Lend Me Your Ears: A Study on Taking the Role of Podcasters by Taiwanese EFL Learners

Abstract

Podcasting has become a popular medium for people to express themselves and share their knowledge with a global audience. However, there is still a lack of research on how podcasting can be used as a tool for education and personal development. The current study, framed in Jenkins’ participatory culture where artistic expression and civic engagement are valued, aimed to fill this gap in research. Ten Taiwanese undergraduate English majors were invited to take the role of podcasters to create their original podcast programs and upload them to popular podcast platforms. A podcaster diary was also kept by each participant to document his/her experience as a podcaster. It was found that the participants generally enjoyed the experience of creating their first podcast programs. Their various podcast topics largely reflected their current lifestyles and interests. Multiple learning opportunities were afforded by this experience as the participants learned to use their voices to share their lives and display their knowledge. These results highlighted the potential of podcasting as a tool for personal and professional growth in the digital age. It is hoped that these results will offer important insights on how to help students open up windows of opportunities for personal learning and career enhancement.