Podcasts are a powerful tool for learning! In this episode, Kasey talks about all sides of podcasting–what it is, how to listen, how to use them in the classroom, and how to create!

Maybe you’re reading these show notes and have never listened to an episode. Auditory learning isn’t for everyone, which is why this is the perfect episode to start with if you’re new to podcasts.

Podcasts can be published by anyone, anywhere, on countless platforms. On-the-go listening has made podcasts incredibly popular. Apple introduced podcasting in 2005 with the popularity of its iPods. But it wasn’t until Serial, a true-crime podcast debuting in 2011, that skyrocketed the listening audience. Breaking with the typical format, Serial used a storytelling structure in episodes that were released weekly. Much like our favorite television shows.

The Power of Podcasts for Learning: Listening, Creating, Sharing, and Growth!

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The Power of Podcasts for Learning

Today, there are 2 million active podcasts with 48 million episodes available. When listeners were asked why they listen, 3 out of 4 answered to learn new things. A precedent for learning has been set.

Types of Podcasts

The structure of a podcast has many different forms. Some of those include:

The Interview
The Solo
The Panel
Conversational and co-hosted
Non-fiction storytelling
Fiction storytelling

Each of these structures provides a different purpose to reach a particular audience. Different structures work best with specific contents and purposes for sharing. Some shows, like The Shake Up Learning Show, utilize several structures depending on the content of the episode.

Podcast Categories

There is a podcast for just about everything under the sun, or including the sun. Whatever the content that you teach might be, you’re guaranteed to find a podcast episode to go with it. Some of the most popular categories include:

True Crime
Comedy
Sports
Fiction
History
Business
Society and Culture
Kids & Family
Education
News
Religion and Spirituality
TV & Movies
Technology
Arts
Health and Fitness
Music
Science
Leisure
Government

Teachers can use podcast episodes for a number of reasons in the classroom with students. But there are also wonderful podcasts to help teachers gain professional knowledge as well.

Podcast PD

If listening to podcasts is a newer concept for you, read advice from Jen Giffen on how to best listen to podcasts. The advantage of learning from a podcast is that you can listen when doing just about anything. That means your everyday activities can be done while listening and learning.

Here is a list of recommended podcasts for teachers:

School administrators are now accepting podcasts as a way of gaining professional credits. They might be embedded during a face-to-face training session to help enhance the content. Listeners can always answer questions in a Google Form or share during a discussion to demonstrate evidence of learning. For the Shake Up Learning Show, there is a question of the week posed at the end of each episode which can be used as well. Or utilize podcasts over an extended period of time through a PD choice board.

Podcasts and Students

If podcasts can teach teachers, then there must be something for students as well. Consider these ideas for using podcasts as content in the classroom:

Use podcasts as a station
An option on a choice board
Enrichment
To enhance text and other media (read-alongs)
Improve listening skills
Improve note-taking skills while listening
Use a Google Form to submit evidence and reflection

Here are some great places to start if you’re looking for content, but of course searching for your topic would also work.

Another option for using podcasts in the classroom is to have students create them. Kasey shares how her class produced an episode of Miss Bell’s Chime Time to share their best writing. While in 2005 this project took more time than it would now, Kasey still hears about the positive impact it had on her students from that year.

Other ideas for producing student-created podcasts include:

School and community news
Storytelling (Retelling/Historical/Fictional)
Celebration of success
Overcoming failure
Interview (experts, family, community, other students)
Audiobooks
Oral reading of their own writing
Book reviews/trailers
Reflection
Record a presentation
Explain answers to a problem
Perform/sing

Here are some teachers creating podcasts in their classrooms if you’d like a great example:

There are also a few great resources to help teachers navigate the production of a classroom podcast.

How to Produce a Podcast

The good news is that there isn’t any need for fancy equipment or software. As long as you have access to a computer with recording capabilities then it can be done. A separate microphone can provide higher-quality audio, but it’s not a must-have. There are several free options available to record and edit your podcasts.

There are also a few free, easy-to-use options for publishing as well.

To learn even more about podcasting with your students this episode of The Shake Up Learning Show can help. When you have published with your students be sure to share.

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