Project Audio: Teaching Students

How to Produce Their Own

Podcasts
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Related Article from the On Campus SeriesCreditCreditJoey Yu/The Design School, Kingston
University
By Justin Hicks, Laura W innick and Michael Gonchar
• April 19, 2018
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Given the recent rise in podcast popularity, it’s no surprise that

audio narratives are making their way into the classroom. They
offer an engaging way for teachers to merge project-based learning
with digital media analysis and production skills.

That’s why we’re announcing our first-ever Student Podcast

Contest, in which we invite students to submit original podcasts,
five minutes long or less. The contest will run from April 25 to May
29.

In anticipation of that contest, the mini-unit below walks students

through the process of analyzing the techniques that make for good
storytelling, interviewing and podcasting. The activities culminate
in students producing their own original podcasts.

Note: For those teachers who may be technophobes, please don’t be

intimidated by this technology-dependent lesson. Programs for audio
editing are intuitive and easy-to-use, especially for many students. If you
are a novice to audio recording, you may want to attempt to create your
own one-minute podcast as a way to experience firsthand what students
will encounter during the process.
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Part I: Podcasts and Storytelling

Image
CreditVictor Kerlow

In this section, students analyze the elements and techniques of both

podcasting and storytelling, because stories are often at the heart of
podcasts. Then, students practice telling a story aloud before moving on
to interviewing in Part II.

Warm Up: Elements of Podcasts

Poll the class to see how many students are familiar with podcasts.
If any students are, ask them to share their favorites. What did they
enjoy about the podcasts they mentioned? What were the subjects?
What elements of the podcasts do they remember: the interviews,
conversations, music, sound effects or anything else?

Next, while listening to each of these three short podcast excerpts

(between one and three minutes), students should take notes using
this notetaking sheet (PDF) on both the episode topic (what is
being said or discussed) and the production elements (the various
aspects of the podcast that create the listening experience).

• Modern Love “R We D8ting? | With Krysten Ritter” (Segment:

1:00 - 3:16)
• The Daily “The Right to Bear Arms” (Segment: 0:00 - 2:36)
• Still Processing “Take a Knee if You Agree” (Segment: 0:00 - 1:27)
EDITORS’ PICKS

Naomi Osaka’s Breakthrough Game

Steve Perry Walked Away From Journey. A Promise Finally Ended His
Silence.

A Teacher Made a Hitler Joke in the Classroom. It Tore the School

Apart.

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After you listen to all three excerpts, share as a class. What did
students notice about the subject matter? What did they notice
about the formatting and techniques used within the podcast? How
were the three podcast excerpts similar? How were they different?

Mini-Lesson: Podcast Project

So students understand how these activities are building toward a

larger goal, explain that the class will be creating original podcasts
for this mini-unit. Students can work individually or in small
groups. The podcasts must be five minutes or less — and while that
might sound like a short amount of time, if students want to
produce quality audio it really isn’t.

The podcast topics can be inspired by one of the Learning

Network’s 1,000-plus writing prompts. That should give everyone
plenty of options, but if students don’t see the exact topic they want
to investigate in their podcast, they can come up with their own
topics.

Finally, as the Warm Up activity demonstrated, there are many

different types of podcasts. Some consist largely of conversations
between the hosts; others are based on interviews; still others
involve mostly storytelling, nonfiction or fiction. Podcasts serve
different purposes too: some try to make you laugh; others aim to
keep you in suspense; some want to educate or inform. Students
should keep all of these possibilities in mind as they consider what
they want their original podcast to be like.

Activity: Elements of Storytelling

Storytelling is a key ingredient in many podcasts, so we’re going to
spend time in Part I introducing students to the art of telling an
interesting story. Working in pairs or small groups, students should
briefly discuss and take notes using this handout (PDF) about the
elements and techniques of effective storytelling. The questions
below can help start the discussion:

Think about stories your parents, family or friends have told you — or
that you heard on the radio or somewhere else. What are the elements
and techniques of great storytelling? How can stories we hear, but can’t
see, be sometimes even more powerful than stories dramatized or
documented on TV or in film?

Then they should listen to one or more of these short audio stories
in their groups (and follow along with the transcript, if available).
As they listen, students should continue taking notes on the same
handout on what elements and techniques of storytelling are being
used.

