The COVID-19 pandemic caused several industries to thrive such as at home workout instructors, Tik Tok and Zoom. One industry that grew was podcasting. 28 percent of the United States population are now podcast listeners—that’s a 17 percent increase from 2020 as reported by Edison Research.
At the height of the pandemic in 2020, the Center for Disease Control issued warnings advising people to stay at home and social distance. The lack of social contact caused people to turn to podcasts as a form of coping, according to Sarah Beck, a Visiting Assistant Professor in Performance and Communication Arts.
“I had been into podcasting for some time, but during the pandemic I lived alone and was teaching online,” Beck explained. “So, listening to podcasts really picked up as a coping mechanism. It got to the point that if I was home and not actively working, there was a podcast on, it was this constant companion during the pandemic.”
The production of podcasts also increased during the pandemic; Beck believes. During remote learning, Beck discovered how podcasts engage with communications and also give students applicable skills that can be used after graduation.
“I don’t think I would have come up with this class if I hadn’t had to teach during the pandemic and try to come up with creative ways to engage my students and build a community with them,” Beck stated. “I proposed this class as a way to engage with some other aspects of communication within the PCA department.”
Beck has a background in documentary film and a passion for media studies and communication. Beck was able to combine these backgrounds to create PCA 4148, Sonic Rhetorics: Theory and Practice of Podcasting. This fall semester is the first time that Beck has taught the course. The goals of this course include developing public speaking skills, learning how to tell stories and engage audiences and understanding what roles podcasts play in a social and cultural environment, as explained by Beck.
On Oct. 22, the PCA 4148 class podcast went public. Each episode of Romoda Studios highlights work produced by students of the class. Beck is the host of the podcast, and introduces each episode.
“I am a big proponent of academics not staying inside the university or in the classroom,” said Beck. “I really think it’s important for what we do in the university to be accessible to a larger audience and the public.”
Students in PCA 4148 view this course as a positive learning experience in their St. Lawrence career. Madi Amico ‘22 explains that the podcast being accessible to the public is rewarding. “Everyone in this class is working really hard to create unique podcasts and it feels nice to have this work go beyond just a number in the gradebook,” remarked Amico.
While the podcast going live can be exciting, it is also a semi-frightening experience for students in the class. Bailey Eveleth ‘22 describes the experience as scary since their work is being published online for anyone to listen to. “I recognize that it’s a really unique course that is getting me out of my comfort zone in ways that other courses I’ve taken have not,” Eveleth stated.
Kalila Calame ‘22 also shares in the nervousness of having the podcast go live. “I was nervous since this is the first podcast that I have ever made,” Calame explained. “On the other hand, it feels good to show how much progress we have made as a class together.”
Despite the nervousness of having their schoolwork being published online, students in the course have taken away important lessons from the experience.
“The most important thing that I have learned about podcasting in this class has to be that anyone can make a podcast that is engaging and accessible to a larger audience,” said Eveleth. “I always thought that I needed more life experience and professional experience to make a podcast that I could be proud of, but this class has shown me that this is not the case.”
Being yourself and not being afraid to experiment are important aspects of podcasting for students.
“Just be yourself,” Calame stated. “There are so many genres to venture into, your personality and signature style is what sets you apart from everyone else.”
For students interested in podcasting, Beck advises registering for the course next semester. “I’d love to see folks who are into this and want to know more,” Beck remarked. Beck also emphasized that previous experience with audio is not necessary to take the course.
The podcast can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and online at this link: https://anchor.fm/romodastudios.