All You Need To Know About Using Podcasts in Your Classroom

Did you know that Podcasting was first invented by Adam Curry, an ex-MTV video jockey and Dave Winer a software developer in 2004? Yes, and afterward, podcasting was talked about by Ben Hammersley in an article in The Guardian newspaper.

Since then, several developers have improved podcasting and today podcasts are used by many for information and educational purposes. A recent study by Edison Research reveals that 91% of young people in the age of 12-24 years have listened to a podcast in 2019.

Given the huge popularity in podcasting, we have decided to compile a conclusive article that shows you all that you need to know about using podcasts in your classroom.

In this article, you will learn:

1. About podcasts
2. Reasons you should start podcasting in school
3. Powerful tools for creating an educational podcast
4. Tips for podcasting in the classroom
5. How to create an educational podcast

…And without much ado, let's get rolling.

What is a Podcast?

A podcast is an audio or video recorded to be listened to either online or offline. A podcast can be listened to anywhere at any time. You can download a podcast to a personal audio player or stream it from the internet. You can access and create a podcast on almost any device that supports MP3 and audio recording.

These days, there are plenty of educational podcasts including the Art Made Easy, Inside Innovation, The Creatively Connected Classroom, Build Math Minds, and many more.

Why Use Podcasts?

There are many other forms of media but many people opt for podcasts since they can be accessed anywhere at any time. Podcasts are a good alternative in areas where video isn't necessary. They make the best alternative way to deliver course content. Besides, creating a podcast isn't costly. Instructors or educators can collaborate with students to create a podcast.

Another reason why many people including students opt for podcasts instead of other forms of media is that they can be accessed through various devices that students use daily such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc.

Well, creating a high-quality podcast takes some time and practice. We will show you how to create an educational podcast later in this article.

But before that…

How Are Podcasts Used in Classrooms

Podcasts are an incredible multipurpose tool in today's classroom. Below are some of the ways you can use podcasts in the classroom.

• Review lectures- Educators or instructors can record lectures and bring them to class to help those who did not attend a particular learning session.
• Record classroom discussions- Sometimes during discussions, strong points are brought about by students and recording those discussions could help educators to know how to improve classroom discussions.
• Use podcasts as an alternative to other learning media- Some students can learn better when listening to a podcast than when reading text material. Podcasts help them to grasp information much better.
• Podcasts as a supplement material- Lecturers can use podcasts from experts to supplement course material.

Overall, there are many ways podcasts can be used in the classroom these days.

Reasons Students and Teachers Should Start Podcasting In Schools.

As mentioned above, podcasting was invented in 2004 but currently, there are 700,000 podcasts and counting plus 29 million podcast episodes. Since invention, podcasting has gained popularity in education and other industries.

In education, podcasts have helped students become better learners. Here are a few reasons students and teachers should start podcasting in schools.

• Podcasts can boost reading - According to the essay writing service UK Journal, podcasts can help to boost reading for students who don't enjoy reading. The good thing about most podcasts is that they provide transcripts that students can read and take notes as they listen to a podcast. This way, students are inspired to read.
• Podcasting is a creative way of telling stories - Great stories are created by combining creativity and order. Students can nurture their listening skills by listening to podcasts and hence becoming better at developing content ideas.
• Podcasts help students to learn as they create - When students listen to podcasts and curate their own content, they boost their creativity. The skills and knowledge applied when creating podcasts will help students in their other projects.
• Podcasts provide a better way of learning on the go - The internet is everywhere and information is at our fingertips. The huge increase in podcasting means that we can learn even when traveling. Podcasting provides a better way for students to use their time productively.
• Podcasts are easily accessible - Students can pick up a podcast and listen immediately. This is especially helpful for students with part-time jobs who don't have time to waste. Tradition lessons can only be accessed during the time the teacher is teaching. But podcasts can be accessed everywhere at any time.
  
