Power in Student-Podcasting

Power in Student-Podcasting

Recording student thinking is nothing new, but the platforms for sharing and showcasing creativity are easier than ever to access and integrate into classroom instruction. 

Podcasting is a powerful tool to engage learners with content-creation in a medium that instantly connects the classroom with families, community, and the world. 

There are many free platforms that allow educators to record and distribute audio (or video) content online with minimal setup or expertise. Anchor happens to be my favorite, and is linked to Spotify for instant posting for parents and families. 

Here are 5 key factors to consider for podcasting with your class:

1.

It’s about the projects, not the products. Regardless of the technical platform or microphone, the educator's focus should always be promoting student voices and capturing thinking. This mindset maintains a focus on the learning objective and performance practice, not the product.

2.

Link to learning. Advice for classroom teachers thinking about trying a podcast: start with existing activities or units that could benefit from publication "beyond the bulletin board." Consider how reading, reciting, reflecting could add context to student work. For coaches and technology integrators: podcasting succeeds when building partnership with classroom teachers connected to curriculum and student learning. 

3.

Podcasting creates a new window into the classroom and reflection of the curriculum. Linking to newsletters, social media, and directly to Spotify expands the zone of student content-creation by providing an authentic and engaged audience. If educators already integrate social media to provide a glimpse into their classrooms, a podcast provides a glimpse into their thinking.

4.

Every voice matters. Varied prompts, topics, and conversations allow for all voices to be heard and valued. Whether it’s debates, reviews,  or interviews, authenticity is the name of the game to capture thinking. From a DEI perspective, podcasting can be a powerful method to invite and amplify all voices, perspectives, and ideas

5.

Keep it real, and keep it quick. Stick to student interest-areas, creative conversations, and conversational language to promote clear communication. Consider breaking longer uploads into several episodes (vol.1-2, etc). Start with standalone episodes, but consider developing recurring conversations, series, or topics that can evolve to reflect increased student-creativity.

The goal of every classroom teacher should be not only to hear, but to promote every student’s voice. Every learner needs to know that their voice, their opinion, and their understanding matters- and that it matters to more than just their classroom teacher. 

We have the luckiest job in the work. We get to make that happen, and student podcasting is a powerful tool to capture that magic to celebrate successes and showcase student learning and creativity. 

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