Leveraging AI to Create Inclusive Educational Podcasts - Guidebook

ADCET Universal Design for Learning Symposium

25-26th June, 2025

Mark Shelton - University of Tasmania

For an accessible version of this guidebook, click the button below:

Guidebook - Accessible Version

Universal Design for Learning and Podcasting

How Podcasting Supports UDL 3.0 Principles

The 2024 update to Universal Design for Learning introduced significant enhancements that directly align with the affordances of educational podcasting. UDL 3.0 places greater emphasis on joy, cultural responsiveness, and authentic representation—all areas where audio content naturally excels.

Design Multiple Means of Engagement

  • Optimise Choice and Autonomy: Podcasting inherently supports learner choice through format variety and consumption flexibility. Students can choose when, where, and how they engage with content—pausing for reflection, rewinding for clarification, or listening whilst engaged in other activities. The three podcasting formats that we will discuss in this guide provide choice in cognitive engagement level: Quick Burst for focused attention, Chat Show for collaborative thinking, and Narrative for immersive learning.
  • Nurture Joy and Play: UDL 3.0's emphasis on joy and play finds natural expression in podcasting's conversational, storytelling formats. Unlike traditional lecture delivery, podcasts can be playful, surprising, and entertaining whilst maintaining educational rigour. The Chat Show format particularly embodies this principle through wit and engaging dialogue, whilst Narrative formats transform dry content into captivating stories that students genuinely enjoy experiencing.

Design Multiple Means of Representation

  • Support Opportunities to Customise the Display of Information: Audio content offers unique customisation possibilities—students can adjust playback speed, use noise-cancelling headphones for focus, or listen through assistive technologies. Unlike fixed visual formats, podcasts adapt to individual sensory preferences and environmental needs.
  • Support Multiple Ways to Perceive Information: Podcasting provides a crucial alternative to visual and text-based learning. For students with visual impairments, dyslexia, or reading difficulties, audio content offers primary access rather than accommodation. The auditory channel also supports students who process information better through listening than reading.
  • Represent a Diversity of Perspectives and Identities in Authentic Ways: Chat Show formats excel at presenting multiple viewpoints on topics, whilst guest interviews bring authentic voices from diverse backgrounds into the learning space. This moves beyond token representation to meaningful inclusion of varied perspectives that enrich understanding for all students.
  • Highlight and Explore Patterns, Critical Features, Big Ideas, and Relationships: Narrative formats naturally reveal patterns and relationships through story structure, whilst Chat Show discussions explore connections between ideas through dialogue. Quick Burst formats distil big ideas into memorable, focused content that highlights essential patterns.
  • Cultivate Multiple Ways of Knowing and Making Meaning: Different podcast formats honour different epistemological approaches. Narrative formats validate storytelling as a way of knowing, Chat Shows embrace collaborative knowledge construction, and Quick Burst formats support analytical, sequential learning. This acknowledges that students from different cultural and educational backgrounds bring varied approaches to understanding.

Design Multiple Means of Action & Expression

  • Optimise Access to Accessible Materials and Assistive and Accessible Technologies and Tools: Podcasts are inherently compatible with assistive technologies—screen readers can access transcripts, whilst the audio format works seamlessly with hearing aids and accessibility software. The simplicity of audio files makes them universally accessible across devices and platforms.
  • Honour and Value a Wide Variety of Forms of Communication: By creating content in audio format, educators signal that communication and learning extend beyond written text. This validation is particularly important for students whose cultural backgrounds emphasise oral tradition, and for those who express themselves more effectively through spoken rather than written communication.
UDL Guidelines

