Background

Podcasting is a relatively new media format. Similar to radio or music, podcasts are audio recordings that have been mastered and remixed into a finished product. These final products are then uploaded to a sharing platform such as Spotify®, Apple Podcasts®, Google Podcasts®, or Stitcher®, where listeners can download or stream the podcast from the respective site. Podcasts are typically episodic, and they come in many forms, from radio-show-style episodic stories to individual interviews on a topic with a subject expert. Podcasts span a wide array of subjects; some popular podcast genres include true crime, sports, and news. This large diversity in podcasts is thanks to the relatively low cost of equipment and low amount of specialized skill necessary to begin.

Podcasting requires two main pieces of equipment – a computer and a microphone. Computers are ubiquitous and most people have access to a microphone at all times, simply by using their smartphone. Mastering of the raw audio can be completed on the computer with open source software, such as Audacity®, further reducing operational requirements. These simple pieces of equipment allow podcasting to be an easier starter media compared to other online media such as music production or live streaming.

The fields of wildlife science and natural resources are relatively new theaters for podcasting.  Natural resources, in our definition, covers forestry, agriculture, fisheries, water and soil quality, wildlife, and education in these topics. Commonly, podcasts about natural resources discuss environmental protests, the effects of poor logging practices, or other negative topics. These stories can create a poor message in the ear of the listener. However, natural resource agencies, land-grant universities, and some independent experts have begun podcasting about discovery-based topics in wildlife science. One example is KUOW’s The Wild with Chris Morgan, have an expert (Chris Morgan, an ecologist) exploring and talking with other experts about various wildlife topics in the field. Topics range from human-wildlife conflict, the spiritual effects of trees, and the majesty of owls; Chris shares an impressive expanse of information on wildlife in an entertaining way.

State management agencies, such as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), also produce podcasts, such as Wildtalk. According to the podcast description, Michigan DNR wildlife division representatives “chew the fat and shoot the scat about all things habitat, feathers, and fur”. This interview-style podcast regularly features guests talking about the topic of that episode, allowing the public to hear real information directly from the experts.

Land grant universities can also produce podcasts, typically through their cooperative extension program, to disseminate unbiased scientific information to the public. One of the most popular podcasts produced by extension is Mississippi State University’s Deer University podcast. Deer University is hosted by two professors of wildlife management at Mississippi State University, Dr. Bronson Strickland and Dr. Steve Demarais. Drs. Strickland and Demarais work to explain white-tailed deer research from biologist’s terms into meaningful anecdotes and provide useful examples for the everyday hunter. While the podcast is focused on white-tailed deer hunting, Deer University also covers topics such as habitat management and nutritional considerations to best represent what listeners may be interested in.

These examples show some of the diversity in natural resources, a diversity that podcasting cultivates. Podcasting presents a level playing field through the easy access to production equipment and techniques and a way to share information that can be accessed at a listener’s leisure. These professionals are often not podcasting experts, rather they are experts in their own fields that have taken upon themselves to produce a podcast. Education professionals can also use podcasting as a tool in the classroom setting to share information on a lecture before the students arrive or to help answer some questions the students may have (Lee et al. 2008).

So, What’s This Book About?

Our main goal is to create an open educational resource that encourages students and faculty to produce podcasts to showcase active learning. We want you, the readers, even if you have no experience making podcasts, to use this book as a guide and tool. We’ve included resources, suggested steps, and a few lessons learned along the way. We’ve also showcased the work of some of the students, to inspire other learners. That’s it. We can’t wait to see what you produce!