Leveraging Podcasting for Action

The unit plan that I developed for the initial assignments in this course was one which would inspire action from grade 4 students at ISPP. I am currently conducting this unit plan as we speak. Students have already used Padlet and Flipgrid to identify issues in the elementary school that they notice on a daily basis.  Those tools were then leveraged to explore possible solutions. Those possible solutions will then be acted upon to try and actually influence direct change in the school. Teachers would be called upon to teach multiple ways that students could use their voice to influence change, including social media, video editing, formal email writing, art design, and podcasting.

Students started by creating Padlet posts on who they are and what they care about.

I gathered their answers and created another Padlet about problems that they noticed at ISPP. Students then gave possible solutions to solve the issues. Students will vote on the issue they want to try and solve by grade section.

The tool that I will teach for these calls to action is the Web 2.0 tool Anchor.FM. Anchor.FM is a podcast creation tool that is accessed via web browser and iPad app. It allows students to record their voices, add interludes, sound effects, and songs to build professional sounding podcasts quickly. Students will be expected to learn the tool and then create podcasts to add to the library of media trying to convince students, teachers, administrators, and parents to create change at the school together. They will be expected to build a narrative about the current issue and then highlight solutions that we as a community should focus on while solving the problems.

Students will use Anchor.FM to build podcasts with an attempt to inspire the school community to take action of problems in our elementary school. This is the podcast building section of Anchor.FM, where you can begin the process of creation. 

One section has noticed lots of litter around campus since our school cafeteria has closed due to COVID and students are bringing their own lunches. Another class has chosen politeness as the issue they would like to try and solve. A third class chose the fact that we have limited playground equipment at our school to be something they would like to change. This unit has come together very organically and I look forward to teaching podcasting to students in an attempt to empower them to create change through media creation.