Podcasts

Podcasts:

Podcasts are audio recordings that you can subscribe to on your phone or the internet so that new episodes are automatically downloaded when they become available. Today, there are tens of thousands of different podcasts.

The term was originally used for Internet distribution of episodic audio content (a news broadcast, a radio show), but over time, it has become closely associated with the following audio productions:

-audiobooks

-college lectures/courses are either recorded or distributed online for students to download in advance.

Benefits of podcast

Podcasts have the benefits of being easy to create and distribute, but they also have many pitfalls. Today, there are tens of thousands of podcast creators, but only a few have gained a large following. The average listener listens to about 5 different podcasts.

And an even smaller number of them download each episode in advance. This means that the majority of people listening to a podcast hear it for the first time or near when it is being released. Most people would agree that this is not ideal for the creator (it means that you don’t get feedback until long after the initial release).

But it makes sense for the average listener (they only have a limited amount of time, and must prioritize their choices).

Podcast listening is best-done on-demand. The news seems to be going in this direction as more and more people listen to podcasts through their mobile devices, but it is still very common for new podcasts to post links to the most recent episode on social media.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because not everyone can afford unlimited data plans or wants to spend extra time downloading an entire podcast when they only want to hear one episode. However, if you’re releasing your podcast every week.

Podcast Listening

You’ll get more listeners if you post your episodes as close to the release date as possible.

Podcasts are meant to be listened to from beginning to end. This is not because people can’t skip parts, but because you’re setting expectations that this should be done. People will binge on their favorite TV show or YouTube video, and podcasts should be no exception.

The best way to make money off of your podcast is to sell advertisements (this is how TV and radio shows make money). If you cannot keep up with the demand for new episodes, you might consider having sponsorships/promotions as well.

Podcasts are helpful for students because they can be utilized both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. Podcasts are also useful because they can range through many subjects, making it easy for students to find a podcast that suits their interests.

Some schools even use podcasts as part of the curriculum, including Utah State University, Kennesaw State University, and one high school in South Carolina. 

The wide range of subjects that podcasts can touch on is helpful for students who may not be interested in the same things as their classmates. One student may listen to a podcast about football while another might listen to a podcast discussing DNA research.

Those two students now have something they can talk about together. 

Podcast in school

Many schools are also encouraging students to use podcasts in the classroom by requiring their students to listen to certain programs throughout the semester. Podcasts can be used for just about every subject, but they might stand out more for science classes.

Because of how easily technology and engineering can be compared to that of an episode of Radiolab or This American Life. Podcasts are also helpful for teachers who want a more hands-off approach to teaching their students.

Unlike a traditional classroom where the teacher has to be overly active to get students involved, podcasts can give teachers a break from hours of lecturing while still enforcing what they’re trying to teach.

Schooling

While many schools use podcasts as a way of giving students a new perspective on the same material they would be covering in the traditional classroom, podcasts can also replace entire subjects. They can give students an entirely new way to learn about what they already think they know.

Students can utilize their time more efficiently through podcasts because they can use them either in class or outside of class. Teachers are also able to be more effective with their time because they can assign students podcasts that they don’t have to oversee at all.

The variety of subjects in podcasts can help students find something they’re interested in so there is no wasted time. 

They are helpful for any student, especially ones who are not interested in the same things as their classmates. There range through many different subjects making it easier for one to find something they’re interested in. 

Many schools are also encouraging students to use it in the classroom by requiring their students to listen to certain programs throughout the semester. It can be used for just about every subject and some schools may even use them as part of the curriculum.