I remember my first iPod, way back in 2003. I needed to connect this new gadget by wire to my desktop computer, where I could move my music files to the iPod via the Apple ITunes application. That application got a big expansion in 2005, when the podcast platform appeared. It was new, free, portable, and woefully limited in content. I recall downloading a handful of existing legacy radio programs, some edited episodes from cable news, and VH-1’s “Best Week Ever” show. Sometimes, I’d forget to plug my iPod into my computer to update content before starting my commute to work.
Jump to now: the podcast format has evolved. What was once a new delivery method for existing programs via NPR has come a long way. Anyone can set up a podcast, record at any length, covering literally any subject, and distribute it. Downloads are wireless, instantaneous, and just about any size. Podcast programs tell stories, capture interviews, or provide analysis. As an instructor, I’ve been able to use podcasts in my courses. Podcasts provide a diverse approach to pedagogy and can be easily added to course management sites.
Given these changes, the new book Podcasting in Social Work Education: A Way Forward for Educators, edited by Mim Fox and Jonathan Singer, is entirely timely. This is a concise text written primarily for social work educators in practice and research. The topics covered here provide a deep context about where we are and where social work podcasting is going. The book is not just a snapshot of history, but a meticulously considered academic work that provides a theoretical framework for podcasting in the larger student experience. As Singer notes, podcasting is one key element in the rise of digital delivery in social work education, offering rich and enhanced opportunities for students. This includes capturing the lived stories of diverse populations, practitioners, and research experts. Singer, one of the primary authors, is credited with the first official social work podcast, an ongoing series of episodes that continue to this day.
Podcasting in Social Work Education opens with a brief history of the podcasting platform and makes a meaningful connection to social work education. Social work is a research and practice body that is widely diverse. The authors return to a constant premise: podcasting provides an environment for experiential learning, an opportunity for practice simulation, and student engagement with podcast recording and production.
Perhaps you’re in an academic program or agency and someone says, “We should do a podcast!” Before taking that step, spend some time with this book. The entire third section provides key points of consideration. Will social work colleagues take the lead in production, editing, and distribution? Will students be engaged in the project? If so, to what level?
I was grateful to find an extended discussion about the ethical implications of interviewing vulnerable populations. Do interview subjects have a say in how they will be featured? In my own experience, I know that editing out “ahhs” and “uhmms” may seem like a minor editorial choice, but even simple things like cutting space for time can have an impact on how a subject can ultimately be received by listeners.
Ahh, about those verbal tics and pauses. The power of storytelling in the podcast format includes the humanity of the experience for the listener. As I read Podcasting in Social Work Education, I reflected on how grateful I am for the serious attention these authors are giving to the subject.
(Disclosure: I know Dr. Singer personally and am grateful for his mentorship throughout my career.)
Reviewed by Stephen Cummings, MSW, ACSW, LISW. Stephen Cummings is a clinical associate professor with more than 20 years of practice in social service fields, including 10 years as a licensed social worker in a Trauma I level hospital setting. His areas of interest include ethical use of technology in social work practice, clinical supervision, and preparing students for the social work licensure exam.