Podcasts as a Learning Tool

Stories are still often the best way to import information. That’s why teachers usually talk about their families. It’s not to indoctrinate students; it’s to give an example or an easier way to understand the material we are teaching. We live in a time when there are more stories in more formats than ever before. One of my favorites, of course, is the podcast. Podcasts, as a learning tool, are hard to beat, whether for personal use or classroom use.

The History of Podcasts, Including Our Own

Podcasts, blending “iPod” and “broadcast,” emerged in the early 2000s, enabling on-the-go audio content consumption. Once programs were implemented to automate the download of internet radio to iPods, paving the way for anyone with internet access to create and share audio globally. Coined in 2004 by Ben Hammersley, the term “podcasting” gained prominence with Apple’s iTunes in 2005, facilitating easy podcast discovery and subscription. Since then, podcasts have transformed from a hobbyist activity into a major industry, covering diverse topics and altering traditional audio content consumption.

The Nola Nerd Couple used to podcast. (Here is a link to a podcast episode that unfortunately doesn’t exist anymore, so there is no audio) Time made us give it up, but it was a fun time for us. We loved doing it because it was a focused discussion that allowed us not to talk about problems at work, with the house, etc. We got to be our true, authentic selves during our podcast.

What is great about podcasts is that both the New York Times and I can have one. Sure, they have a much larger machine to advertise there, but I’m the only person responsible for it being canceled. In other words, it is very democratic. Yes, almost everyone indeed has a podcast. While it makes it overwhelming, it does allow unique voices to be heard.

Podcasts as a Learning Tool

In education, I haven’t used podcasts very much. Usually the early adopter, I have been very late to the game with this technology. However, I want to change that for the upcoming school year.

A learning objective in AP Computer Science Principles deals with how programs can be used for unintended purposes by the designers. The March 18, 2024, episode of The New York Times The Daily entitled “Your Car May be Spying on You” definitely demonstrated this in one of the more harmful ways. In the podcast, the woman’s ex-husband stalked her by using the Mercedes app for a car bought in her name but awarded to her in the divorce. Not only does the podcast go into the unintended consequences, but it also goes into other issues in computer science, mainly how programmers need to think about the possible ethics of their creations.

One of my favorite podcast networks is the New Books Network. This network allows scholars to discuss their latest books and research. While this may be a little too academic for high schoolers, it is a great resource for professional development for teachers. It also covers practically every field, so it truly does have something for everyone.

Podcasts as Oral History

Recently, podcasts have made me love professional basketball again. Particularly the podcasts All the Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson and the various podcasts with JJ Redick. Redick, a player most of us used to hate while he was at Duke, is great at breaking down the game. His podcast with Lebron James (Mind the Game) is a must-watch/listen for young people who are getting into the game. As a former high school coach, I would make this required listening for my team.

Barnes and Jackson’s podcast, though, is a revelation. First of all, these are not two players with the best reputations—at least not during their playing days. Jackson was a main character in Malice at the Palace, while Barnes helped inspire a Kanye song.

Yet, this is one of the most insightful podcasts I have heard in some time. First of all, both men are in charge of it. They do not have to go through some editorial board like they would at a major sports network. They are building their own media empire. This allows them to get real. Yes, they enjoy herbal refreshments during the show, and it is a very unfiltered show. Still, it is also a show that allows for true oral history to take place. This collection of oral history is what makes this show so important. Getting Magic to talk about Bird in a way that ESPN couldn’t or to have Jackson and Artest discuss their side of the story of the brawl is much needed. A lot of their podcasts with former players allow the players to be in charge of the narrative, which is something that hasn’t always happened. I plan to edit some episodes to play in my African American Studies programs to show how important the collection of oral history is.

Hopefully, they will inspire some of my students to start collecting their own history, especially with their elders. There are so many stories that need to be kept for posterity, and we now have the technology to do so.