30th Annual Student Research Conference
Engaging High School Writers Through Creating Podcasts
Erica D. Raines♦
Dr. Summer Pennell, Faculty Mentor
In late 2014, the podcast Serial was released. Its sophisticated rhetoric and structure caught the attention of millions. I couldn’t help but ask the question: would students write differently if they were creating podcasts in the classroom? This project analyzes data collected during a one-week mini-unit to answer this question: how can scripting, recording, and editing a podcast affect student writing? Students used Google Docs and a low-tech recording website to create recorded scripts that could be pieced together to create a whole. The unit followed a workshop model which included mini-lessons and time for students to work and conference. After examining my data, it became apparent that creating podcasts fostered student writing as a whole. This project contributes to the upcoming conversation among educators about the use of podcasts in the classroom. More research is necessary due to this project’s lack of necessary technology capabilities.
Keywords: podcast, education, language arts, writing , workshop, multimedia, revising, high school
Topic(s):English MAE Intern
English, Secondary MAE Research
Education
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 102-2
Location: MG 1090
Time: 8:15