Category: LRNT 526

Team Five, the Jazzy Awesome Legendary Genius Minds (also known as the humble team), chose podcasts as our focus technology. Over the last couple of weeks, we have all been listening to CBC’s The Secret Life of Canada. In our preliminary explorations, we found a plethora of podcasts that piqued our unique interests, but we landed on The Secret Life of Canada because it is comprised of podcasts covering a broad range of topics, so we all found podcast episodes we were interested in both individually and as a group.  As well, access was free and did not require logging in to a streaming service. 

As we embarked on our listening adventures and began digging into podcast-related literature, we were pleasantly surprised by a number of insights. First, we realized that there are podcasts for everyone; as long as one has access to a device and interests to explore, there are podcasts available that will meet their needs. Second, we discovered that podcasts are highly popular because they are convenient, customizable, provide listeners with the opportunity to “feed their brain” (Perks and Turner, 2019, p. 108) and allow users to timeshift in that they can be listened to anytime, anywhere (McClung and Johnson, 2010). Finally, we became aware of the many critical issues that exist alongside podcasts and in our initial discussions we brainstormed extensive lists of possible issues to explore. The infographic below summarizes the critical issues we each decided to focus on. 

It would be prudent to be mindful that podcasts, like any widely accessible technology, bring questions around credible and accurate information to the fore. That being said, however, the most powerful and significant revelation we had, both individually and as a team, is that podcasts are, by nature, stories. Stories about education, lived experiences, culture, politics, marketing, community, tradition, and more; podcasts are a powerful vehicle for diverse voices to be heard by wide audiences. Just like a good book read over and over again feels like an old friend, the stories told through podcasts have the potential to connect listeners to the world and the people, places, and events that matter. 

References

Brinson, N. H., & Lemon, L. L. (2022). Investigating the effects of host trust, credibility, and authenticity in podcast advertising. Journal of Marketing Communications, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2022.2054017

Collier, R. (2018). Containing health myths in the age of viral misinformation. Cmaj, 190(19), E578-E578.

Del Vicario, M., Bessi, A., Zollo, F., Petroni, F., Scala, A., Caldarelli, G., Stanley, H. E., & Quattrociocchi, W. (2016). The spreading of misinformation online. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(3), 554-559.

Giliberti, C. (2016). 6 reasons why podcasting is the future of storytelling. Forbes Under 30 Network [March 31, 2016].  https://www.forbes.com/sites/under30network/2016/03/31/6-reasons-why-podcasting-is-the-future-of-storytelling/?sh=3874e0f31fe0

Johnson, F., & Bowen, S. L. (2022). The secret life of Canada. CBC Radio. Podcast Series [Updated May 5, 2022]. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/203-the-secret-life-of-canada 

Kass-Hout, T. A., & Alhinnawi, H. (2013). Social media in public health. British medical bulletin, 108(1).

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   

Merchant, R. M., South, E. C., & Lurie, N. (2021). Public health messaging in an era of social media. Jama, 325(3), 223-224.

Mitchell, T. (2017). Indigenous podcasting: Resisting colonial paradigm. The Grassroots Journal. (November 6, 2017). https://www.thegrassrootsjournal.org/post/2017/11/06/indigenous-podcasting-resisting-the-colonial-paradigm

Moran, L. (2019). Simulating the Digital Divide. Streaming Media Magazine, 6. https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/simulating-digital-divide/docview/2309775240/se-2?accountid=8056

Perks, L. G., & Turner, J. S. (2019). Podcasts and productivity: A qualitative uses and gratifications study. Mass Communication and Society, 22(1), 96–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2018.1490434 

Image Source

As we inquire into contemporary issues in learning technologies, Team 5 decided to study, research and venture into the World of Podcasts. Podcasts are audio files that belong to a series of episodes related to a theme and that we can generally find grouped on streaming platforms. A podcast can generally be referred to as a single episode or an entire show that includes many episodes. These can be recorded in different formats, the most common being interviews between guest and presenter and individual recordings where the presenter(s) or host(s) comments on a specific topic. They are similar to radio programs; however, the main difference is that podcasts have an “on-demand format” and can be played at the listener’s convenience. Despite the fact that they are available online, one of their fundamental features is the possibility of downloading the episodes to listen to them even offline.

As an interesting fact, the word podcast is the result of the union of the words iPod and broadcast. iPod, referring to the fact that this content is portable; and Broadcast, referring to the fact that its transmission follows the same model as radio transmissions (Bishop, 2021).

