Podcasting for interdisciplinary education: active listening, negotiation, reflexivity, and communication skills

Communication is widely acknowledged as an essential ingredient for inter- and trans-disciplinary collaboration. Scholars are increasingly using podcasts in education, research, and outreach. Combining these two observations, this article explores how podcasting can be used in the classroom to teach and practice the skills relevant to communication in interdisciplinary settings. The study reflects on the practice of two master-level courses in which the students were asked to make a podcast as an assignment. It combines class observation and students’ reflections, analysed in light of the literature on interdisciplinary education, and triangulated with other experiences of scholarly podcasting. The study contributes to fill two gaps: the lack of practise-based research on how communication and interpersonal competencies for interdisciplinarity can be taught and assessed in the classroom; the need to further document and reflect on the practice of scholarly podcasting to highlight how the skills implicated therein can contribute to build competencies for interdisciplinary collaboration. The main finding is that making a podcast as an assignment can support students in acquiring and practicing interpersonal competencies and skills for working in interdisciplinary teams, like active listening, communication, negotiation, and reflexivity. The article concludes by reflecting on the transformational potential of the podcast, as an ear opener that foregrounds the importance of listening in inter- and trans-disciplinary collaborations.