UDL 3.0 in Podcasting Practice

  • Promoting Joy and Play for Learners and Educators: The creative process of podcast creation—whether crafting engaging narratives, conducting lively interviews, or designing quick bursts of energy—brings joy to teaching practice. Students experience this joy through engaging formats that feel more like entertainment than traditional education, whilst maintaining rigorous learning outcomes.
  • Authentically Representing Diversity: Through Chat Show guest selection, Narrative character choices, and varied speaking voices, podcasting naturally incorporates diverse identities and perspectives. This isn't superficial inclusion but meaningful representation that enriches content whilst validating different ways of being and knowing.
  • Honouring Communication Variety: By offering content in audio format and potentially including student-created podcasts, educators acknowledge that effective communication takes many forms. This supports students who may struggle with traditional written assessments but excel in verbal expression, whilst also building valuable digital literacy skills.
  • The Intersection of AI and UDL 3.0: Using AI to create multiple podcast formats amplifies these UDL benefits whilst reducing educator burden. Teachers can focus on inclusive pedagogy and cultural responsiveness whilst AI handles the technical aspects of format transformation, making UDL principles more achievable in practice.

Audio content isn't just another teaching tool—it's an accessibility amplifier that serves diverse learning needs:

  • For Students with Visual Impairments: Primary access to content
  • For Students with Dyslexia: Supports reading difficulties
  • For Students with ADHD: Supports attention through single-channel focus
  • For English Language Learners: Natural pronunciation and rhythm models
  • For Busy Students: Learning whilst commuting, exercising, or multitasking
  • For All Students: Multiple means of representation enhances understanding

The Three Podcast Formats: Research-Based Framework

Researcher Chris Drew (2017) has conducted a comprehensive genre analysis of educational podcasts to understand how this medium could serve as more than just supplementary content. Rather than treating podcasts as peripheral learning tools, Drew sought to identify how different podcast formats could function as "cognitive tools" that actively support student learning and engagement.

Drew analysed 35 popular educational podcast series from mainstream aggregation sites, examining their structure, purpose, and pedagogical approaches. His research revealed three distinct genres that had emerged organically from successful educational podcasters—formats that were already proving effective with learners worldwide.

Drew's Key Finding: Different podcast formats serve different cognitive and educational purposes. Rather than one-size-fits-all audio content, effective educational podcasting requires matching format to learning objective and student need.

This research provides the foundation for our AI-powered approach to inclusive content creation. By understanding these proven formats, we can use artificial intelligence to transform any educational content into the most appropriate podcast style for our learning goals.

Educational podcasts: A genre analysis (Drew, 2017)

The Three Podcast Formats

Quick Burst (2-3 minutes)

The Quick Burst format delivers concentrated learning in minimal time, designed specifically for learners who need immediate access to essential information. These podcasts typically open with an engaging hook within the first 15 seconds, followed by 3-5 clearly structured key points, and conclude with a specific action or reflection question. The tone is characteristically buoyant and energetic—similar to a television advertisement or breaking news segment—using crisp, fast-paced speech with minimal pauses to maximise information delivery.

Drew's research (2017) revealed that Quick Burst podcasts often incorporate time-consciousness directly into their structure, with titles like "One Minute Norwegian" or "60 Second Science" and even stopwatch sound effects to create urgency. This format functions as a behavioural learning tool, encouraging quick-fire responses and fact recall rather than deep contemplation. The brevity allows for regular publication schedules (some series provide daily content), making it ideal for building consistent learning habits.

  • Purpose: Succinct delivery of key information
  • UDL Connection: Attention span accommodation, bite-sized learning
  • Best for: Revision, key concepts, quick tips

Narrative (5-15 minutes)

The Narrative format transforms educational content into compelling stories with clear beginning, middle, and end structures. Drawing from broadcast radio's episodic format whilst incorporating the sustained storytelling voice of audiobooks, these podcasts embed factual information within engaging narrative arcs. Successful educational narratives often run as continuous series, with some history podcasts maintaining storylines across hundreds of episodes.

