Podcasts: The Power of Student Voice

Living in a day an age where the majority of our media is owned and distributed by just a mere handful of powerful corporations, the use of podcasts can be an essential tool for students not only for their life as a students, but also for their life as a citizen.  I recently read an article that talked about an eighth grade class out of Washington D.C. using podcasts in their learning to help their local community. While researching a local HIV/AIDS organization, students conducted interviews with various staff members gaining information about HIV/AIDS, services, and prevention. In doing so they were able to identify myths and stereotypes surrounding the disease. Through use of podcasts they then shared their valuable information with their local community in hopes of community education and awareness. After reading this article I began to think of the potential that podcasts and other social can play in the role of education beyond the classroom, an education that seeks to transform the individual and the community of which he/she belongs to. In the above example students not only were able to learn about HIV/AIDS and technology, but they were also able to see how it was applicable to their lives. Students were able to see that they too regardless of the consolidation of media can produce their own media that directly helps to improve their own community.  All of this reminded from Nelson Mandela that has been circulating around recently since his death: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”