Podcasting Tips

http://engage.wisc.edu/podcasting/teaching/index.html

Instructional Goal /Podcast focus
Prepare or motivate learners for learning new content
1. Arouse interest and curiosity about a new topic to increase learner motivation
2. Inform students of the learning outcomes or benefits of learning new content
3. Influence feelings and attitudes about a topic prior to a lecture or reading assignment
Recall and integrate previously learned material with new content
1. Explain the connection between what students have previously learned with new content to be presented in a lecture or reading assignment
Provide high-level overviews
1. Prior to presenting a new topic, provide a general overview as an advanced organizer
2. Before teaching a complex skill or procedure provide a mental framework from which to approach it
Provide a lead-in to an assignment or learning activity
1. Discuss in more detail what you expect of students from an assignment and how you suggest they best approach it
Elaborate on and further explain a complex concept
1. Explain nuances and intricacies of a difficult concept, principle or abstract process
Provide learning guidance and strategies for understanding new content or solving problems
1. Provide coaching and advice on learning strategies or approaching certain problem solving tasks
Provide content to encourage analysis
1. Provide a stimulus for students to react to or reflect upon for deeper analysis
Provide some variety in the learning environment
1. Bring in other people’s viewpoints
Student projects & assignments
1. Students create their own podcasts


Coming up with a good message design strategy for a podcast requires creativity. The approach you use to communicate your message is what makes or breaks your podcast from a listener perspective. Monologues, interviews, dialogues and other approaches used in radio broadcasting are all examples of design strategies. A few message design principles are provided below.
Frame your content into a problem or challenge and explain how that problem or challenge can be addressed.
Obtain voices of other experts you've interviewed about specific topics of interest to students in the course.
Use a case story that illustrates a key topic or learning goal.
Share a personal story. You’re an expert in the field and likely have a wealth of experiences that may not fit into a lecture.
Capture dialogs with opposing viewpoints. This is often done on radio and television talk shows.
Keep the length of a podcast short. Most experienced podcasters recommend a program length anywhere between 3 and 15 minutes.