The pedagogical power of this format lies in its use of ancient storytelling techniques enhanced by digital audio capabilities. Storytellers employ theatrical elements like strategic pauses, rushed speech during climactic moments, and digital enhancements such as background music and sound effects to create immersive learning experiences. As Drew (2017) noted, these stories don't merely present information or entertain—they teach through the affective power of voice, making content personal, memorable, and emotionally engaging.

The format typically includes cross-linking and signposting elements that connect individual episodes within larger narrative arcs, supporting students' meaning-making by drawing disparate content together into coherent learning journeys. This interconnectedness is particularly powerful in podcast format, where students can pause, rewind, or return to previous episodes to build understanding at their own pace.

  • Purpose: Story-driven exploration of topics
  • UDL Connection: Context-rich learning, memory through story structure
  • Best for: Complex concepts, case studies, historical content

Chat Show (10-15 minutes)

The Chat Show format utilises structured conversation between multiple participants to explore educational topics through dialogue. Unlike general radio chat shows, educational chat shows target specific learning communities with focused academic or professional content. The format typically features institutionalised conversation where each participant occupies a specific role—host, expert guest, or specialist contributor—creating authentic discourse that models professional communication whilst maintaining accessibility.

The conversational approach serves multiple pedagogical functions: it demonstrates critical thinking processes in real-time, provides multiple entry points for student engagement, and models the language conventions of academic and professional communities. Drew's (2017) research highlighted how successful educational chat shows blend intellectual content with wit and humour, often featuring participants who are both subject experts and skilled communicators. This combination makes complex topics approachable whilst maintaining academic rigour.

Chat Shows excel at presenting diverse perspectives on topics, making them particularly valuable for developing critical thinking skills. Rather than presenting single authoritative viewpoints, the format allows for respectful disagreement, evidence-based discussion, and collaborative exploration of ideas. The conversational nature also supports accessibility by breaking complex concepts into digestible exchanges, with natural opportunities for clarification and elaboration.

  • Purpose: Multiple perspectives through conversation
  • UDL Connection: Cultural responsiveness, diverse viewpoints
  • Best for: Debates, critical thinking, real-world applications

Using this Guide

Understanding the AI Prompts

This guide provides you with tested, ready-to-use AI prompts that generate professional educational podcast content. Each prompt has been designed to produce accessible, engaging content that aligns with UDL 3.0 principles whilst requiring minimal technical expertise from you.

How the Prompts Work:

Template Structure: Each prompt follows a consistent structure that tells the AI exactly what to create, how to format it, and what accessibility features to include. You simply copy the entire prompt, fill in your specific details, and paste it into your chosen AI platform.

Placeholder System: Throughout the prompts, you'll see sections marked with square brackets like [YOUR TOPIC] or [DESCRIBE YOUR STUDENTS]. These are placeholders that you need to replace with your specific information. For example:

  • [YOUR TOPIC] becomes "photosynthesis in plants"
  • [YOUR STUDENTS] becomes "first-year biology students"
  • [YOUR EXPERTISE] becomes "10 years teaching secondary science"

Please note that the more information you add here, the more nuanced the script will become. So consider whether you’re targeting a broad audience/topic or focussing on a very particular outcome.

Customisation Requirements: The brackets indicate essential information the AI needs to create relevant, targeted content. Don't skip these—they're what transform generic templates into content specifically designed for your students and learning objectives.

Copy-and-Paste Ready: Once you've filled in the bracketed sections, the entire prompt can be copied directly into AI platforms like CoPilot, ChatGPT, Claude, or other generative AI tools. No additional formatting or technical knowledge required.

