Let the Students Speak: Using Podcasts to Promote Student Voice and Engagement in an International Studies Classroom in China

Abstract

Active teaching and learning support pedagogies typically require student vocal participation in the classroom. However, very little is known about strategies used to promote student voice especially in teacher-dominated classroom cultures in many parts of the developing world. This paper reports action research that explored student responses and challenges to the use of student-produced audio podcasts in teaching a module focusing on Africa in a transnational university in China. Mixed methods involving a written questionnaire and mechanical reviews of student essays vindicate student podcasts as perceived valuable tools not only for promoting student voice but also for enhancing learning motivation and teaching-back misconceptions about Africa. Variation in accent, pace, audibility, and clarity of student podcasts posed a major challenge to comprehension of some podcasts and participation in podcast-based discussions. Based on students’ feedback, this study prescribes use of visual aids alongside audio podcasts to optimize the benefits of podcasting pedagogy in transnational education contexts.

Keywords:

• Teaching
• active learning
• podcasts
• student voice
• China

Acknowledgments

This paper emerged from a pedagogic action research undertaken as part of a teaching and supporting learning postgraduate certificate program by the Educational Development Unit (EDU) in Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University through which I achieved fellowship with the UK Higher Education Academy. I thank my colleagues in EDU and the Department of International Studies, notably Charlie Reis, Yu Wang, and Robert Pauls, whose ideas and support during PGCert-related chats were extremely inspirational.

Ethical approval

Granted by University Ethics Committee at author’s institution.

Consent form

Voluntary, confidential, and consistent with ethical approval.

Disclosure statement

The author reports there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on reasonable request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to restrictions imposed by privacy protection terms agreed with research participants and approved by the University Ethics Committee at the author’s institution.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Afa’anwi Ma’abo Che

Afa’anwi Ma’abo Che is an Assistant Professor of International Studies at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China. He holds a PhD in International Relations from Swansea University, UK, and is a 2019 research fellowship recipient from the China-Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. His current international relations research interests focus on security implications of the rise of Chinese engagements in Africa.