Overview

In Fall 2024, I took on an interesting challenge as a last-minute Adjunct Instructor: designing a 1-credit Methods of Educational Technology course for Dakota State University. As an experienced instructional designer, I knew that cramming a traditional 3-credit course’s worth of essential concepts into a 1-credit timeframe would require an innovative approach.

The Problem

The challenge was multifaceted: how could I create an engaging, flexible learning experience that would honor the prior knowledge of working adults while maintaining academic rigor—all while covering essential educational technology concepts in just one-third of the usual time? Traditional approaches of simply reducing content or accelerating the pace would sacrifice either comprehensiveness or depth of learning. The solution needed to respect both the time constraints of working professionals and the complexity of the subject matter.

The Solution: Collaborative Podcasting for Asynchronous Inquiry

The solution emerged from observing two key realities of professional education: first, adult learners bring valuable experience that can enrich their peers’ learning, and second, working professionals need flexible engagement options that fit their busy schedules. Each week, students explored an essential question about educational technology, recorded a brief audio or video response, and then listened to a compilation podcast featuring their classmates’ perspectives before revising their own thinking. This approach solved several problems simultaneously: it allowed for flexible engagement, honored prior knowledge, facilitated peer learning, and provided authentic practice with educational technology. Moreover, by separating initial responses from revision, the format encouraged deeper reflection and learning from peers while maintaining the convenience of asynchronous delivery. The use of essential questions rather than traditional content delivery acknowledged that these professionals already had significant expertise – they just needed a structured way to expand and refine their understanding through dialogue with peers.

Theoretical Foundations

The course design was grounded in established adult learning theory and research-based practices. As Knowles, Holton, and Swanson (2015) explain, adult learners often benefit from flexible, self-directed learning opportunities that can be integrated into their busy lives. A collaborative podcast format directly addressed this need, allowing students to engage with course content during commutes or other convenient times while still maintaining meaningful peer connections.

The Power of Collaborative Learning

Merriam et al. (2007) assert that adult learners bring valuable life experience and knowledge to the classroom, often learning best when they have opportunities to share and learn from one another. As one student reflected at the end of the course:

“Thank you for your help in this course. You’ve given me quite a few tools to use as a teacher… The format allowed us to learn from each other’s experiences while managing our own time. Hearing my classmates’ perspectives in the compilation podcast each week really helped me refine my own thinking about educational technology.”

This student feedback directly aligns with Mezirow’s (1997) theory of transformative learning, highlighting how peer perspectives can challenge and enhance individual understanding.

Course Design: Collaborative Podcasting for Deep Learning

Structure and Rationale

The course leveraged what Hokanson and Fraher (2008) describe as essential questions – open-ended, thought-provoking prompts that encourage learners to explore complex issues from multiple angles. Each week’s podcast compilation served as a collaborative learning space where students could hear diverse perspectives on these essential questions.

The weekly flow was designed to reduce cognitive load (Sweller, 1988) through consistent structure while maximizing peer learning opportunities:

1. Individual exploration and initial response
2. Audio/video recording of perspective
3. Collaborative learning through compilation podcast
4. Reflection and revision based on peer insights

The Compilation Podcast: A Digital Commons

The compilation podcast served as more than just a collection of individual responses – it became a digital commons where ideas could be shared, challenged, and refined. This approach addressed what Mirriahi and Alonzo (2015) identify as the increasing need for educators to develop skills in creating and consuming digital content.

Implementation Insights

Successes in Collaborative Learning

The compilation podcast format proved particularly effective because it:

• Created a sense of community despite the asynchronous format
• Exposed students to diverse perspectives and experiences
• Provided models of different approaches to technology integration
• Encouraged deeper reflection through peer learning

As noted in the course materials, “Adult learners bring a wealth of life experience and knowledge to the classroom, and they often learn best when they have the opportunity to share and learn from one another.” The compilation podcast format directly facilitated this peer-to-peer learning while maintaining the flexibility needed by working professionals.

Challenges and Adjustments

1. Content Density:
   • Eight essential questions proved ambitious for a 1-credit course
   • Quick turnaround for audio segments created time pressure
   • Some topics deserved more extended exploration
2. Technical Considerations:
   • Varied student comfort levels with recording technology
   • Need for clear technical support and alternatives
   • Time required for compilation podcast creation
3. Assessment Balance:
   • Single-point rubric provided clear guidance while honoring diversity of responses
   • Challenge of evaluating both content understanding and technical execution
   • Need to balance formative and summative assessment

Future Iterations: Proposed Improvements

Based on implementation experience and student feedback, several modifications would enhance the collaborative aspects of the course:

1. Extended Reflection Time:
   • Alternate weeks between initial responses and revisions
   • Allow more time for digesting peer perspectives
   • Build in structured peer feedback opportunities
   • Fewer questions to allow for more time on each
2. Enhanced Collaboration:
   • Create discussion threads around compilation podcast insights
   • Facilitate optional synchronous discussion sessions
   • Develop collaborative final projects

Key Takeaways

The success of this course design demonstrates several important principles for online education:

1. Structure Matters: A consistent, well-thought-out structure reduces cognitive load and supports learning.
2. Flexibility Enhances Engagement: Adult learners benefit from flexible formats that respect their time and experience.
3. Community Powers Learning: Peer learning opportunities enrich understanding and broaden perspectives.
4. Practice What We Teach: Courses about educational technology should model effective technology integration.

Conclusion

This case study demonstrates how thoughtfully designed collaborative podcasting can create engaging, flexible learning experiences for adult professionals. By combining individual reflection with collaborative learning through compilation podcasts, the course created what Brookfield (2017) describes as opportunities for critically reflective practice.

The success of this approach suggests applications beyond educational technology courses. As one student noted at the course’s conclusion: “I am looking to get into my master’s degree… This format showed me how technology can facilitate meaningful professional dialogue even in an asynchronous environment.”

The integration of collaborative podcasting with essential questions and iterative reflection offers a promising model for professional development in our digital age, particularly for working adults who need flexibility without sacrificing the benefits of peer learning.

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