Safe Usage Guidelines

Green Light Content (Generally Safe):

  • Published curriculum standards and learning objectives
  • General subject matter explanations (textbook-level content)
  • Publicly available case studies and examples
  • Basic procedural information
  • Non-sensitive teaching strategies and methods

Amber Light Content (Use Caution):

  • Your original teaching examples (consider if these represent intellectual property)
  • Institution-specific content (check policies first)
  • Materials containing student work references
  • Course-specific assessments (remove identifying details)

Red Light Content (Avoid):

  • Unpublished research or proprietary information
  • Materials containing student personal information
  • Confidential institutional documents
  • Examination papers or answer schemes
  • Copyrighted materials from textbooks or publishers

Creating Your First Podcast Script

Building on Drew's (2017) research-validated formats, this section provides practical AI prompts and step-by-step guidance for creating each type of educational podcast. Rather than starting from scratch, you'll use proven formats that already work effectively with learners.

Our Approach

We're taking the guesswork out of educational podcast creation by providing you with specific AI prompts that generate content in Drew's three successful formats. Each format serves different learning needs and cognitive purposes, giving you the tools to match your content delivery to your students' diverse requirements.

You don't need to be a podcast writing expert. The AI handles the format structure and accessibility features whilst you focus on what you do best—your teaching expertise and knowledge of your students' needs.

Quick Burst Podcasts

Maximum Impact, Minimum Time

Getting Started: Choose the format that best matches your learning objective, use our tested prompts, and create inclusive audio content that serves all learners. We'll walk you through each format with clear examples and ready-to-use templates.

Drew's Research Insight: The Quick Burst format emerged from podcasters recognising that many learners need concise, focused content that fits into busy schedules. This format caters to "busy people" who want fast facts with minimal time commitment, making it particularly effective for revision, key concept reinforcement, and addressing specific learning gaps.

Educational Psychology: Quick Burst podcasts function as cognitive tools for lower-order thinking skills like recall and recognition. They're designed to combat attention fade (research shows student focus can wane after 5 minutes) whilst providing energetic, buoyant delivery that re-engages learners.

UDL Connection: This format serves learners with attention challenges, those who need frequent reinforcement, and students who prefer bite-sized information chunks. The controlled timeframe reduces cognitive load whilst the energetic delivery maintains engagement.

Format Overview:

  • 2-3 minutes maximum
  • Single focused concept
  • Buoyant, energetic tone
  • Immediate accessibility features

Step 1: Choose Your Topic.

Ideal Quick Burst Topics include:

  • Key concept from your subject area
  • Common student misconception to address
  • Important process or procedure
  • Essential vocabulary or terminology
  • Exam preparation tip
  • Study technique

Questions to Ask to Determine Topic:

  • What's one thing my students always struggle with?
  • What concept needs constant revision?
  • What could I explain in under 3 minutes?

Step 2: Craft Your Quick Burst Prompt

Below is a basic AI prompt that we have created and used to support the writing of a Quick Burst episode. Please feel free to amend and adapt as required:

Create a 2-3 minute "Quick Burst" educational podcast script about [INSERT YOUR TOPIC HERE].

Target audience: [Describe your students - level, course, specific needs]

Learning objective: [What should students know/do after listening?]

Format requirements:

  • Engaging hook in first 15 seconds
  • 3-5 key points maximum
  • Include one memorable example or analogy
  • End with specific action or reflection question
  • Use conversational, enthusiastic tone

Accessibility features:

  • Simple, clear language appropriate for [student level]
  • Define any technical terms immediately
  • Include natural pauses for emphasis
  • Provide pronunciation guide for difficult words

Additional context: [Any specific background students need to know]

Step 3: Enhance Your Script

Follow-up AI Prompts for potential improvements to your script include:

  • For better engagement: "Make this more engaging for [specific audience] by adding more enthusiasm and energy"
  • For accessibility: "Simplify the language further and add more pronunciation guides for technical terms"
  • For stronger opening: "Create a more compelling hook that immediately grabs student attention"
  • For clearer structure: "Make the key points more distinct and easier to follow"

Chat Show Interviews

Bringing Multiple Voices to Learning

Drew's Research Insight: The Chat Show format utilises "institutionalised conversation" between participants to explore ideas and concepts. Unlike broadcast radio, educational chat shows target specific learning communities with topical relevance, creating boutique content for committed learners.