  

Remarkable Tools for Creating and Launching High-Quality Educational Podcasts

Since their discovery, podcasts have been used as part of teaching methods. Podcasts provider a better way for teachers to share lessons, students to research content that's related to the course material. Podcasts are portable learning methods.

If you are looking for ways to create and launch high-quality educational podcasts, keep reading to know the best and powerful tools for the work as shared by AussiEssay, an Australian essay writing service provider.

The good thing is that most tools don't cost you much money and some of them are free to use.

The tools are helpful when planning, scripting, recording, editing, and sharing your podcasts with other people.

• Bubbl.us - Bubbl.us is a great tool that helps you to come up with the idea of your podcast. The tool also helps you to focus on the topic and simplify hard-to-understand concepts. It is one of the remarkable brainstorming tools when you want to create high-quality podcasts.
• WriterDuet - Another amazing tool that helps you to convert ideas into actual scripts is WriterDuet. This is a powerful tool for scripting.
• Audacity - Audacity is a free and easy-to-use tool for recording and editing your podcast. The good thing about this tool is that it enables podcasters to record multi-tracks. Also, you can use Audacity in Windows, Linux, and other operating systems.
• Skype - Skype is a free app for video conferencing. You can create a conversation by calling your co-hosts or guests to discuss certain educational topics of interest.
• Buzzsprout - Once you have created your podcasts, you will need to host them somewhere. The good thing is that podcast hosting doesn't have to cost you much money. With Buzzsprout, you can do it for free. This tool allows you to create your show or episode and share it with your students or the world via various platforms including Facebook, WordPress, Twitter, etc.

These are just a few of the remarkable tools for creating podcasts but there are many out there. As you can see, podcasting isn't costly. Perhaps what's costly is coming up with the ideas because that needs a lot of brainstorming and involves a lot of thinking, but the rest is as easy as ABC.

Tips for Podcasting in the Classroom

Creating and launching a podcast doesn't have to be difficult. Here are a few tips to help you get started with podcasting in the classroom.

Learn your students' interests. Just ask a few or all the students in the classroom to know what topic they are interested in. They will participate better if they feel included in the selection of a topic

Keep your podcast simple. A podcast is meant to make complex concepts as simple as possible. There are tools that can simplify your podcasts out there. Just choose wisely.

Make it easy for students to access the podcast. Instead of allowing students to create accounts to listen to a podcast, you can make them access it using a single sign-on.

Prepare a rubric. Of course, every podcast must have objectives. You must make sure you create a rubric for your podcasts. "

How to create an educational podcast

Now that you have known almost everything about podcasting (well, you can also read more to explore and gain more knowledge about podcasting) let's get into the nitty-gritty of podcasting- creating an educational podcast.

1. Brainstorm the Topic of Your Podcast - First things first: Before you do anything, you need to know who you are creating the podcast for. This will help you become confident in the things you are going to discuss in the podcast. Ideally, you should create a podcast about a topic you are passionate about or something you are interested in.

2. Gather the Necessary Tools - Once you have chosen a good topic for your podcast, gather the necessary tools that will facilitate your podcast creation. You know you need to record so you must have a microphone, sound mixer, recorder, and headphones. You will also need cables. Just make sure you have every tool needed in one place before you start.

3. Choose a Good Software/App For Recording and Editing of Your Podcast - Once you have created your podcast, you will need to edit it before you distribute it. There are plenty of podcast recording and editing platforms out there. We have also mentioned a few examples above. Just make sure you choose the best tool for the work.

Once you have created your podcast, you can publish it to go live or repurpose it. There are plenty of tools as well you can use for the same.

Are You Ready to Create an Educational Podcast?

Having read this article, we hope you can create and launch your educational podcasts with ease. If you still have a question or concern, let us hear that in the comment section.

Otherwise… Happy Podcasting.

Author Bio

Scott Mathews is a prolific UK dissertation writer and the author of the thesis rush reviews. Besides being a professional freelance writer, Scott is also a journalist by profession. He has also been offering assignment help in Melbourne for many years now. When he is not busy, you will find Scott offering professional writing services and essay writing help to students.