Podcasting as a teaching tool

Podcasts bring unique advantages to education: 

1. Accessibility and Flexibility: Students can listen anytime, anywhere—during commutes, workouts, or study breaks. This convenience accommodates diverse learning schedules and styles​.   
2. Encouraging Movement: Research demonstrates that people learn more effectively when information is presented in multiple ways—which enhances encoding into long-term memory ^[1]. For instance, incorporating gestures into teaching improves retention, with even small hand movements significantly boosting students’ ability to remember material ^[2]. Additionally, physical activity, regardless of its direct connection to the subject matter, activates the brain, enhances cognitive function, and correlates with better academic performance ^[3]. To Boost Learning, Just Add Movement | Cult of Pedagogy. 
3. Engagement: By incorporating storytelling, real-time conversations, and expert interviews, podcasts can make complex subjects relatable and exciting. Adding a human voice often bridges the emotional gap in learning​. Podcasting in the Classroom: Activities & Recommendations.
4. Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Podcasts align with UDL principles by offering multiple means of representation (audio content), expression (student-created podcasts), and engagement (diverse topics and delivery methods). Go to Resources, UDL and 21st Century Learning | Faculty Focus.

Here are some innovative ways educators can integrate podcasts into their courses: 

1. Supplement Course Material: Use episodes as additional resources to support lectures or textbooks. For instance, assign podcasts discussing contemporary issues to complement theoretical content​. 
2. Encourage Critical Thinking: Assign students to listen to one or more podcast episodes and prepare arguments to refute or support presented ideas. This fosters analytical skills and promotes active learning​. 
3. Interactive Activities: Students can compare, and contrast episodes covering similar topics or engage in discussions based on podcast interviews. Incorporating platforms like Perusall for collaborative annotations enhances interactivity​.
4. Creative Assignments: Allow students to create their own podcasts, helping them synthesize course material and present it in an innovative format. This fosters creativity and real-world application [see Sarah Weekes, Isabelle Deschamps].

When thinking about podcasting in your classroom, you will need to consider whether students are involved in the recording.  Please consider the Virtual Lecture and Other Educational Activity Recordings Involving Students Policy v.3.

1. Enhancing Teaching Skills: Engaging with podcasts, whether as a host or listener, sharpens communication, storytelling, and critical thinking skills—valuable assets for effective classroom teaching. 
2. Expanding Scholarly Impact: Academic podcasts offer opportunities for peer-reviewed contributions, serving as innovative scholarly outputs that enrich research and teaching portfolios. 
3. Fostering Community Connections: Podcasts create a platform for educators to share insights, connect with a wider audience, and bridge academic knowledge with the broader community, extending their reach beyond traditional boundaries. 
4. Convenient Professional Development: For busy professionals, podcasts provide a flexible way to engage in professional development. They can be listened to while multitasking—during commutes, workouts, or household chores—making it easier to stay informed and inspired without requiring dedicated time. 
5. Sparking Ideas and Creativity: Podcasts expose educators to diverse perspectives, innovative ideas, and creative solutions. Listening to discussions and stories from other professionals can inspire new approaches, ignite fresh thinking, and foster innovative practices in teaching and research. 
6. Providing Diverse Perspectives: Education podcasts often feature a wide range of experts, ensuring you get diverse viewpoints and insights on various topics. 
7. Cost-Effective: Most podcasts are free, making them a cost-effective way to access high-quality educational content. 
8. On-Demand Learning: You have the freedom to choose what you want to learn and when. Podcasts are available on-demand, allowing you to tailor your learning experience.