Educational Psychology: Chat shows engage listeners in higher-order thinking skills like analysis and synthesis through sustained conversation. The format models critical thinking and discourse conventions within academic and professional communities, bridging the gap between classroom learning and workplace application.

UDL Connection: This format supports cultural responsiveness by presenting diverse perspectives on topics. The conversational approach makes content more accessible to students who struggle with formal academic language, whilst the multiple voices provide varied entry points for engagement.

Format Overview:

  • 10-15 minutes of conversation
  • Multiple perspectives on topics
  • Natural, engaging dialogue
  • Models critical thinking skills

Choosing Between Real Guest and Self-Interview Approaches

The decision between conducting a real interview (Option A) or creating a self-interview (Option B) depends on several practical and pedagogical factors:

Choose Option A (Real Guest Interview) when:

Content Expertise: Your topic benefits from genuine expert knowledge that extends beyond your own expertise. Real guests bring authentic professional experience, current industry insights, or specialised research knowledge that enriches the conversation.

Diverse Perspectives: You want to model real academic or professional discourse. Genuine disagreement or different viewpoints emerge more naturally between two actual people with distinct backgrounds and experiences.

Student Engagement: Your students respond well to hearing from practicing professionals, researchers, or community members. Real guests provide networking connections and career inspiration beyond the academic content.

Institutional Goals: Your institution values community engagement, industry partnerships, or showcasing alumni expertise. Real interviews can strengthen these relationships whilst creating valuable content.

Collaborative Teaching: You're working with colleagues across disciplines or institutions and want to model interdisciplinary conversation for students.

Choose Option B (Self-Interview) when:

Time Constraints: You need complete control over scheduling and timing. Self-interviews can be recorded at your convenience without coordinating with another person's availability.

Content Control: You want to ensure all key learning objectives are covered precisely. Self-interviews guarantee that essential content isn't missed due to conversation flow or guest responses.

Technical Simplicity: You prefer to avoid the complexity of coordinating recording technology, microphones, or internet connections with another person.

Sensitive Topics: Your content involves confidential information, student privacy concerns, or institutional matters that require careful handling.

Resource Limitations: You don't have access to appropriate experts or the time to prepare another person for an effective interview.

Practice and Skill Development: You're new to interview techniques and want to develop confidence before working with real guests.

Consistency Needs: You're creating a series where consistent tone, pacing, and coverage is essential for curriculum alignment.

Assessment Integration: The content needs to align precisely with assessment criteria or specific learning outcomes that might be difficult to guarantee in spontaneous conversation.

For a novel approach: If you’re teaching history, why not interview Napoleon, or a witness to Orville Wright’s first flight?

Option A: Real Guest Interview

Step 1: Identify Your Guest

Potential Guests:

  • Academic colleagues with different expertise
  • Industry professionals
  • Advanced students with relevant experience
  • Community experts
  • Alumni working in related fields

Step 2: Generate Interview Materials

Help me set up a real chat show interview using this content:

[PASTE YOUR CONTENT/TOPIC INFORMATION]

Create:

  1. Professional guest introduction (30-45 seconds)
  2. Opening question that hooks listeners immediately
  3. 6-7 main interview questions (open-ended, specific)
  4. Host briefing sheet with key points and follow-ups
  5. Guest talking points (bullet format, not scripted)
  6. 10-12 minute interview timeline
  • Guest background: [DESCRIBE YOUR CHOSEN GUEST]
  • Target audience: [YOUR STUDENTS]
  • Interview setting: [In-person/recorded/live]
  • Make this practical for actually conducting the interview.

