A close look into the rise of educational podcasts

Podcasts which blend learning with entertainment are becoming increasingly popular, and it is clear to see why this is the case. These educational entertainment podcasts provide all the usual advantages of podcasts, with a new twist: they increase the accessibility of knowledge by making it more engaging and easier for audiences to digest, understand, and remember.

Alongside the flexibility of the format, which enables people to multitask whilst tuning in, podcasts can also be viewed as a newer, fresher way of learning. This is especially the case for those who may find it difficult to engage with more traditional resources, such as learning through books. Auditory learners in particular can benefit from these educational entertainment podcasts.

audio learning may help with long-term memory consolidation

Listening to a podcast feels more passive and takes less effort. However, the potential of the format to appeal to people as more fun does not equate to it providing less educational value. According to a study published in the Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour, “learners who were exposed to content in audio-narrative formats retained significantly more than those who studied the same material through silent reading. Other research suggests that spoken content is often remembered more vividly”. Additionally, “[there] is growing evidence that audio learning may help with long-term memory consolidation”.

These podcasts may appeal more to students, providing an easier way to integrate learning into a busy schedule, especially for those who commute. They do so in a manner which still seems to give the opportunity of a break from academic stress.

It is no doubt that they will be introduced as a more prominent part of school curriculums in years to come

For this reason, schools have started utilising podcasts as a more interactive learning format, encouraging pupils to take advantage of their educational value. It is no doubt that they will be introduced as a more prominent part of school curriculums in years to come.

One example of a podcast targeted specifically at younger students or children is But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids. Hosted by Jane Lindholm, this podcast is interactive, designed to provide the answers to questions asked by the children themselves. This fosters a welcoming and collaborative environment for the children, who are usually aged between four and ten.

Educational podcasts also remove the threat of increased screentime attached to researching a topic or watching an informative video. This is a particularly attractive incentive for not just students and children who have grown up in a society oversaturated with technology, but also for everyone who is looking for a break from the harmful effects of blue light, such as eye strain and decreased sleep quality.

podcasts often focus more on what users want to hear, and are often created by people who listen to podcasts themselves

Podcasts also provide more chances for social interaction. People have turned to discussing and recommending podcasts to friends as they would TV shows, books, or films. This is heavily influenced by the user-centred experience, since podcasts often focus more on what users want to hear, and are often created by people who listen to podcasts themselves. Consequently, with podcasts, there is often a more diverse range of educational content available, including but not limited to podcasts which explore politics, economics, or literature.

The Stuff You Should Know (sometimes abbreviated as SYSK) podcast is advertised on Spotify as follows: ‘If you’ve ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.’

So, although a lot of educational entertainment podcasts focus on the same topic every episode, some of them, like SYSK, delve into a new theme each week, maintaining a freshness that keeps the user engaged.

Content is often broken down into digestible snippets for podcasts, eliminating academic or subject-specific jargon. This focus on a more narrative and comprehendible structure is much more accessible and appealing, and often helps people to retain the information learnt for longer and in more detail.

Therefore, the rise of educational entertainment podcasts fuses the more intimate storytelling feel of podcasts with the intention of informing people about a variety of different topics. This allows for a more enjoyable and accessible learning experience, one which appeals especially to students who may want a break from consuming information through more traditional formats.