• “When the Civil War Ended, She Was My Age” from StoryCorps
• “The Coal Miner” from The World According to Sound
• “Seeking an End to Cycles of Abuse” from Radio Rookies
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When you regroup as a class, ask students: What elements and

techniques did you notice? Which ones do you think are the most
essential to good storytelling? The class can compare its list with
the elements of good storytelling included in this handout (PDF)
and then add any elements or information the students think is
missing.

Activity: Telling a Story

Next, as an in class activity or homework, ask students to look over

the Learning Network’s list of over 1,000 prompts. (If this list feels
too big, we have various shorter versions
for personal writing and argument writing.) Have them circle or
highlight topics that interest them and that they might want to talk
about or explore further in a podcast. They can select as many
topics as they want, but should aim for at least five.
For example, here are a few topics students might select:

• What Do You Know About Your Family’s History?

• What Was Your Most Precious Childhood Possession?
• What Ethical Dilemmas Have You Faced?
• Are You Distracted by Your Phone?

From their list, students should choose one question to tell a story
about, as a way to practice storytelling. To prepare, they should
first write down their ideas as a rough draft or outline.

Then, they should practice telling their story to a partner. As

partners listen, they should keep track of which elements and
techniques of effective storytelling are being used (perhaps using
the same handout), and provide feedback to one another after
listening.

Wrap Up

Have the class share how the storytelling activity went. Did
students incorporate the elements and techniques of effective
storytelling discussed in class? If there’s time, invite a few students
to present their stories to the rest of the class.
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Part II: Podcasts and Interviewing

Radio Rookies DIY Toolkit: How To Do Vox PopCreditCreditVideo by WNYC

Students should now be at least a little familiar with the elements that
make for good podcasts and storytelling. What’s next? Analyzing and
practicing effective interviewing techniques, another ingredient central to
many podcasts.

Warm Up: One-Minute Interviews

From the list they already highlighted, ask students to choose a

prompt they could pose as a podcast interview question. Tell
students they are going to practice taking on the role of interviewer
and interviewee, and they will have one minute to conduct an
interview. Interviews should take up the entire minute, so if there is
extra time, interviewers should be ready to ask follow-up questions.

Set the timer to one minute and have students interview a partner.
When time is up, have partners switch roles for the next minute.

After both interviews are completed, discuss the activity as a class.

How did the one-minute interviews go? Did the interviewee speak
for the entire time? Did the interviewer ask any follow-up
questions? What kinds of follow-up questions worked well?
Students should take notes using this handout (PDF).

Mini-Lesson

As a class, watch this Radio Rookies video (above) about a

particular type of interview — the vox pop, or on-the-street,
interview. Students should continue adding notes on interview
techniques. After the video, do a quick share.

Activity: Elements of an Interview

Vox pops are just one kind of interview. Often interviews are
prepared, meaning the interviewee has time to think about the
questions in advance (as opposed to the vox pop) and the interview
includes multiple questions and takes place in a more formal, or at
least quiet, setting.

In their small groups, students should listen to the three brief

audio clips below and take notes on the same handout.
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Invisibilia: Episode 1: Dark Thoughts (Segment: 0:00 - 2:40)

The Daily: Fired Over an Instagram Post (Segment: 0:00 - 3:45)
StoryCorps: Gregory Bess and April Gibson (Segment: 0:00 - 2:36)

For “The Daily” episode, students might notice that the interview
questions are sometimes edited out — so the listener just hears the
interviewee’s responses. Students might even guess what the
missing questions were.

Then regroup as a class. What interviewing techniques did you

hear? Which ones do you think are the most essential to good
interviewing? Which techniques might be most helpful to you in
making your podcasts? Make sure you discuss the difference
between open-ended questions (which require more thought) and
closed-ended questions (which elicit a simple one-word answer),
and how the first kind makes for better interviews.