Option B: Self-Interview (Playing Both Roles)

Step 1: Generate Self-Interview Script

Create a complete self-interview chat show from my content:

[PASTE THE KEY ELEMENTS OF YOUR CONTENT]

Setup:

  • I'll play both Host and Guest
  • 10-12 minute conversation

Help me develop distinct personas for my self-interview:

HOST persona:

  • Curious and enthusiastic
  • Asks questions students would ask
  • [Specific personality traits]
  • [Questioning style]

GUEST persona:

  • Knowledgeable but approachable
  • Draws on professional experience
  • [Specific personality traits]
  • [Speaking style]

Make these feel like two different people, even though it's me playing both roles.

Generate:

  1. Brief introduction where HOST introduces topic and GUEST (me)
  2. 6-8 main interview questions covering all content
  3. GUEST responses that include all information
  4. Natural HOST reactions and follow-up questions
  5. Clear role markers (HOST: / GUEST:)
  6. Stage directions for tone and delivery
  7. Conclusion where HOST summarises key points
  • Recording approach: [all-questions-first / back-and-forth / segments]
  • Make this feel like a genuine conversation between two different people.

Narrative Podcasts

The Power of Educational Storytelling

Drew's Research Insight: The Narrative format combines "broadcast radio's episodic format with the long format and narrative voice of print or audio books." This format emerged from the recognition that storytelling is one of humanity's oldest and most effective pedagogical approaches, particularly powerful in oral cultures.

Educational Psychology: Narratives function as cognitive tools by embedding information in story structures that are naturally memorable and emotionally engaging. The "grain" of the voice—its affective, personal qualities—makes content more memorable than dry factual presentation. Stories provide context and meaning that help students connect new information to existing knowledge.

UDL Connection: Narrative format serves learners who benefit from context-rich information, those who struggle with abstract concepts, and students whose cultural backgrounds emphasise oral tradition and storytelling. The format also supports self-directed learning through its engaging nature and natural pause points.

Format Overview:

  • 5-15 minutes of story-driven content
  • Engaging narrative arc
  • Educational content woven through story
  • Memorable and emotionally engaging

Step 1: Find Your Story Angle

Common Narrative Approaches:

  • Timeline story: "The day that changed everything..."
  • Journey narrative: "Following the path of..."
  • Problem-solution arc: "The mystery that puzzled scientists..."
  • Character development: "Meet the person who discovered..."
  • Real-world scenario: "Imagine you're a..."

Step 2: Create Your Narrative Script

Transform this educational content into a narrative-style podcast script:

[PASTE YOUR CONTENT]

Create a [5-15] minute narrative that:

  • Strong opening that hooks listeners immediately
  • Has a story arc with beginning, tension/curiosity, and satisfying resolution
  • All factual content woven naturally into the story
  • Vivid scene-setting and descriptive language
  • Uses [YOUR CHOSEN NARRATIVE APPROACH]
  • Creates engagement through storytelling techniques. Natural storytelling voice, not lecture tone
  • Maintains educational value whilst being entertaining
  • Include 1-2 memorable analogies or real-world examples
  • Target audience: [YOUR STUDENTS]

Format Transformations

The Power of AI-Driven Content Multiplication

One of the most powerful applications of AI in educational content creation is its ability to transform existing content between different formats. Rather than creating entirely new material for each podcast style, you can use AI to convert your content from one format to another, dramatically expanding your accessible content library with minimal additional effort.

Why Format Transformation Matters

  • Efficiency for Educators: Create once, transform multiple times. Start with one format and generate several variations without starting from scratch.
  • Multiple Means of Representation: The same educational content becomes accessible to students with different learning preferences, attention spans, and processing styles. One student might prefer a quick burst for revision, whilst another learns better through narrative storytelling.
  • Time-Saving Strategy: Instead of planning separate content for different student needs, use AI to automatically restructure your existing material into the most appropriate format for each learning situation.
  • Responsive Teaching: When you discover a format isn't working for particular students, you can quickly transform your content into a different style rather than abandoning the material entirely.
  • Universal Design in Action: By offering the same content in multiple formats, you're implementing UDL principles that benefit all learners, not just those with identified needs.

