA, the magic? Well I’m not sure about that, but kind of a big deal I guess!
Fun, relaxing, educational … yes to those. I think that I love the personality that comes with podcasts, the connection with podcasters rather than just words on a page or a visual production that lacks that same personality. I also think that the narrative, the story that podcasts offer is so very engaging. When it comes to history (I like Revisionist History as well), the narrative story that brings the past to life is a big drawing card.
Podcasts have become a key daily activity for me. Whether tackling tasks, driving, or relaxing, podcasts give me the ability to tap into education, interest, and the knowledge of people I admire. They are easy to access and wonderfully fun to talk about with friends who are into the same topics. Of late, I have extended this personal interest into the classroom. In AP World History I began to utilize key podcast episodes of shows such as “The Rest is History” and planned engaging lessons around them. In short order, the students were coming to class and telling me about the episodes they had listened to, and recently I’ve heard other teachers and even a parent commenting on the interesting spread of history podcasts in the student body.
I have become deeply interested in the exploration of effective educational podcasts, and have also had my students begin to create their own. The medium is excellent for knowledge acquisition and has massive potential for educators and entrepreneurs.