‘We hear not just the words’: an evaluation of storytelling using podcasts in social work education

This paper explores the effectiveness of using podcasts in social work education to foster student learning and engagement. There is a long tradition of innovation and creativity in the teaching of social work students locally and globally - and an emerging body of international pedagogical research exploring the use of podcasts and storytelling in social work education to which this study contributes. Building on adult learning principles, a series of case studies were co-created by practitioners and academics, working with a professional scriptwriter, and made into six audio podcasts featuring actors taking different perspectives. We evaluated their implementation in a social work education programme in a university in England. Students responded to an online survey which included items related to the accessibility of the podcasts and their experience of engaging with the podcasts on the module. Findings of the study demonstrate the popularity of the approach with students and positive responses in areas of criticality, application and ‘real world’ learning – all enhancing the pre-placement learning of social work students. The discussion examines possible reason for this success and looks especially at aspects of adult learning and storytelling – with their potential for public pedagogy, emotional learning, and professional development.