This section provides specific AI prompts for transforming between all possible format combinations, ensuring you can always provide your students with the most accessible version of your content.

Quick Burst to Chat Show

Real Guest Interview Setup

Use this Quick Burst content to create interview questions for a real guest chat show interview:

[PASTE YOUR QUICK BURST SCRIPT]

Create:

  • 1 compelling opening question to hook listeners
  • 6-8 main interview questions that will get this information from the guest
  • 3-4 follow-up questions for deeper exploration
  • 1 closing question that summarises key takeaways

Make questions:

  • Open-ended (not yes/no)
  • Specific enough to get detailed answers
  • Suitable for [your target audience]
  • Easy for a host to read naturally

Guest background: [DESCRIBE YOUR CHOSEN GUEST]

Self-Interview Transformation

Transform my Quick Burst script into a chat show where I'll play both the host and guest:

[PASTE YOUR QUICK BURST SCRIPT]

Create:

  • HOST: Curious interviewer who asks engaging questions
  • GUEST: Expert who knows this topic well (me in my professional role)
  • 10-12 minutes of conversation covering all Quick Burst content
  • Distinct voices/personalities for host vs guest
  • Natural conversation flow between the two roles
  • Make the two roles feel like different people having a real conversation.

Quick Burst to Narrative

Transform this Quick Burst content into a narrative-style podcast script that tells a story:

[PASTE YOUR QUICK BURST SCRIPT]

Create a 5-15 minute narrative that:

  • Tells a compelling story with beginning, middle, and end
  • Includes the same factual information within the story
  • Uses [YOUR CHOSEN NARRATIVE APPROACH - e.g., timeline story/journey narrative]
  • Creates engagement through storytelling techniques
  • Maintains educational value whilst being entertaining
  • Make this feel like listening to an engaging story, not a lecture.

Narrative to Chat Show

Self-Interview Format

Transform this narrative podcast into a chat show interview where a host interviews someone about this story:

[PASTE YOUR NARRATIVE SCRIPT]

Create:

  • Host who asks questions to draw out the story
  • Guest who tells the story through their answers
  • 10-12 minutes of natural conversation
  • All story elements and information preserved
  • Interview reveals the narrative through dialogue
  • Make it sound like the guest is sharing this story with an interested host.

Real Guest Format

Based on this narrative content, create materials for a real interview:

[PASTE YOUR NARRATIVE SCRIPT]

My guest will be: [DESCRIBE YOUR REAL GUEST]

Create:

  • Professional guest introduction (30-45 seconds)
  • Strong opening question that hooks listeners
  • 6-8 interview questions covering narrative content
  • Brief host notes on key points to listen for
  • Tailor everything to this specific guest's background and expertise.

Chat Show to Narrative

Transform this chat show interview into a narrative story that captures the guest's thoughts and expertise:

[PASTE YOUR CHAT SHOW SCRIPT or TRANSCRIPT]

Create a 5-15 minute narrative that:

  • Tells a story incorporating the guest's knowledge and opinions captured during the original interview
  • Preserves all the insights and information from the interview
  • Uses third-person storytelling about the expert/situation
  • Maintains the guest's perspective and expertise
  • Creates an engaging story arc with beginning, middle, end
  • Convert the dialogue into descriptive storytelling whilst keeping all the valuable content.

UDL 3.0 in Action

Core Principles to Remember

Multiple Means of Representation:

  • Every student deserves choice in how they access content
  • Audio provides crucial alternative to visual/text formats
  • Different podcast formats serve different cognitive needs

Cultural Responsiveness:

  • Include diverse voices and perspectives in chat shows
  • Tell stories that reflect varied cultural experiences
  • Acknowledge different ways of knowing and learning

Joy and Play in Learning:

  • Educational content can and should be engaging
  • Storytelling and conversation bring life to dry topics
  • Student choice in format increases motivation

Accessibility First:

  • Always include accessibility features in AI prompts
  • Consider diverse learners in every creation decision
  • Provide multiple pathways to the same information

Remember: You're Not Just Creating Podcasts

You're creating inclusive learning experiences that serve every student in your classroom. You're using AI as an accessibility amplifier to ensure no learner is left behind. You're implementing UDL 3.0 principles in practical, sustainable ways.

