In today’s tech podcast episode, I wanted to explore the rise of podcasts as a storytelling medium and how it differentiates from the visual-focused media society is accustomed to. Audio has a major impact on one’s ability to connect to and learn from its content. In fact, the retention rate of auditory learning is 2x higher than reading and 4x higher than lecturing.
Faced with an evolving digital landscape, the Beaver Country Day School, recently installed a podcast studio and have seen for themselves how students use this medium to better hone their communication and presentation skills, as well as achieving a deeper understanding of a subject matter.
With reliance on audio, podcasts offer a more intimate form of media than visual sources do, which has resulted in almost a quarter of the U.S. population tuning in regularly to their favorite podcast. Beaver recognizes that podcasts can meld both education and entertainment to create a greater level of engagement and interest from students.
Students are already turning out Serial quality podcasts and it will be interesting to see how the next generation of creators will continue to audio focused media for information and entertainment. On today’s tech podcast, I chat with Rob MacDonald and Margot Amouyal to find out more about how technology and podcasts are helping to enhance education at the Beaver Country Day School.
Rob MacDonald is Creative Technologist + Curricular Development Lead at Beaver Country Day School. Joining Beaver in 1998, MacDonald unites his interests in language, the arts, and numerics through a variety of courses, including Fiction Writing, World Films, Algorithmic Art, and Computer Programming.
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