In this episode, we’re looking at one possible format for project-based summative assessments. As always, we’re focused on how this project format enables students to have a civic impact and an audience beyond the teacher.
Why do a podcast as a summative assessment?
Project-based learning. PBL classrooms have higher student engagement, student motivation to learn, student independence and attendance compared to traditional classrooms. Students using PBL understand the content on a deeper level and retain content longer. Also, PBL students perform as well or better on high-stakes tests than students in traditional settings (Buck Institute for Education’s research summary).
Student Voice. Research has found students who engage in leadership activities, have demonstrated improved peer and adult relationships (Yonezawa & Jones, 2007); positive self-regard, feelings of competence, student engagement (Deci & Ryan, 2008) and academic performance (Mitra, 2004). What Feldman and Khademian (2003) call “cascading vitality,” can occur, where students inspire and empower others, lifting up students that may be experiencing structural, political, and/or social marginalization.
What can I do to support my teachers with this?
Leaders, host a content- and grade-agnostic professional development session with your staff so they can experience podcasting and plan how they might use this in their courses.
Frame the session with these questions that staff can create a podcast on: What needs to change to make the world/your community more just? or What perspectives/experiences/topics does the world/your community need to hear?
Invite staff to get into groups, choose an episode format (e.g., multiple segments, interview show, co-host banter), and a role for each group member.
How to Support Teachers to Use Podcasts in their Courses:
Step 1: Use podcasts as “texts” in lessons. Then, debrief the content AND the podcast format.
Step 2: Offer a simple frame or steps for how to record. (e.g., Use phones to record audio.)
Step 3: Give access to simple editing tools or edit for them (and ask the creators to tell you what goes where.)
Step 4: Create a podcast or find an existing podcast on which students can publish their episodes (i.e., an authentic audience beyond the teacher!)
Final Tips for Coaching Teachers to Use Podcasts
Embed opportunities throughout the unit for audio recording. Example: Students record their voice answering each day’s exit ticket.
Encourage staff members to visit other classes where they’re doing podcasting!
To help you develop and facilitate a staff PD on podcasting, I’m sharing the slide deck I used in the podcasting conference session with you for free. And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 110 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here.
Quotes:
- “PBL classrooms have higher student engagement, student motivation to learn, student independence and attendance compared to traditional classrooms.”
- “If you were to do this as a staff PD, this is going to be one of the most helpful staff PDs…”
- “Giving teachers the opportunity to experience something as a learner…so they’re experiencing the possibility of what their students would feel…would be awesome…This is grade-agnostic…and subject-agnostic.”
- “Episode 107 of this podcast…is where you can actually hear the student podcasts that were created during those 60-minute sessions at the conference. If you want to see what’s possible…”
