Everyone seems to be creating Podcasts these days and if making your very own Podcast is on your Wishlist for 2023 then you’ll be delighted to know that this process is totally free and has never been easier to do. Podcasting has become popular in the classroom as a means of allowing students to collaborate on assignments and publish their work to a wider audience.
I recently started experimenting with an App called Anchor which offers a really easy way to get started in Podcasting. In fact, you can record, edit, and publish an entire podcast on your phone by using Anchor’s free Android app or iPhone App. Since this works via the web as well as in app form, it’s easily accessible and can be used both inside and outside of the classroom.
Anchor’s interface is designed to be easy to use with minimal or no training. 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. If desired, it can also be published directly to Spotify and other Podcasting platforms for free.
Anchor is cloud-based so a podcast session can be started in the classroom on a school computer and it will be saved. Then a student can go home and continue working on the podcast project using their smartphone or home computer right where they left off.
Anchor can be accessed by creating a free account online. Once signed into the program, you can start recording with a single press of the record icon. While getting started is easy, it’s the editing and polishing of the podcast that requires a bit more patience and skill. A multitude of editing options are available here that can be dipped into as and when needed, everything saving as you work. Anchor offers sound effects and transitions that can be added using the drag-and-drop layout. This makes it very simple to use, especially when on a smartphone. The key here is that no expensive or complex recording equipment is required, just access to the internet and a device with a microphone and speaker.
Anchor is collaborative as it can be used with up to 10 other users in the same project. This is great for setting group-based classwork or projects that can be fed back to the wider class from the group in a new and engaging way.
Anchor can be paired with a Spotify and Apple Music account, which allows students, or teachers, to more easily share their podcasts. This could be useful for a regular bulletin that is available in the same place for parents and students to access, without you having to send links to it – they can access it from their Spotify or Apple Music app as and when they want.
Anchor is free to download and use and has obvious uses in the classroom. So often, parents are craving a connection to the classroom. They want to know what their children are learning. Publishing a podcast is an easy way to share classroom activities and projects with home and the wider world.
