Team 5 decided to focus our critical analysis on the technology of podcasts. Our preliminary dive into the literature resulted in some interesting findings and a renewed appreciation of technology’s complex role in the social fabric of contemporary society. Podcasts are commonly used for entertainment, timeshifting, library-building, advertising, and social purposes (McClung & Johnson 2010), as well as in educational settings for a variety of purposes (Hew, 2009). Bratcher’s (2020) research supported the convenience of the timeshifting anytime, anywhere accessibility of podcasts. Bratcher also suggested that further research is needed to investigate the relationship between podcasts and personal politics. The team’s investigations also resulted in the discovery that as the population becomes more enthralled with podcasts, the advertising industry’s attention also becomes increasingly focused on the for-profit side of the medium (Adgate, 2021). These explorations certainly lend credence to Selwyn’s (2010) contention that it is important to recognise “technology and education as a set of profoundly political processes and practices that are best described in terms of issues of power, control, conflict and resistance” (p. 68).
A quick glance at any reputable news outlet makes clear that as podcasts’ popularity grows, some of the loud and/or extreme voices have been amplified (Joe Rogan’s Spotify controversy and Alberta’s embattled premier Jason Kenney immediately come to mind), reminding us of MacDougall’s (2011) warning that podcast technology provides a forum for anyone “potentially able to podcast his or her chants and decrees” (p. 725). However, although it would be prudent to take heed of this warning, there is another side of the coin that is worth paying attention to. There is powerful potential in reframing our thinking to view podcasts not as just a technology but as voices, including many that have been historically ignored or silenced. The challenge is for educators in K-12, higher ed, and industry to capitalize on alternative perspectives that have the power to challenge the current world order. I hope to focus my research on the idea that through podcasts, diverse and previously marginalized voices can be accessed by learners using a medium that is accessible, inclusive, and convenient. Intentionally seeking out and utilizing podcasts in educational environments as a teaching and learning resource can support educators in challenging students’ thinking, which will ideally benefit society overall in the long term.
References
Adgate, B. (2021, February 11). As podcasts continue to grow in popularity, ad dollars follow. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2021/02/11/podcasting-has-become-a-big-business/?sh=1a40dd2a2cfb
Bohlmann, J., & Ross, M. (2021). Building a study community through podcasts during covid-19. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 22. http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/258444/1/258444.pdf
Bratcher, T. R. (2020). Toward a deeper discussion: A survey analysis of podcasts and personalized politics. Atlantic Journal of Communication, (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2020.1862846
Hew, K. F. (2009). Use of audio podcast in K-12 and higher education: A review of research topics and methodologies. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 57(3), 333-357. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/use-audio-podcast-k-12-higher-education-review/docview/218029008/se-2?accountid=8056
MacDougall, R. C. (2011). Podcasting and political life. The American Behavioral Scientist, 55(6), 714–732. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764211406083
McClung, S., & Johnson, K. (2010). Examining the motives of podcast users. Journal of Radio and Audio Media, 17(1), 82–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/19376521003719391
Selwyn, N. (2010). Looking beyond learning: Notes towards the critical study of educational technology: looking beyond learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 26(1), 65–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2009.00338.x
Hi Amber,
Great choice of technology as well as individual issue! I love that podcasts are already an acknowledged, and I believe largely accepted, learning technology. Some initial questions that come to mind include demographics of user groups for different types of podcasts, critical thinking of participants around some of the issues you have already identified, publicity, curation, endorsement/privatization and profit, and more. Apparently, I have many questions around podcasts and am excited to learn more!
Thanks,
Alisha
Hi Alisha,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. My list of questions is very similar to yours! When Dr. Devries and I met, we chatted about how private interests control so much of what is encountered on digital platforms, and as such, we wondered how it would be possible to take that power back. While I acknowledge there is a relationship between podcasts and neoliberalism and would like to dig into it further, I also recognize that the intimate and personal nature of podcasts lends the technology to having enormous potential to be utilized to access alternative, often silenced, viewpoints. I am hopeful that podcasts are ‘new’ enough that they can present other narratives and viewpoints instead of the dominant and biased narratives woven into other forms of media such as news outlets. This is going to be an exciting and enlightening investigation!
Thanks again,
Amber
Hi Amber, I really like the points you’ve mentioned here and look forward to how this will connect to each of our perspectives in the team project. I wanted to leave a comment for you because you wrote “any reputable news outlet” and think that our questions about the credibility and quality of podcasts can also be applied to many other media outlets. What makes one news outlet more reputable or credible than another? Is it based on viewership, ratings, funding, or other? I think it would be interesting to reflect on existing media that we have pre-existing judgments of.
Great point, Jolee! The word reputable carries weight, doesn’t it? How to determine the credibility of information presented in podcasts and other media is really the critical challenge. A quick comparison of Fox versus CNN or the National Post versus the Globe and Mail makes it clear that there are significant biases present (due to a variety of reasons and influences). Are podcasts just as biased? Are podcasts as influenced by outside forces? Regardless, this exploration is a reminder of the importance of remaining vigilant and aware of information communicated through any channel, digital or analog. Technology is not neutral; technologies have built-in values (Morris & Stommel, 2018) and are embedded in social, political, cultural, and societal contexts (Fawns, 2022) and so it is critically important for us to be aware of the the biases and assumptions that exist in the technologies we regularly use and consume.
References
Fawns, T. (2022). An entangled pedagogy: Looking beyond the pedagogy—technology dichotomy. Postdigital Science and Education, (20220402). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-022-00302-7
Morris, S. M., & Stommel, J. (2018). Critical digital pedagogy: A definition. In An Urgency of Teachers. Pressbooks. https://criticaldigitalpedagogy.pressbooks.com/chapter/chapter-1/
The “timeshifting” perspective which you raise is an interesting one in that it directs our attention to the flexibility of the format of podcasts, and this is similar to what many educators say about “flexible learning.” While this is obviously an important aspect of asynchronous learning, as well as the freedom from having to be in one place at the same time, as you make clear there are many other things to think about to ensure an equitable use of the technology in educational settings. The question of voices is a critical addition to your study and there is some good emerging literature relating this to education and especially open education.
I always love readings your thoughts! Podcasts for timeshifting wasn’t something that I consciously thought about before you mentioned it, but that’s exactly what my podcast feed looks like! I’ve also found that my critical thinking skills are tested daily because what looks on the surface to be a very reasonable podcast sometimes devolves into far right or left ideology and I have to be aware of that. Also, I encountered my first “can’t skip the ad” on Spotify recently, to my dismay. The advertising temptation is real! I’m looking forward to your work on this!