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  • Incorporating podcasts in the classroom

    Podcast popularity is on the rise so let’s explore how teachers can use podcasts in their classroom.

    First of all, what is podcast?
    Podcasts are digital audio or video files that are available for streaming or download on the internet.
    They cover a wide range of topics, including education, entertainment, news, storytelling, and much more. Podcasts can be listened to on various devices, such as smartphones, computers, and tablets, making them accessible to users anytime, anywhere.
    Podcasts engage students through immersive storytelling, discussions, and interviews, fostering deeper comprehension and retention of content. They cater to diverse learning styles, providing flexibility for independent exploration and personalized learning.

    Below I have prepared 5 ways a teacher can incorporate podcasting into the classroom:

    1. Student Podcast Projects: Assign students to work in small groups to research and create their own podcasts on topics related to the curriculum. This can include historical events, scientific concepts, literary analysis, or current events. Students can script, record, edit, and publish their podcasts, gaining valuable skills in research, writing, communication, and digital media production.
    2. Podcast Listening and Discussion: Integrate existing educational podcasts into classroom activities. Select podcasts that align with the curriculum and have students listen to episodes either individually or as a class. Follow up with guided discussions, reflections, or assignments that relate to the podcast content. This can enhance comprehension, critical thinking, and listening skills.
    3. Teacher-Created Podcasts: Record and share podcasts created by the teacher to supplement classroom instruction. These podcasts can serve as additional resources, providing explanations, summaries, interviews with experts, or real-world examples related to the topics being studied. They can be used for review, reinforcement, or to introduce new concepts in an engaging format.
    4. Interviews and Guest Speakers: Invite guest speakers or experts in various fields to participate in podcast interviews with the class. Students can prepare questions, conduct interviews, and record the discussions for a podcast episode. This offers an opportunity for students to engage with professionals, gain insights into different careers or topics, and practice interviewing and communication skills.
    5. Audio Storytelling: Encourage students to create audio stories, narratives, or fictional podcasts. This can involve writing scripts, developing characters, and using sound effects to enhance the storytelling experience. Students can explore creative expression, storytelling techniques, and audio production while developing literacy skills and imagination.

    ↔ Have you or your colleagues ever used podcasts with your students?
    ❓ What crucial moments should be considered if you decide to incorporate podcasts in your lessons? Let's create some guidelines
    🎧 If you have your favorite podcasts for the classroom – please share them with others here

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    • , last edited by Ana_moderator

  • @Ana_moderator

    Hi Ana,

    Thanks for sharing these fantastic ideas on how to integrate podcasts into the classroom! As podcast popularity continues to grow here in Puerto Rico, it's exciting to see how we can leverage this medium to enhance special education students learning and engagement.

    To answer your questions:

    • Yes, I’ve used podcasts in my classroom before. We did a project where students created their own podcasts about their experiences in community with a disability. It was a huge success! The students were incredibly engaged and learned a lot about both the subject matter and the technical aspects of producing a podcast.

    Here are a few crucial points to consider in my opinion:

    1. We have to ensure the podcast content is directly related to the curriculum and appropriate for the students' age and comprehension levels.

    2. It is important to me to provide basic training on the technical aspects of podcast production, including recording, editing, and publishing. This could be probably a job exploration activity also.

    3. We have to set clear learning objectives and outcomes for the podcast project. It is fundamental to ask us, what skills and knowledge should students gain?

    4. To plan the project timeline carefully, allowing sufficient time for research, scripting, recording, and editing will be very important to assure something with quality.

    5. Last but not least, to develop a rubric or set criteria for assessing the podcasts. We have to include aspects like content accuracy, creativity, technical quality, and teamwork.

    Here are a few of my favorite podcast:

    https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/pod/
    https://adampetersoneducation.com/podcast/

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  • @BRYANb8875625e5 said in Incorporating podcasts in the classroom:

    Here are a few of my favorite podcast:

    https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/pod/
    https://adampetersoneducation.com/podcast/

    Wow, creating your own podcast with students is a huge experience! What age your students were and how much time did it take? Were you creating podcasts during lesson time, or was it an extra-curricular activity?

    Thank you for sharing these education podcasts for teachers. I think they perfectly fit into the topic about blogs, vlogs for teachers as well.

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    • , last edited by Ana_moderator

  • For me,1.jpg Podcasting offers an exciting way to bring science and life science topics to life in the classroom. Students can create their own podcasts on various subjects, such as biology or environmental science. For example, they might produce episodes discussing the importance of biodiversity or the impact of climate change on ecosystems. Additionally, podcasts can feature interviews with scientists or explore recent scientific discoveries, providing students with real-world insights and opportunities to engage with cutting-edge research. Through podcasting, students can develop communication skills, deepen their understanding of scientific concepts, and foster a passion for learning about the natural world.

    "Empowering students through engaging education, fostering environmental consciousness, and advancing scientific literacy. Committed to shaping future leaders in Life and Earth Sciences."

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  • Podcasts are fantastic. They can be created easily, can be accessed anytime and from anywhere. Besides, they allow content creators to cover wide array of topics and interests, to reach people with different backgrounds, even from different cultures, geographical locations. No borders, no time consuming, no extra resources and spendings. Talented podcasters are as a rule creative and imaginative.

    Their role in professional growth of teachers is invaluable, they receive responses to some of their questions, some issues become clearer, enrich knowledge and understanding of some of the complex issues.
    Here is a set of podcasts FYI https://medium.com/the-mission/30-best-education-podcasts-d8acf604ccdb

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  • @Ana_moderator yes once I had experience of podcast in class. As it was survey activity . Student were sent to other classes to have interviews from their fellows and talk about the responsibility and right of students in schools . When different reviews and views came , they note downin their book and also discussed in classroom.

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  • @Ana_moderator

    Hi Ana,

    My students with autism have so many challenges in socialization and communication. It was nice to see them creating a podcast to foster skills for these two challenges as part of a lesson. Some of them don't talk and use communication systems to interact with verbal students. I just love it.

    Best,
    Mr. Bryan

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  • Dear colleagues, Thank you for sharing your experiences of using podcasts for educational purposes

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