According to recent figures, there are currently more than 5 million podcasts in the world, with an impressive 70+ million episodes between them.
This form of content has long been deeply rooted in our culture, and its popularity keeps growing at a whopping 26.5% (CAGR).
An interesting thing about podcasting is that the biggest part of its fans are young people – 67% of people in the US between ages 18 and 29 report listening to podcasts in the past 12 months.
That is, students are the primary audience of podcasts. And this fact is already actively changing the landscape of educational content.
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Top Content Types Valued by Modern Students
It’s no secret that the educational sector underwent a plethora of changes. Today, we see shifts toward technology, personalization, and gamification. Students are no longer bound to conventional learning tools.
Today, they can access better, handier digital tools, including online tutors, academic writing services that type essays for money, educational games, etc. So, it’s also natural to change the types of content students consume.
Which content types are actively replacing traditional textbooks and workbooks?
As humans’ attention spans decrease, the primary aim of every educational program now is to eliminate distractions and win over students’ attention.
In the search for a solution, experts outlined a list of the top content types proven to capture students’ engagement best:
- Interactive visuals – Infographics, visual presentations, videos, and other visuals are proven to break the monotony of traditional lessons and improve information retention.
- Educational games – Games in the classroom are proven to boost engagement and motivation in students while also letting them develop hands-on skills.
- AR and VR – Learning content powered by augmented and virtual reality technologies can imitate real-life situations and places, offering students safe and immersive learning experiences.
- Podcasts – This type of content is still new in the educational sector. Still, it’s proven to be no less engaging and interactive than others. Besides, podcasts ensure simple access to course materials on the go.
The Rise of Academic Podcasts
Podcasts have gained popularity in the academic world rather quickly. Both students and teachers recognize them as accessible, versatile, and engaging mediums for sharing knowledge.
There are several primary drivers of the popularity of this content type:
1) The rising trendiness of podcasts among college-aged people. You already know that students make up the biggest share of podcast listeners. Unsurprisingly, their interest in this content type has driven educators to adopt it in the classroom to boost engagement.
2) Their flexibility and accessibility are also driving the popularity of academic podcasts. Unlike other educational content types, podcasts are accessible anytime and anywhere. Hence, they give educators a new, more efficient way to engage learners beyond the classroom walls.
3) Inclusivity is also a major driver. While traditional classroom settings limit access to education for some groups of students, podcasts enable educators to connect with diverse audiences, which fosters greater inclusivity.
4) Finally, podcasting has also shown the potential to enhance the learning experience as a whole. Podcasts act as an extension to traditional classroom settings and complement conventional teaching approaches.
They strengthen learning with storytelling, discussions, and interviews, adding more depth to students’ academic experiences.
Key Effects of Podcasting on Student Success
Given the growing popularity of podcasts among students, more and more educators are already leveraging this type of educational content in the classroom. And it brings impressive benefits:
- Information retention – Storytelling is one of the primary specs of podcasting. It’s proven that stories and personal anecdotes are retained much better than dry, boring facts. Hence, using academic podcasts can enhance knowledge retention.
- Reduced knowledge gap – Traditional educational content, such as textbooks, typically falls behind rapid changes in technology and society. Podcasts help educators bridge these knowledge gaps. Now, there are podcasts on a wealth of topics, allowing teachers to complement textbook learning with up-to-date data from podcasts.
- Extended expertise – Academic podcasts often invite global guests to extend the expertise students can access in the classroom. This creates deeper subject knowledge.
- Better learning – Lastly, podcasting is linked to improved learning and performance of students. Podcasts appeal to the different needs and interests of learners, boosting engagement and motivation to study.
Bonus benefit: Now that educational podcasting is on the rise, this kind of content is being generated not only by industry experts and educators. Many college students also actively create academic podcasts as a part of their classroom routine or as a hobby.
Such activities help students develop a whole range of skills, including critical thinking, communication skills, interviewing, etc.
Final Thought
Given all the perks discussed in this post, we can confidently state that students and their love for podcasting have already changed the landscape of educational content.
Now, academic podcasts are already a big thing. And we feel like its potential will grow bigger over the years. So, if you want to feel the magic of podcasting yourself, now is the right time.
Check out a recent EssayService.com review to find the right homework helper to delegate your monotonous college tasks and use the gained free time to explore podcasting. It may change your academic life forever.
