Podcasting in the classroom

It should be no surprise to know that podcasts are booming in popularity. In 2025, more than 584 million people listened to podcasts, and that number is expected to reach 619 million by 2026. Eighty-three percent of Americans spend more than nine hours weekly listening to podcasts, and data from the Pew Research Center reports “a third (32%) of U.S. adults say they get news from podcasts at least sometimes, a sharp rise from 22% in 2020.”

These statistics show podcasting is not just a fad – it’s here to stay. Collierville educators recognize this is the case and have already implemented it into their lesson plans. At Collierville High School, television production teacher Jessica Roberts dedicates a section of the class to include podcasting. Ms. Roberts applied for a CEF grant to expand upon the school’s current podcast equipment so more students can get involved in the process. Podcasting has many educational benefits for students, so the CEF grant committee was happy to oblige! 

Production skills

Students get firsthand experience working with podcast equipment by properly handling the materials. They are shown how to correctly use the equipment so it does not get damaged and can be used for years to come. Once proper care is covered, the recording process begins. Students learn how to speak into the microphones properly, control audio and edit their own work. They see the process from start to finish, giving them a big-picture view of everything it takes, production-wise, to develop a podcast.

Storytelling

Podcasting gives students a voice. They must research potential topics to discuss, get creative with writing their own scripts and planning content for the episode. With the new equipment from CEF, four students can record a podcast together, which helps improve their collaboration and teamwork skills. Students bounce ideas off of each other, engage in educational conversations and work together to edit their final product!

Media literacy

Alongside the production and storytelling skills, podcasting gives students a look into media literacy. Students can see firsthand how media is created—and just how easy it is to spread misinformation. By learning about topics like clickbait and artificial intelligence videos, students have the tools to discern what is real and what is fake. Fact-checking and diving in deeper to stories is important, and media literacy is a skill that sets them up to digest content in the future.  

If you’d like to see more grants like these in Collierville Schools, you can help! Click here to visit our donation page.