Start small. Start today. Start with one student in mind who needs this format.

Your content, transformed through AI, becomes accessible to all.

Ongoing Research

University of Tasmania Podcast Research

Building on the work of Drew, Mark Shelton at the University of Tasmania is currently conducting research into what makes podcasts engaging and accessible for students. His study, "Designing podcasts to increase student accessibility and engagement," is investigating the effectiveness of the three podcast formats featured in this guide—Quick Burst, Narrative, and Chat Show—with early career teachers.

This research aims to provide evidence-based insights into how different podcast designs impact student accessibility and engagement in structured learning environments. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, examining both quantitative measures of engagement and qualitative feedback from participants about their learning experiences.

How You Can Contribute:

Share Your Experiences: If you implement any of the podcast formats from this guide, your experiences and student feedback could contribute valuable insights to the broader research community.

Connect with the Research: Mark welcomes connections with educators who are exploring educational podcasting. Whether you're just starting out or have extensive experience, your perspectives can help inform ongoing research into effective podcast design.

Stay Informed: As this research progresses, findings will be shared through academic publications and conference presentations. Staying connected ensures you'll have access to the latest evidence about effective podcast practices.

Contact Information:

Research Focus Areas:

  • Universal Design for Learning through audio content
  • Student accessibility and engagement with educational podcasts
  • Effective podcast design for structured learning environments
  • Early career teacher experiences with educational technology

References

CAST (2024). Universal design for learning guidelines version 3.0 [graphic organizer]. Lynnfield, MA: Author. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

Drew, C. (2017). Edutaining audio: An exploration of education podcast design possibilities. Educational Media International, 54(1), 48-62. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523987.2017.1324360

CREATED BY
Mark Shelton

Credits:

Created with images by Pixel-Shot - "Headphones with microphone on color background" • Jacob Lund - "Female podcaster making audio podcast from her home studio" • Alextype - "stopwatch hold in hand, button pressed,lighr blue background" • Sensay - "typed words on a Vintage Typewriter" • Drobot Dean - "Man and woman in white shirts podcasters interview" • Luis Santos - "Traffic lights" • Nataliia_Trushchenko - "Man wearing headphones is looking away from the camera. He is wearing a green hoodie and he is listening to music" • MclittleStock - "woman with podcast phone in the park" • Drobot Dean - "Portrait of a smiling young african woman" • Jacob Lund - "College radio dj's having a good time in a studio" • Prostock-studio - "Happy black woman using cellphone wearing headphones" • (JLco) Julia Amaral - "Happy young woman recording podcast with co-host in modern studio" • Chanakon - "Young asian man and woman host streaming podcast with condenser microphone work on tablet at home broadcast studio. Content creator blogger recording voice over radio interview guest conversation" • contrastwerkstatt - "Happy friendly man recording a podcast" • Jacob Lund - "Woman recording and broadcasting her podcast from home" • charles taylor - "the word STORY with reto typewriter hammers" • Drobot Dean - "Image of nice young smiling woman using smartphone and headphones" • Suphansa - "Retro microphone with copy space on green background" • kjekol - "Microphone in modern radio station broadcasting studio" • Svitlana - "Male blogger, man in headphones listening to woman while talking, recording conversation, interview with her for video blog" • StockPhotoPro - "Woman listening to podcasts online" • Prostock-studio - "Portrait of guy listening to music leaning on the wall" • Maxky - "Golden microphone at audio recording, On computer, There is a background audio signal, Close-up." • Ryan - "Books on Shelves in Library or Study with Classic Dark Wood"