Podcast Listening and Informal Learning

Authors

Christopher Shamburg, New Jersey City UniversityFollow
Veronica O'Neill, New Jersey City University
Remberto Jimenez, New Jersey City University
Juan Rodriguez, New Jersey City University
Kristina Harb, New Jersey City University

Abstract

Listening to podcasts is a popular way adults learn outside of formal school settings. Examining podcast listening through the lens of informal learning is an important and underexplored area of inquiry. This is especially important considering the growth of the adult population in the United States and the new opportunities for learning and recreation. In this research, we interviewed 31 adult podcast listeners from across the United States about their experiences listening to and learning from podcasts. We open coded and refined the analysis to three themes. There was a strong connection between listening, learning, and personal growth among the participants. The participants experienced meaningful changes in their perspectives and behaviors from what they learned in podcasts. Finally, the unique features of the medium of podcasting such as its convenience and ease of production were integral to this learning.

Keywords

adult education, informal learning, podcasting, interviews

Author Bio(s)

Christopher Shamburg is a professor and coordinator of the Ed.D. in Educational Technology Leadership at New Jersey City University. Please direct correspondence to cshamburg@njcu.edu.

Veronica O'Neill is an adjunct professor in the New Jersey City University School of Business.

Remberto Jimenez is an adjunct professor of Educational Technology at New Jersey City University and a corporate learning and development professional.

Juan Rodriguez is a doctoral student in Educational Technology Leadership at New Jersey City University.

Kristina Harb is a doctoral student in Educational Technology Leadership at New Jersey City University.

Publication Date

7-23-2023

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5862

Recommended APA Citation

Shamburg, C., O'Neill, V., Jimenez, R., Rodriguez, J., & Harb, K. (2023). Podcast Listening and Informal Learning. The Qualitative Report, 28(7), 2033-2057. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5862

ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8413-0299