Mini-Lesson: Using a Smartphone to Record

Until now, we‘ve focused on the nontechnical aspects of

podcasting, but to move forward we’ll need to make sure the class
knows how to use recording devices. If you have fancy microphones
or microcassette recorders, you can skip this next part. But if your
students will be using their smartphones as personal recording
devices, then make sure everyone is familiar with these basics:

• First, smartphones will need to have a sound recording app. On

Android, students can download a free voice recording app
like “RecForge II” or “Audio Recorder.” For iPhones, in the extras
folder, find the “Voice Memos” app.
• Make sure students know where the microphone is located on
their phones.
• Ask students to spread out and find a reasonably quiet space.
• To begin recording, start by pressing the “Record” button or a red
square. To finish, press the same button again.
• Make sure to position the microphone about six inches away from
the side of your subject’s mouth.
• Check your audio, preferably with a pair of headphones. It should
be free of background sound and loud enough to hear, but not so
loud that it crackles. Record for 10 seconds and then play it back;
adjust microphone position based on volume.
• After you finish, make sure to enter a title for the recording and
save it.
• To get the file to your computer so you can edit it later on, use
AirDrop, Bluetooth transfer, email or Google Drive upload.
Activity: Recording an Interview

Students are now ready to make their first recording. Working with
their previous partners, students should record an interview, trying
to get at least three minutes of recording. They can use the same
questions they used during the one-minute interviews, or they can
choose new questions from the prompt list. Remind them to use
the best practices for interviewing and recording discussed earlier,
including asking open-ended follow-up questions.

After they finish recording their interviews, they should make sure
their sound files are good quality and saved.

As an alternative activity or homework assignment, students can

conduct a series of vox pop interviews in an unstructured setting
within the school, such as during recess, at lunchtime or in the
hallways.
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Wrap Up

Debrief the interview activity with students. How did the interviews
go? Did they create quality sound recordings? Did they learn any
useful strategies before they begin making their podcasts?

_________

Part III: Podcast Editing

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The open-source Audacity software is just one of many programs that can record and mix audio
files on a Windows PC or Mac.CreditThe New York Times

Students can tell stories, they can interview and be interviewed, and they
can record sound. Now it’s time to learn how to edit audio. By the end of
this part of the mini-unit, students produce a practice one-minute podcast.

Warm Up
Ask students to listen to their recordings from the previous day
using headphones. While they listen, they should write an outline
of the recording, like this transcript from the Invisibilia podcast
they already listened to. Since their outlines won’t be published,
students don’t need to write down everything word for word and
they can use plenty of ellipses or shorthand notes. These outlines
will be helpful during the editing process. You may need to model
for students how to make a very rough transcript or outline
efficiently.

Students will use these sound recordings to practice using editing

software.

Mini Lesson: Editing Software

Editing software is the tool that will help students turn their sound
files into professional-sounding podcasts. With it, they can delete
sections of audio, move audio segments around and stitch them
together, and add additional sounds. They’ll need to practice using
this software before moving forward with the podcast project.
Depending on how many computers you have, students might work
alone or in pairs.

Note: Classes using Apple computers can use GarageBand, a free

audio editing software. Other examples of free online audio editing
software that can be used on Windows or Google devices
include Soundtrap (free for 14 days, then
premium), Audacity and Beautiful Audio Editor. For each of these
applications, there are tutorial videos available online. We
recommend teachers become familiar with how to use basic
features before diving into the editing process with students.
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Here are some of the basics of audio editing you should go over
with students:

1. Students will need sound files to edit. They can upload them
from their recording devices, they can upload audio files from
online or they can use the editing software to record new sound
files.
2. The “cut” or “split” tool enables students to splice one audio
segment into two or more segments.
3. The “delete” tool enables students to get rid of any audio
segments they don’t want.
4. The dragging and moving function allows students to reposition
audio segments where they want them. Typically students will use
the mouse as a cursor to drag and move content.
5. The timeline ruler or grid is the tool that measures the audio.
Students use the timeline to assemble various audio segments into
one project.
6. Tracks are layers of sound. Podcasts often have multiple tracks
of audio playing simultaneously, such as music or sound effects
played over spoken word. Students can align the various tracks
using the timeline.
7. Volume can be adjusted in each audio segment. Students can
also add effects, such as fade in or fade out.
8. “Save” and “Export” are important functions. Students must
remember to save their work, and they will most likely want to
export their project when they are done.

Activity: One-Minute Podcasts

The best way for students to get practice using these tools is for
them to play with them in a low-stakes way — thus, we suggest the
one-minute podcast assignment. Students should take their three-
minute recorded interviews and turn them into one-minute audio
stories. They may want to cut out the actual interview questions;
they may splice out parts of answers or move around sections; they
may add additional narration or sound effects.

We recommend this assignment as a timed activity — perhaps only

one class period. Since it’s not the final project, the goal isn’t to
produce a stellar podcast. Instead, it’s to make sure students
become comfortable with the editing software.

