Preliminary Podcast = More Sophisticated Writing

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Before reading the article, Podcasting and Performativity: Multimodal Invention in an Advanced Writing Class, I had almost no knowledge about what podcasts were or how they were produced.  I’d heard people talking about these things, but I really did not comprehend them. Therefore, I had no idea about the ways in which they could be used in a composition classroom to support the writers.  The author, Leigh Jones, supports her claim with evidence that her students constructed more sophisticated research papers after developing podcasts.  Creating the podcast necessitated that students concisely organize the discourse in a way that flows naturally to the audience and write with authority on the topic.

Becoming an eloquent speaker / writer takes a significant amount of skill in organizing one’s thoughts in an orderly way which can easily be followed by the listener / reader.  Last year, I required all of my Pastry Arts students to write a research paper on the history of specific international breads, and subsequently create a script for a presentation.   After reading the final papers, I felt as if the majority of the students struggled to piece their information together in a smooth manner.  Many of the papers were difficult to understand, as they jumped from one idea to the next.   I thought that the presentation scripts would resemble the papers in their incoherent nature.  However, I was pleasantly surprised when the students got up in front of the class to do the presentations and the information was clearly communicated.  I think the students found it to be an easier, more natural task to communicate orally, as opposed to written communication.  If I had followed something similar to Jones’ approach, I might have received more organized papers.

As students researched their topics, they became the experts on the subjects. This approach made the process of writing a research paper more manageable and cut back on student insecurities, which can easily obstruct the writing process.  From my own experience writing papers, I find that it is extremely challenging to write with authority when I feel as if others know the topic better than I do or when I am not enthusiastic about my topic.  Only after I do extensive research and know that I have read much more than the average person and find it to be an interesting topic, do I feel confident enough to write the paper and write it as an expert. 

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I found Jones' observation about the traditional classroom dynamic very interesting and accurate. She feels that the traditional dynamic is counterproductive for encouraging students to take on an authoritative voice in their writing.  To remedy this imbalanced sense of authority, the she encourages composition teachers to require students to envision themselves in a position of authority as they create podcasts on the specific topics.  Students were able to re-record the podcasts as many times as necessary to create the desired product.  This practice of articulating the information fostered a sense of authority in the student, as they gained confidence in their information. 

I experience a lot of anxiety getting in front of my peers and presenting a topic.  Whenever I have been given the option to record the presentation before the class, I have noticed that I am much more confident as an expert.  I am reassured by the thought that I can redo the demonstration / presentation many times, until it has reached my approval.  I think that allowing students to video tape or create podcasts as an alternative to a live presentation is an excellent option for anxious students. And honestly, it is much more pleasant for the audience to observe a confident, flawless performance than a presentation in which the presenter is struggling through his anxiety to share the information (which he may know very well but lacks the confidence to take on the role of the expert).  

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I love YouTube tutorials. They have saved me many times and are very clear in demonstrating different skills.   Since I am not proficient in making podcasts, I will need to view this one many times as I struggle to get comfortable with the steps.