Podcasts in the Classroom

Podcasts have been around for years now. They are a great luxury to people on the go or people who just like to multitask. They are sort of like a blog, but are only audio instead of text.

When it comes to their function in the classroom, the list is endless. Students could create podcasts to tell their original stories, inform or persuade a particular audience, or even share their knowledge on a particular topic and teach it to the class via podcast. The instructional focus of using podcasts is really training and teaching students how to communicate effectively while speaking.

Teachers can create podcasts in a flipped classroom format to teach concepts, or even just to keep parents and students updated on what is going on in the classroom.

I'm going to review 3 different podcasting options for you to try out in your classroom.

1. Soundcloud

Podcasts (audio recordings) can be done on just about anything, but organizing sharing them is not always easy. Soundcloud allows you create a stream and then post your tracks in a single place. You can then easily share your page with anyone and they can listen to all your tracks. There is an option to either record directly on the site or upload a recording. It is super user-friendly and fast. Below is an elevator speech I recorded on Soundcloud for my LSSL 5337 class using Soundcloud.





2. Podbean

I attempted to use Podbean long ago, but preferred Soundcloud over it. According to the Podbean website, it is "an easy and powerful way to start podcasting. Everything you need. No technology to learn." Podbean is specifically for podcasting, meaning you can change the layout of the page to lure people to listen to your recordings and you can also view statistics on how many people have listened to which postings. In the basic version, you cannot record directly on the site. This is what pushed me away from it. You have to record in a program and then upload it to Podbean.

3. Audioboom
First off, Audioboom is NOT free. This deterred me from using it. As teachers, we must find quality tools that are low cost or don't cost a thing. They offer a free 30 day trial and like Podbean, this is a high-quality podcast hosting site. Full customization is possible to get the most listeners possible. But, unless you are going to dedicate an extensive amount of time podcasting at school, this isn't worth the fancy bells and whistles.

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Before I close this post, I wanted to discuss a way I have used podcasting in the classroom. For the past 2 years, my seniors have written "This I Believe" essays inspired by the radio show on NPR. This year, to enhance the experience and to get kids working on their speaking skills, I had them record their essays for extra credit. Most did not do this because they were very shy about sharing their very personal stories. One of my AP students recorded his very moving essay and I wanted to share it with you all as an example of how podcasting could be used to enhance writing assignments and to share students amazing work. I uploaded his recording to Soundcloud, and with his permission, share it with you below. Enjoy the adventure of podcasting!