2 Podcasting with Youth Below are just some of the benefits of podcasting that I’ve identified. ­ These would be handy to keep note of if you are creating a plan to start a podcast and want to highlight its benefits to your man­ag­er. Student-­Created Content No ­ matter what kind of content you include in your podcast, it’s impor­tant that the teens you work with are creating the content. We have a ­ great team of podcasters, and I think of myself as their man­ag­er, someone who guides them along as they go, helps to edit when needed, and looks for new and exciting opportunities as they arise. Other than that, our stu- dents are generating the content on their own. For our pod- cast, students create interview questions before authors visit the school so they can be ready to interview them. They also are required to conduct some research on the author and look beyond the books that they write—­for example, are ­ there any po­liti­cal or social issues that the book covers? The teens can research this and develop well-­informed questions far in advance. ­ There are, however, dozens of dif­fer­ent ways to use podcasts in the library or classroom. When students are in control of the podcast, you are telling them that you value their input and that they have owner­ship over a specific aspect of the library, classroom, or wherever you decide to rec­ord. Reach New Audiences Creating a school-­based or public library podcast is an amaz- ing way to put your school or library on the map in a posi- tive, engaging way. If you decide to use it in the classroom as a way to reflect on learning, parents can easily access it and learn more about their teens’ education journey. If you endeavor to highlight school achievements, ­ there’s no bet- ter way than to broadcast it out in a podcast. If your goal is to bring new ­faces to the library, a podcast is a way to attract teens who may have a ste­reo­typical view of what libraries can offer. You’ll also be able to draw in new teachers if you
Previous Page Next Page