Wrap Up

Save time to debrief with students about using the editing software.
How did it go? Where did they stumble? What did they learn? If
there’s time, you can play a few of the one-minute podcasts for the
class.

For homework, you can instruct students to look over the prompt
list one more time to select their final podcast topic.

_________

Part IV: Producing a Podcast

Image

Brittany Luse, left, host of the “Sampler” podcast, interviewing Kid Fury, center, and Crissle West,
both from “The Read” podcast.CreditAlex Welsh for The New York Times
We’ve reached the final chapter of this mini-unit. Students are ready to
come up with a topic, create a plan and produce their very own original
podcasts.
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Warm Up: Topic Brainstorm

If students already selected their podcast topics for homework,

have them share during the Warm Up. If not, have them return to
the prompt list to choose the one question they want to address in
their podcast. If students will be working with partners, they
should do this brainstorm as a team. If they don’t see a topic that
interests them, they can come up with an original idea.

Mini-Lesson: Planning a Podcast

Just like writers do before starting an essay, podcast producers

typically make an outline or plan before they start recording and
editing. They brainstorm how they want to turn their topic into an
audio story. What components will they need: spoken stories,
interviews, narration?

Before students get started producing their own podcasts, model

how to plan a podcast from an initial question. You can use the
beginning of Episode 538 from “This American Life” (Segment
0:00 - 4:20) and its transcript. While the class listens together,
reveal a rough outline of the components that make up this
segment.

Narrator introduces a situation: A middle school student refuses to take

off a hat in the classroom.
Vox pop interview clips, interspersed with narration: Various teachers
share how they might handle this situation.
Music fades in ...
Narrator introduces the larger topic of school discipline and the main
question the podcast will address: Are school and teacher discipline
policies working? Is there a better way?
Music fades in ...

After listening, discuss: What is the question this episode focuses

on? What components do the producers use during this segment?
How can a rough outline like this one help them plan their
podcasts?

Project Workshop Step 1: Planning a Podcast

Students should fill out their own podcast planning form (PDF),
beginning with their focus question. The form also asks students to
think about narration, storytelling and interviewing. On the second
page, students design a rough outline.

Project Workshop Step 2: Gathering Audio Source Material

Once they have a plan, students need to go out and record their
narration, stories and interviews. Some of this may take place
during class time. Some of it may not.
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They should also gather any additional sound files they will want to
use. Be sure to remind students to use non-copyrighted sound
effects or music, though there are some limited fair use
exceptions when they can legally use copyrighted work (such as
when they are critiquing a song or reporting on a film). Students
can find royalty-free music and sound effects like those
on Bensound and Freesound, or they can create their own beats or
melodies using their audio editing software.
Project Workshop Step 3: Editing and Publishing

Once they have all their needed sound files, the last step is to use
audio editing software to pull the pieces together into a final
podcast, five minutes long or less. Please be forewarned: Editing
can be a time-consuming process.

When the podcasts are ready, you can upload them to one of many
hosting sites. SoundCloud offers free podcast hosting and so
do Buzzsprout, Podomatic and Spreaker, with limitations. Here’s
an example of how one teacher shares her students’ podcast
projects with the world.

Podcast Celebration

After all this hard work, we hope students can celebrate what
they’ve accomplished. Perhaps you want to have a podcast listening
party, where you spend a class period listening to all the projects.
You can even invite parents or guests. Or, if time is short, you can
let groups of students listen to each other’s podcasts using
headphones. Either way, you may want to give students a chance to
offer feedback on one another’s work.

_________

Additional Resources for Teachers

Resources Around the Web for Teaching Podcasting and Listening Skills

KQED’s Podcasting With Youth Radio

Radio Rookies

Listenwise

Learning Nework Lesson Plans On Podcasting and Listening Skills

Experimenting With Sound and Story: Teaching and Learning With

‘The Daily’ Podcast
Active Listening: Using Times Videos, Podcasts and Articles to
Practice a Key Skill

_________

Laura Winnick teaches English at the Urban Assembly Maker

Academy, a public high school in Manhattan, where she brings in podcast
pedagogy as a creative, research-based summative assessment.

Justin Hicks attends New York University’s graduate school for

journalism and produces freelance audio stories. Every Saturday, he
produces a podcast with middle and high school students in Harlem
where students report, edit and mix their very own audio stories.