Abstract:

Podcast is an audio (and/or video) medium that encompasses diverse content and formats, primarily distributed via the internet for download or streaming, allowing listeners to consume it whenever, wherever, and however they prefer. The creation of original podcasts provides students with an opportunity to engage with academic content in a distinctive manner, influencing their behavior by encouraging them to assume roles as researchers, social agents, and educators. These activities align with pedagogical approaches such as active learning and learning by teaching. Furthermore, this practice fosters the development of skills such as synthesis, writing, communication, collaborative work, and problem-solving. An engaged student is more likely to retain information, construct knowledge, enhance skills, and exercise critical thinking—key competencies for addressing the challenges of contemporary society.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the application of podcasts as a teaching activity in a vocational education class in digital design in Brazil, as well as to understand the impacts of this tool on the teaching-learning process for both teachers and students.

The research was conducted through participant observation over a four-month period, during which textual and visual records were made of the students’ podcast creation process. At the end of the observation period, a questionnaire was administered to the students, and interviews were conducted with the teachers to gather their perspectives on the activity.

The results demonstrate that podcasts are sufficiently flexible tools to adapt to the pedagogical characteristics of the curriculum, which required the integration of podcasting with the creation of complex visual pieces. Students participated in all stages of podcast development: research, scriptwriting, recording, and editing. The most significant challenges arose during the initial stages of production, as students were unfamiliar with the podcast creation process, particularly in drafting scripts that integrated theoretical content with descriptions of visual pieces. To address these challenges, instructional materials were developed to support scriptwriting, as well as methods for recording and editing podcasts. Weekly monitoring of the podcast development process was also incorporated into the curricular assessment.

Despite these initial challenges, students produced podcasts in various formats, with the quality of writing, recording, and editing exceeding the pedagogical expectations of both teachers and the students themselves, who expressed pride in the programs they created.

The use of podcasts as a didactic tool proved to be an innovative and promising practice for vocational education in digital design, fostering student engagement and the development of multiple skills. The findings highlight the importance of careful planning for implementing this approach, including providing technical support to both teachers and students. Despite the limitations of this study, the data collected suggest that creating podcasts as a teaching activity can enhance the teaching-learning process, establishing itself as a flexible and effective resource for integrating theory and practice in diverse educational contexts.

Keywords:

Podcast, engagement, vocational schools.