Drawing upon the growing popularity of historical podcasts in this ever-increasing digital age as an effective learning tool, Mark Eakins recently encouraged his junior AP/Gemini U.S .History students to make their own.
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Not only would the assignment spur their creativity in developing their own versions of the popular media, but the exercise would likely encourage vigorous review of what they’ve learned this school year in his classes to more effectively prepare them for their June 20th United States History Regents exam.
Eakins asked the 45 students in the two sections he teaches to team up with one or more of their classmates to prepare podcasts. He gave them a wide variety of topics to be the subject of their digital audio files that can be downloaded or streamed on demand and listened to anytime, anywhere on their phones, laptops, tablets or computers before the big exam.
Just as he had hoped, his students hit the ground running with this assignment.
Eakins, who also teaches psychology and is the 9-12 Social Studies Department Leader, reports his students not only enthusiastically embraced the technology-based assignment, but it engendered creativity among his students he hoped for and spurred heightened interest in reviewing what they had learned since September.
“The kids really took to this with a lot of creativity and teamwork’’ Eakins raved June 9th. “They learned a lot. It generated a lot of interest among students in making podcasts for other applications. They want to do this again next year. I know they also are better prepared for the Regents because of how they had to prepare to make their podcasts.
Several of the teams framed their 5–13-minute podcasts around high-profile Supreme Court decisions, Eakins said. Another team focused on dinner party conversations among historical figures. Local news was the focus of the history of the Fox Sisters and the birthplace of spiritualism in the Town of Arcadia.
Eakins credited Newark Central School District AV Communications Coordinator Kyle Bliek for his invaluable technology assistance in helping more than half of the students develop their podcasts using the school’s headphones, microphones and soundboard equipment.
"It was such a great experience helping students engage with a form of media they already interact with in their daily lives. Many of them go home and listen to podcasts, so giving them the opportunity to create their own and explore their ideas was really exciting,” Bliek said. "This was the first time we've offered something like this to our students, and it was incredible to see how engaged they were throughout the project. I'm excited to continue collaborating with Mr. Eakin's classes and hope to make this an annual experience!"
Other students, more familiar with the process who had their own iPads or the like, produced their own podcasts.
And what did the students think about their podcasting assignment?
Victor Hernandez liked having control over what they created and what they talked about.
“I just love talking," said Kailyn Norton.
"It was a different way to express what we learned and to have fun with history," said Braydan Sherman.
Stephanie Wilson "liked that they could be silly with it _ using different sound effects and voices with the sound board."
Gabby Baker said her group that created a podcast on the cost of ticket prices had to record one of their segments six different times but would like to do it again.
Maylee Miller and Kaiden Carr who were partners, enjoyed the idea of just having a conversation and the experience of recording something not on camera.
From start to finish, Eakins devoted 7 classes to student teams doing their research, developing podcast scripts their teacher had to approve, recording and editing the podcasts and finally listening to portions from each of podcasts in the two classes, finishing up by June 6th.
Students can listen to the podcasts until the end of the school year by accessing a school audio file.
“It was really a good thing to do at the end of the school year before the Regents,’’ Eakins asserted. “I will definitely have my classes do this again next year.”