Podcasting & Audio in the Curriculum
Podcast projects allows students to think critically, creatively, and with complexity while addressing significant research questions. Students will approach problems in integrative ways from multiple perspectives, and will ethically acquire, evaluate, apply and communicate information in multiple formats. A podcast project experience will give students opportunities to engage in reflective learning, analytic inquiry, problem solving, creativity and communication.
By asking students to conduct scholarly research, write scripts, and record and edit audio, a podcasting project’s interdisciplinary style makes it an excellent fit within the Integrations Curriculum. The partnership between Instructional Technology and Librarians means a podcast project can teach students information literacy while using an engaging technology.
We've developed a recommended Podcasting and Audio Sequence based on experience and assessment of podcast projects using our Instructional Technology Rubric.
Assignment Ideas
Student-Produced Audio Podcast with Audacity (with optional PowerPoint visual)
- Groups of students are asked to produce an audio podcast by creating a script or outline and/or conducting audio interviews using personal devices or check-out equipment—students can collect audio recordings in-person or via Zoom and use free audio editing software, Audacity, to produce a finished podcast
- Students collaborate during a Zoom call while working on a shared document or by screensharing as a selected individual works on Audacity
- As an edited podcast—the final product could include multiple voices, current or historical interviews, sound effects, music, etc.—and could be considered for distribution through student media’s SoundCloud account as a way of sharing the finished work
Canvas Recorded Podcast
- Student or students record directly in Canvas via an audio/video recording submission.
Pre-Recorded Audio Exercise with Audacity (e.g. “For/Against/Neutral” Assignment)
- Groups of students are asked to produce an audio podcast using only pre-recorded interview/sound clips (and possible student narration)—students use free audio editing software, Audacity, to produce the finished podcast
- Students collaborate during a Zoom call while working on a shared document or by screensharing as an individual works on Audacity
- In the case of the “For/Against/Neutral” assignment—students are assigned a “stance” on a topic and are expected to choose sound clips and piece together their final product from that perspective.