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| Last week, during Tea with Techs time, I had a great conversation with Trent Edmunds and Robert Butts about podcasts–podcasts as student projects, and podcasts more generally in the world. I didn’t go into the conversation with any particular question in mind–I didn’t have a podcast problem to fix this semester, and I wasn’t requesting immediate ETS support. But we were all there in the same room, and we just started chatting about podcasts–how they might fit into some of my classes, how ETS colleagues connect with faculty to train students for podcast projects, what kinds of resources are available through My Denison and Canvas.
But then we kept talking–about the art of creating a podcast, and the questions of messaging and audience involved. We talked about some podcasts that we like (full disclosure, I only have 1 that I listen to with any regularity). I asked whether AI fakes have become a concern in podcasting in the same way they have in image and video production. None of us knew the answer, but we still talked about the problem. I left the conversation with new things to think about, and new ideas for incorporating podcasts into my classes. I also left knowing a couple of my colleagues a little better. And hating February a little less. The way that our conversation developed–not as the result of a request for help or support (which we all need sometimes), but just as a moment for sharing thoughts and information–reminded me what an important part of the Denison learning experience classroom conversations are for our students. Whatever classes you’re teaching this semester, and whatever the challenges you’re finding in week four, don’t forget to build in time for students to talk one-on-one with each other about the course material and their own thinking about it. This could be in the classic “Think-Pair-Share” form (giving them time to collect their thoughts, talk them through with a partner, and share back to class) or a “speed dating” idea-sharing with classmates, or another favorite exercise you’ve heard about from a colleague or already practice regularly in your own classes. As we continue to work together through complexities and uncertainties in 2026, don’t let go of the basics: Even very short opportunities to talk through course materials and ideas with a partner of small group of classmates can make a big difference in students’ learning, understanding of the material, and engagement with broader class discussion. |