We live in a world where multitasking has become part of our culture. Whether we are commuting to work, doing the dishes, or working out, many of us would like to use that time to also be doing something else—and according to this year’s edition of The Infinite Dial, it appears that a large part of the population is doing just that. With data showing just how popular podcasts have become, there are major implications for all of us in the business of lifelong learning.
In this episode of the Leading Learning Podcast, Jeff and Celisa talk about the phenomenon of podcasting, how it can be used as an effective tool for learning, and why every organization should seriously consider podcasting as a medium.
To tune in, just click below. To make sure you catch all of the future episodes, be sure to subscribe by RSS or on iTunes. And, if you like the podcast, be sure to give it a tweet!
Listen to the Show
Read the Show Notes
[00:18] –Co-hosts Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele preview that podcasting will be the topic of discussion in this episode of the Leading Learning podcast.
[00:40] – A reminder to check out the upcoming Leading Learning event, Learning • Technology • Design (LTD) to be held May 18-19, 2016 in Arlington, VA. The event is designed specifically to help professionals in the business of continuing education and professional development find new and better ways to engage learners and create lasting impact through the effective use of technology. There is limited capacity for the event so make sure to register as soon as possible.
[01:11] – A special thank you to Meridian Knowledge Solutions for being a sponsor of Leading Learning Webinars and this podcast episode.
[01:31] – Jeff and Celisa share that the topic of podcasting came up while listening to the Marketing Over Coffee podcast featuring Tom Webster of Edison Research talking about the organization’s newest edition of the Infinite Dial research which highlights the growth in podcasting.
[02:15] – Information about Infinite Dial 2016, the latest report in a series dating back to 1998 that uses the “gold standard” of survey research. It shows that over a third of Americans 12 years or older (roughly 98 million people) have listened to a podcast. Data shared by MarketingPodcasts.com indicates that more than a quarter of a million people subscribe to podcasts through iTunes with more than a billion subscriptions. 21% of Americans 12 years or older (57 million people) have listened to a podcast in the last month which proves how popular podcasting has become.
[04:02] – Jeff and Celisa share reasons why podcasting has had so much growth, including:
- They are relatively easy to produce
- Consumers can find personalized content and listen to it while doing other things–perfect for multitasking and fulfills promise of anytime, anywhere learning.
- Getting podcast content is easier than ever—almost everyone has a mobile phone, which is all you typically need to listen to one. (A variety of apps, like Stitcher, Instacast, and Overcast make it easy to find podcasts, subscribe to them, and get automatic updates.)
[06:35] – A discussion about the name podcasting and how Tom Webster made the point (in the Marketing Over Coffee podcast) that the name has become anachronistic and that he prefers the term, audio on demand. Jeff and Celisa also talk about the convenient ways most people listen to podcasts (working out, car, etc.) and how every organization needs to be thinking about this.
[08:31] – A discussion about the phenomenon behind some of the breakout podcasts including the cultural impact of those such as the ‘Serial effect’.
[09:38] – Celisa and Jeff talk about why membership organizations in particular need to be paying attention to the power of podcasting. They share how NRECA began creating podcasts once they learned that the CEO’s of coop’s listen to podcasts because they have a lot of time in the car. It is also emphasized that when doing a needs assessment survey, you need to be able to use the data to reach new and broader segments.
[11:12] – Celisa adds that when thinking about podcasting and whether it makes sense for your organization, you need to consider that there are two different ways to go about creating a podcast—create brand new content or use repurposed content. An example of using repurposed content is the Effective Pricing Practices for Your Educational Products podcast which highlighted content Jeff presented at the 2015 Leading Learning Symposium.
[12:24] – Jeff shares different ways you can get content for podcast episodes including, leveraging member expertise and subject matter expertise. He explains how leading up to events such as the Leading Learning Symposium and Learning • Technology • Design (LTD), they have interviewed faculty of the event to preview content they will share (ex: Serious Flipped Learning with Dr. Brian McGowan). Celisa and Jeff also discuss how doing this builds community, expands your own knowledge/expertise, and gives valuable insight into how and what people engaged in your market are thinking about. They also talk about the value of show notes.
[14:42] – Jeff and Celisa discuss ways podcasts can be effective for learning—they are good for providing information, repeating information, serve as a doorway into learning experiences, and can provide supplemental content. They also explain why show notes can be a helpful learning tool and stress that podcasts should be easy to share so they can become a social learning object.
[18:32] –Celisa shares some of her favorite podcasts and why including, On Being and three from the Poetry Foundation (Poetry Magazine, Poem of the Day, Poetry Off the Shelf).
[22:58] – A further discussion about the various models you can use for podcasting. Jeff shares some of his favorite podcasts and why including, The Tim Ferriss Show, Sodajerker, Song Exploder, and limited edition podcasts such as Seth Godin’s Startup School –which represents a similar model that Jeff used with his book, Leading the Learning Revolution.
[27:52] – Wrap Up
It is recommended to try using podcatcher apps such as Stitcher Radio.
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A reminder to check out the upcoming Leading Learning event, Learning • Technology • Design (LTD) to be held May 18-19, 2016 in Arlington, VA. Note that there will be a session on podcasting delivered by Tadu Yimam.
Thank you again to Meridian Knowledge Solutions for being a sponsor of Leading Learning Webinars and this podcast episode.
For some good resources on how to podcast see 5 Links to Mastering Podcasting.
[31:49] – Sign off
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