Rachel V. Smydra from Oakland University recorded a 45-minute session for the Lilly Conference online. The title of the session is “Using Podcasts to Facilitate Learning and Skill Application in Online Courses.” Smydra defined podcasts and mentioned that the medium has grown during the pandemic. However, I agree that it may be difficult to find time to listen to a podcast or find appropriate course episodes. Smydra listed several different podcasts with different schedules. They spoke about the accessibility of podcasts because of the format and options to pause, review, and continue. The audience usually expects podcasts to be free and short. Some podcasts use spatial information and audio to stimulate mental images of spaces, and Smydra summarized some of the research. Citing several studies, Smydra stated that podcasts engage students. Some students noted that they multitask while listening. Smydra also shared clips of the Serial podcast series. I enjoyed the discussion and narration. Stories are shared history and responses to the prompts by the host. Mysteries, murder, and information were used to engage the listeners. Comparisons and highlights were shared by Smydra. They also spoke about the exchange of ideas and supporting eidence. Smydra shared that listeners can learn from different voices and perspectives. Smydra had class members interact via Slack and share opinions about the case. Smydra provided recommendations including finding appropriate content for learning objectives and accessibility. This session had several suggestions and cited numerous studies to engage students through the use of audio.
