Resources to improve learning from podcasts

There is no ‘one best way’ to learning from podcasts, as the method and process will not only depend on the format of the podcast in question, but also on individual learning preferences of the listener. That being said, there are some general principles that could help you find your own way.

The format of the podcast will inform the ways in which to learn from it. Some shows, such as the Talking About Organizations Podcast, are presented as an emergent conversation about a text or a topic, broadly considered. Others, such as the Ethnography Atelier or The OMT Podcast are relatively focused interviews. Others still, like Reflections on Management or Managing Around are presenting particular perspectives on a range of topics. Accordingly, it is worth reflecting on the strengths and limitations of each of these formats.

Conversational podcasts are invariably based on the assumption that the listener is going to be at least marginally familiar with the topic of the conversation. Even when an introduction to the topic is given, the nature of the conversation is such that it will delve into issues, problems, and arguments beyond the grasp of a complete novice. Because of this, the formula for getting the most of such podcasts is simple – to become as familiar with the topic in advance as possible. The conversation will then serve as a test of own understandings and assumptions, as well as a gateway to new ideas or connections. 

In practice, conversational podcasts can be used to… start conversations! Discussing an episodes with someone to explore areas left underexplored, or to correct the inaccuracies, or to simply reflect on your own understanding relative to that presented in a podcast can be an extremely powerful learning process. 

At the same time, conversational podcasts are utterly unsuitable for the more ‘traditional’ mode of learning – by means of receiving information – because of their unstructured and emergent nature. Learning about an unfamiliar topic from such a podcast is almost certainly going to be very frustrating.

Interviews are considerably more structured and, thus, make it much easier for the listener to expect certain information in certain contexts. If knowledge is derived from the ability to differentiate between different contexts (as some will argue), then the strength of interview-based podcasts is in exposing the listener to a variety of contexts in a predictable manner. While still not ideal for linear learning, interviews can help build a meta-structure of stories, assumptions and paradigms about information (i.e. ways of thinking) that will come of great benefit to identifying those aforementioned different contexts. 

Perspectives and reflections, in turn, provide listeners with information in contexts (not contexts in information), by offering condensed summaries of topics, questions, problems, etc. Such podcasts are helpful in either consolidating information or for delving deep into specific parts of a larger topic.  

Whichever way or method of learning from podcasts you end up developing, it is probably worth keeping in mind that podcasts will tend to be either introductory or fairly exclusive with respect to choice of content. In other words, a podcast is not a substitute for a lecture, course, book, etc., but rather a supplement that will enhance your learning (or illuminate to you new ways of learning).