A podcast is also content, only in a different format. It can be about a wide variety of topics such as entertainment, news, tutorials, educational content, reviews, science, music, and many more; the limit is only the creativity of the host. Bratcher (2020) suggested that the novelty of media technologies like podcasts reflects the changing media environment that offers consumers more than the traditional one-way flow of information. Bratcher’s research also suggested that the podcast industry was growing exponentially and that “podcasting is widespread and likely to continue to increase, given that podcast use has more than doubled in 5 years, increasing 122% since 2014” (Bratcher, 2020).

Adgate (2021) argues that podcasting has become a big business, and as podcasting continues to grow with more listeners and ad dollars, prominent media companies continue to invest in more audio platforms. Although I am not a big podcast fan, there is no doubt in my mind that the use of podcasts is gaining ground around the world. It is a simple and fast way to be in contact with the public (audience). But, how does this entire process happen? Why are large companies investing large sums of money on these platforms? What do they get out of it? Selwyn (2010) argues that greater attention now needs to be paid to how digital technologies are actually being used. As my team and I explore this topic for LRNT 526 it has sparked my interest to learn more about podcasts. How are they made? what platforms are being used for streaming? How do they monetize? Why do businesses use podcasts as part of their marketing plans? At this stage, I have more questions than answers, and I look forward to learning more about the technical aspect of podcasts and their functionality seen from a marketing lens.

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

Bishop, J. (2021, March 10). A brief history of podcasting. OneFinePlay. https://www.onefineplay.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-podcasting

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

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 

by Jolee, Amber, Luis, Gail & Myrna

Team 5, also known as the Jazzy Awesome Legendary Genius Minds, decided to focus our attention on the technology of podcasts. After individually exploring the vast possibilities of podcasts available and then chatting as a team, we inevitably landed on CBC’s The Secret Life of Canada. Through our forays into the wide world of podcasts, it became clear that there is a plethora of options for any podcast seeker. As a team, we agreed that The Secret Life of Canada provided enough options to satisfy our individual interests and offered similar and comparable experiences to utilize the technology to engage in learning.

Our initial research into podcasts was enlightening. Podcasts began humbly in 2004 and since then has become wildly popular, with an estimated 100 million people listening to a podcast in 2020 (Adgate, 2021). A brief history of the podcast demonstrates the technology’s ascent to fame.

We learned that podcasts have gained popularity for a number of personal, professional, and educational reasons and uses. With over 43 million podcast episodes hosted by creators from around the world (Adgate, 2021), the possibilities for topics, discussions, and learning experiences are endless. Bohlmann and Ross (2021) produced a series of podcasts to engage with their students online during the pandemic, which is just one of many examples of how podcasts can be easily designed and delivered to meet varying purposes, contexts, and goals.

However, we also happened upon some thought-provoking research that suggests there is a dark side to podcasts. Bratcher’s (2022) study sought to explore the relationship between podcasts and personal politics, and concluded that a relationship between the two indeed exists and should be further studied. MacDougall (2011) also provided a fascinating alternative view of podcasts. He argued that because podcasts are generally short, easily accessible, and consumed while engaging in other life tasks and activities, they “often ensure a fairly narrow information diet that bolsters what may often be equally narrow views onto the world” (p. 731). Additionally, he noted that podcasts can be easily created and distributed to wide audiences, and provided the warning that “with anyone now potentially able to podcast his or her chants and decrees, modern “wise ones” may begin devolving into lunatics no longer on the fringe” (p. 725). 

Regardless of whether the nature and impact of podcasts are illuminating or insidious, the technology’s increasing popularity cannot be disputed. Our discoveries led us to determine areas worth further exploration, including:

• Access to podcasts (paid subscription, internet access)
• Quality of content/expertise
• Accessibility (dependence on audio, barriers for hearing impaired)
• Licensing 
• Application and implications in classroom learning
• Reliability of information
• A source for cognitive dissonance or confirmation bias
• A reason or result for changing literacies in the digital age

As a team, we are excited to take a critical stance and consider, as Selwyn (2010) suggested, the “social, economic, political, and cultural contexts” (p. 69) that podcasts are entwined with.

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 

Bishop, J. (2021, March 10). A brief history of podcasting. OneFinePlay. https://www.onefineplay.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-podcasting

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

Jabeer, Z. A. (2021, September 13). A brief history of podcasting. Medium. https://medium.com/paradeim/a-brief-history-of-podcasting-2e73cfbca7d0 

MacDougall, R. C. (2011). Podcasting and political life. The American Behavioral Scientist, 55(6), 714–732. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764211406083 

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