Podcasting for Instruction
Podcasting offers faculty a dynamic and flexible way to enhance instruction, foster engagement, and extend learning beyond the classroom. By creating audio content tailored to their courses, instructors can provide students with accessible, on-demand learning experiences that support diverse learning styles and busy schedules. Podcasts can be used to deliver mini-lectures, share expert interviews, reflect on course topics, or provide supplemental material that deepens understanding. This format encourages a more personal connection with students and can help build a sense of community, especially in online or hybrid environments.
What Is a Podcast?
A podcast is a series of digital audio episodes that can be streamed or downloaded from the internet. Podcasts are typically hosted on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or institutional systems, and can be subscribed to using apps or RSS feeds for automatic updates. In an educational context, podcasts allow instructors to share course-related content in a format that students can access anytime, anywhere.
What Is a Podcast Channel?
A podcast channel serves as the central hub for all episodes related to a specific course or theme. Think of it like a playlist or series where each episode builds on the last, and students can subscribe to the channel to receive new content automatically. Your channel might be named after your course title or a recurring topic you explore throughout the semester.
Practical Uses for Faculty
Faculty can use podcasting in a variety of ways:
- Weekly summaries to reinforce key concepts
- Guest interviews with experts in the field
- Audio feedback on student work
- Supplemental content for flipped or hybrid classrooms
Choosing the Right Tool for Podcasting
Faculty have a variety of tools available to record, edit, and publish podcasts. The best choice depends on your comfort level with technology and the complexity of your content.
Recording Tools
- Smartphones or Tablets: Great for quick recordings using built-in apps like Voice Memos (iOS) or Easy Voice Recorder (Android)
- USB Microphones: Improve audio quality when recording on a computer
- Digital Recorders: Useful for live lectures or field recordings
Whichever tool you choose, it’s best to keep episodes short, around 15 minutes, to match typical attention spans. Breaking content into segments helps students absorb information more effectively.
Editing Software
- Audacity (Free): A popular open-source tool for basic editing, trimming, and noise reduction
- GarageBand (Mac only): User-friendly and ideal for beginners
- Adobe Audition (Professional, included in Creative Cloud): A robust audio editing suite with advanced features for mixing, mastering, and cleaning up recordings. Recommended for faculty producing polished or multi-track episodes
Sharing Your Podcast
Once your recording is complete, you can share it with students using one of A-State’s supported platforms.
Accessibility Note: All podcast content must include a transcript or summary to meet ADA compliance.
- Kaltura can automatically generate captions, making it a preferred option for accessibility
- Podcast Manager and Canvas uploads require instructors to manually create and provide transcript
Using the A-State Podcast Manager
The A-State Podcast Manager allows faculty to upload audio files and organize them into channels that students can subscribe to. Here's how to get started:
Logging In
- Go to the A-State Podcast Manager login page.
- Use the first part of your A-State email address (everything before
@astate.edu) and your campus password to sign in.
Creating or Managing a Channel
- After logging in, you'll land on the Channels list page.
- To create a new channel:
- Enter a Channel Title and Description in the provided fields.
- Click Create to add the new channel.
- To manage an existing channel:
- Click Manage next to the channel name.
- You can update the channel’s title and description at any time.
Sharing Your Channel
- On the Manage page, you'll find the Channel Link.
- This link can be added to Canvas as an External Link so students can access all uploaded episodes in one place.
- Students will automatically receive new episodes through this link as they’re added, no need to manually download each one.
Uploading Episodes
- On the Manage page, scroll to the Episode Listing section.
- Click Browse to select an audio file from your computer.
- Click Upload to add the file to your channel.
Managing Episodes
Once episodes are uploaded, you’ll see several options in the Episode Listing:
- Delete the file.
- Update the episode’s title and description.
- Convert the file to a 48kb/s mono MP3 format for optimized playback.
- Get a shortcut link for the episode:
- One version allows the file to be downloaded.
- The other streams the episode without download access.
Using Kaltura
Kaltura supports both audio and video content and integrates directly with Canvas.
- Upload your podcast file to Kaltura through My Media
- Use the Embed Kaltura Media tool in Canvas to place episodes inside modules, pages, or announcements
- Kaltura also supports captions and transcripts for accessibility
See the Kaltura Knowledge Base Page for further guidance.
Sharing via Canvas
Canvas makes it easy to distribute podcast episodes to students:
- Embed Kaltura-hosted episodes directly into course content
- Post links to your Podcast Manager channel in announcements or modules
- Use the Rich Content Editor to add audio files or external links to your podcast episodes
- See the Canvas Basics Guides for further support
Support and Resources
Need help getting started? The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) can assist with podcast setup, recording tools, and best practices.
Location: Dean B. Ellis Library Suite 301
Email: cetl@astate.edu
Phone: 870-972-2334