Undergrad Podcast Lab: Recent Episodes
Dr. Gideon Burton
Student teams develop and produce a set of podcasts. Dr. Gideon Burton of Brigham Young University teaches digital and design principles while documenting the development and publication of student podcasts.
Categories and criteria by which a professor evaluates the podcasting (not just the podcasts) of his students.
Promoting one's podcast needs to be worked into one's production workflow. Dr. Gideon Burton explains how to make a promotion plan, including evaluating one's goal with promotion, and how to take advantage of outlets like distribution platforms, a website or blog for one's podcast, and social media. It's worth it to cultivate an audience and to let feedback inform subsequent episodes.
Improving where and how you record your podcast, and an introduction to sound mixing basics.
After one has made several episodes, a time comes to improve the quality of one's podcast production. Dr. Gideon Burton narrates his own experience as he has worked to improve his podcast identity and recording quality.
Two different podcasts have their pilot episodes up on Anchor.fm, Sam Jacob and Jace Einfeldt's "Lit-Knitters" and "Isolation" from AJ Dickens. These great first efforts are critiqued.
Next steps after deciding on content and format for podcasts. Includes 1) podcast identity development; 2) initial production; 3) organizing your people; and 4) organizing ongoing production
Drawing upon real life stories on difficult issues is something Madison Roush wants to do. She pitches a mental health podcast, "I'm Not Crazy" and a tales-of-masculinity podcast, "Man Up."
Fandoms are prime audiences for podcasts, and Mason Graham and Danny Daw are pitching a philosophical video games podcast ("Rated M for Moral"; as well as a live-play D&D gaming podcast, "Luncheons and Flagons."
How can history come alive through podcasting? Listen to these unique approaches proposed for possible podcasts: "Reigning from Rushmore" (Austin Mills); "Dead as a Doornail" (Jace Einfeldt); and "Titans" (Devin Bartholomew).
Natalia Green pitches "The Disney Bachelors," a reality show and fandom podcast; Trent Anderson pitches "Threat Level Midnight," an Office fandom podcast; Trent pitches "Legend Trip," an experiential+storytelling podcast; and Matt McCollum pitches a choose-your-own-adventure creative/collaborative podcast.
Ashlyn Earl pitches "Maybe True, Maybe Not" (a folklore podcast); "Sweet Dreams" (a bedtime storytelling podcast); and "Dating in Provo" (an advice podcast)
Abby Beazer pitches "I Don't Know What I'm Doing" (an educational podcast targeting emerging adults) and "Dispatch" (an audio drama based on emergency dipatchers)
Travel essays would be performed and discussed on a possible podcast that Anisa Call wants to call "Journeys."
Listen to Gabriel Bradford pitch his instructional podcast idea, "36: ACT Prep" and to Madelyn Taylor pitch her "Six Degrees" podcast. Gabriel also pitches a possible science podcast.
Instant Pot enthusiasts will get a podcast dedicated to them if Gabbey Beard, Erika Free, and Noelle Dickerson get this new podcast cooking.
Within Design Thinking, testing includes getting "social proof." This episode describes four different groups from whom to get it, and at what stages in the podcast development process.
The activity of curation is a major part of digital culture, and it informs how we think about podcasting.
Two common problems in digital culture are examined relative to podcasting, and an appeal is made for being reflective, diverse, and critical so we don't fall prey to rabbit holes and echo chambers.
Podcast formats are outlined with examples within several broad categories: commentary/analysis, narrative, educational, repurposed, and experimental formats (with various subcategories)
In addition to the Long Tail, podcasting exemplifies the Rise of the Amateur and Design Thinking
The long tail is a principle of digital culture that strongly influences the discovery and production of online content, like podcasts.
Dr. Gideon Burton describes how he is leading several teams of students in creating their own podcasts and gives some background.