The primary consideration when designing a podcast assignment is clearly defining what type of podcast should be created. Podcasts range from short informative clips to complex storytelling with immersive soundscapes to long form interviews and more. Each of these styles of podcast calls for a different degree of effort and a different set of tools and resources. For example, converting a paper into a simple, spoken word podcast will take much less time than creating one that involves writing and narrating a story with sound effects, or a documentary podcast that involves students capturing on-location audio and editing it together with other recordings. Think about how much in-class and homework time you want to give to this assignment, and choose the type of podcast to match that time. Other elements to define include: intended audience, number of research or on-location sources needed, target length for the finished recording, and where students can go to find resources like background music. Think about how creative you want students to be. If, for example, the goal is to have students produce an NPR-esque news segment, they will have fewer choices of topic and format than in an assignment that simply asks students to explore a topic related in some way to the course. The latter option may be more difficult, and require more Q&A or peer review scaffolding, but it can also be the most rewarding!

Scaffolding podcast assignments with intermediate stages that the instructor and peers can give feedback on can greatly improve the quality of a student podcast. By breaking down the process into manageable chunks, and spreading them out throughout the term, you give students a greater chance to slowly and solidly build up the skills to produce a high quality podcast. A good place to start is giving students some examples of podcasts to listen to and having them discuss what they noticed in terms of structure, storytelling, or techniques. From there, students might produce an outline or short statement about the podcast they want to produce. This can be as short as a thesis statement or as long as a full script, depending on the needs of the assignment. The New York Times has a simple planning handout that may suggest some good starting questions to have students answer. If the assignment involves interviews, having students practice interviewing each other as a warm-up assignment will help them learn the techniques and clarify any confusing points in their interview questions ahead of time. If the podcast assignment requires students to research and locate source materials like articles, music, or other recordings, a discussion about fair use and copyright would not go amiss.

Finally, it is important to know what technology students will need to produce their podcasts. With the ubiquity of smartphones and built-in microphones on laptops, the tools for basic recording are easily accessible to many students. However, if one of the goals of the assignment is to create a podcast with high quality sound or one that requires mixing and editing, students will likely need access to additional equipment and software. The LSA Technology Services loan centers can provide students with high quality microphones, recording equipment, and even loaner laptops they may need to complete these assignments. Apple’s Garageband software is free to use on all Mac computers and mobile devices, and Adobe Audition is now available for all students, faculty, and staff to use on campus or personal computers. Coaching in such software is available through either Linkedin Learning, or BlueCorps, LSA’s own ed-tech coaches. 

As you plan your podcast assignment, take these things into consideration. If you have additional questions or would like to discuss your assignment with a consultant, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or schedule a consultation here. We’re happy to help!