Podcasting

Introduction

Podcasting is an engaging way to connect with your online students. Podcasts can be a good way to supplement challenging reading material or be used to create study guides that students can listen to on the go. If you’re looking for a quick way to create a podcast yourself, try using AI to generate audio from your written materials. If you want to spend some more time developing your script and recording your own podcast, use the tips and resources provided here to get started and make your voice a valuable part of your online teaching practice.

A Closer Look

1. Plan Your Format & What You’ll Say

Before you begin recording, take some time to plan what you’ll cover and how long a single episode will be. Will it be a solo episode, or will you interview a guest? Aim for consistency across episodes, and consider incorporating elements you enjoy from your favorite podcasts.

You don’t need a word-for-word script, but having a clear structure will improve your delivery and make the editing process smoother. At a minimum, consider preparing:

  • A general outline of your key points with timestamps
  • Notes where supplemental media like audio clips, sound effects, or interviews will be included
  • A brief opening and a brief closing that you can reuse for each episode

2. Record Your Audio

Once you’ve decided to create a podcast and have prepared your content, you have a few options for recording. You can either record it yourself or reach out to your instructional designer for support. The Office of Online and Professional Learning Resources (OPLR) has an in-house media studio that can professionally record your podcast. Your ID will coordinate with the media team to schedule a time for you to come into the office.

If you’re using an interview format, you can record the conversation using Microsoft Teams and send the audio file to your ID. The media team can then edit it to professional quality and upload it to your course.

If you choose to record the episode on your own, here are a few tips to help you get started:

  • Record in a quiet space with minimal interruptions. Turn off ACs, fans, or anything else that makes background noise.
  • Avoid laptop built-in mics unless no alternative is available. Instead, use an external microphone—many USB mics are affordable and deliver high-quality sound.
  • Use headphones to hear what you’re recording, and if you’re conducting an interview, mute any participants when they’re not speaking.
  • Do some test recordings. Experiment with your microphone placement, recording environment (such as using different rooms in your home), and your delivery. You can also test your input levels, but many resources suggest a modest approach and speaking at a normal volume when recording.
  • Record to a high-resolution audio file like WAV, which you can upload directly to your Canvas course.

3. Editing & Publishing Your Podcast

There are several free audio-recording applications online. One to try is called Audacity, which works with Windows or Mac. You can use Audacity to split, trim, or delete sections of audio from your WAV files. You can also add effects like fading in or fading out or change the volume of the original recording at no cost. Once you’re happy with your file, you can directly upload it to your Canvas course.

⭐ Accessibility: Closed Captioning & Transcripts of Your Podcast Episodes

Make sure to let your instructional designer know when you’ve published your podcast to your Canvas course. They can work with the OPLR media team to ensure your audio has closed captioning and a transcript so it’s accessible for all of your students.

Podcast Course Examples

Podcasting can be an effective tool for supporting student learning in a range of disciplines. For example, in a recent bacteriology course, a professor recorded 5-10 minute episodes for each organism covered in class. Each short episode introduced key concepts and guided students’ attention before engaging with textbook readings and lecture content. In this example, the podcast laid the foundation for students to learn the material by helping them focus their studies.

Here are some additional ways that podcasting might be used in a course:

  • Personal Application: A health and wellness instructor produces short mindfulness and habit-building audio sessions. Each episode is under eight minutes and introduces a practical wellness technique (like breathing exercises or nutrition tips) that students are encouraged to apply throughout the week. The podcast supplements course lectures and reinforces personal practice.
  • Interviews: To humanize healthcare leadership principles, an instructor interviews hospital executives, department heads, and policy experts in a podcast series called Voices from the Field. Each 10-minute episode provides firsthand insights into leadership challenges, tying directly into weekly lecture themes and case discussions.
  • Practice Assignments: An instructor in a foundational English course records a podcast called Writers’ Corner. Every episode is five minutes and is released before each major writing assignment. These mini-episodes offer writing prompts, discuss common challenges, and explain expectations using examples. The goal is to ease students into each task by framing it with context and encouragement.
  • Current Events: An instructor teaching an advanced course in cybersecurity launches a podcast called Breach Briefs, where each episode dissects a recent cybersecurity breach, emphasizing what went wrong and how it could have been prevented. The episodes are used to spark online forum discussions and link technical content to real-world scenarios.

Don’t hesitate to give podcasting a try! It might be the perfect fit for your course and a powerful way to energize students. You could even spark students’ creativity to produce their own podcasts—or discover a passion for podcasting yourself beyond the classroom.

Additional Resources