Podcasting is a popular method of communication and entertainment today. It’s often used to convey news, politics, interviews, biographies, fictional works, and more. Many podcast creators have equipment of varying cost, some with an actual audio studio. Have you ever considered having students create their own podcasts, but want to avoid an added cost?
Anchor is a great tool for students to collaborate in creating their own podcasts for class assignments. Its interface is designed to be easy to use with minimal/no training. Anchor works through any computer web browser, via iPhone/iPad and Android app.
Anchor’s best feature for education is the ability to record a podcast with others remotely. Each user can use the device of their choice, allowing them to invite their classmates to a common podcast recording.
Each podcast can be shared online via Facebook, Twitter, or direct link, allowing others to listen in without searching through a podcast app or other locator. If desired, a podcast can be shared among traditional podcast locators, appearing in the Apple Podcast app, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and many others.
Using Anchor with a class
Anchor can be a great compliment to a face-to-face course or an online course.
For a face-to-face course, consider using Anchor as part of a group project. This gives students the ability to express themselves in a non-text medium, allowing students to have a recorded audio discussion around a given/selected topic. In this case, Anchor can also be used as a way to have a recorded debate or simulation.
For an online course, Anchor can be a way for individual or groups of students to contribute to their course. Individual students can use Anchor as part of an overall audio journal during a course, or possibly even a creative project where others can listen and comment. Groups of students can be assigned through the Canvas system, then given a task of collaborating much like in the face-to-face ideas described above. In this scenario, Anchor offers a key advantage in its ability to record parts of a podcast at different times and from different individuals.
If you’d like to learn more about Anchor itself, please visit the Anchor website. For other ways to use Anchor with a class or other instructional questions, please contact the CTL.