Podcasting, Opening Doors, Sharing Our Locality.

The main aim of taking part in this Erasmus+ PODSOL project was to learn how to podcast and to use it as an all inclusive learning tool. We wanted to achieve greater motivation and a desire to le...

The main aim of taking part in this Erasmus+ PODSOL project was to learn how to podcast and to use it as an all inclusive learning tool. We wanted to achieve greater motivation and a desire to learn among students while also working on linguistic skills, synthesis, creativity and teamwork. This would encourage the use of the English language whilst learning about the partner's schools, their local history and culture. The production of school radio and podcast recording encourages the children to work as a team with a purpose they can materialize and also be heard by the entire educational and wider community. We wanted to develop podcasts focused on specific cultural and educational topics and to promote the project on social media to highlight the podcast's visibility. The schools can in turn now offer the support to other schools throughout Europe in how to introduce podcasting into their schools. The project's website www.podsoler.com has information for any interested schools to download.

We implemented a variety of activities to ensure its success and impact; Podcast Production: We created high quality podcast episodes covering educational, historical and cultural topics, while experimenting with different formats and storytelling techniques. International Collaboration: We worked closely with partners from different countries, sharing expertise, resources and best practices to enhance the quality of our content. We created a project website www.PODSOLER.com and we created an e-Twinning platform. Workshops and Training Sessions: We organised training sessions for participants, focusing on podcasting skills such as scriptwriting, recording, editing and distribution. We were assisted by Kinvara FM in Ireland and a local Radio Station and TV in Poland. Students and Teachers engagement: We involved both students and teachers in making podcasts improving their English and speaking skills. Experimentation with new formats: We tested innovative storytelling techniques, such as interviews, to enhance the listener and speaking experience. Integration into Educational Contexts: We collaborated with schools to incorporate the podcast into learning activities, making it a valuable educational tool.

The concrete outputs and results of our project are; The PODSOLER website: We created the PODSOLER website at the start of the project. We continually added content and photos of the activities throughout the duration of the project. We hope that our project will encourage and teach other schools in Europe about the benefit of introducing podcasting as a teaching and learning tool into their respective schools. www.podsoler.com Partner Schools Website: Linked all the partner's schools to the PODSOLER website E-Twinning: We connected our e-Twinning platform with our PODSOLER website The main results and achievements have been observed in student outcomes, with improved results in areas such as language and English and increased motivation in subjects like English, language and music. Some of the partner's schools have managed to set up a school radio which is used through their own school radio project.