Tallinn University Podcast Fall 2020
Students will prepare, poduce, and promote 6 episodes of the podcast. In so doing, they will acquire a varied and modern set of skills, as described below. The students will find research/activity ongoing at the University and highlight it for the community, using the interdisciplinary skills they bring to the group and the skills they develop over the course of the semester.
Moreover, the project will add to the University's presence - online and in the zeitgeist of the times. It will give students and lecturers a platform for reaching into broader society, and will offer a compelling marketing presence for TLU on popular platforms such as Spotify and itunes.
The aim of the project
The creation and dissemination of a podcast – focussed on research and activities at Tallinn University that are important to current and prospective members of the TLU community, and other potential interested audiences. Over the course of the semester, the team will create 6 episodes on topics chosen by themselves, relying on the expertise present within the group and TLU at large.
Interdisciplinary approach
The students will be divided into 3 groups with no more than 3 students from any academic field in each. In creating their episodes, the groups will go through 3 processes, each requiring development of different sets of skills. They will be:
- Preparation - responsible for choosing the topic, researching the issues, preparing a script, arranging expert guest.
- Production - responsible for recording, production, and editing of the episode. This phase will also include the preparation of the research synopsis that will accompany the episode, including a bibliography that the episode will be based upon, and will allow for deeper reading by the audience if they wish to know more.
- Promotion - executing a multi-level and multi-platform marketing campaign. Assigning targets for reach and measuring outcomes.
Each group (made up of students from various fields) will perform each of the above roles over the course of the 6 episodes, thus acquiring the skills from each.
Research base and innovation
There is a movement in academia now to get outside the 'ivory tower'. Major Universities in the US, the UK, and Canada have now created podcasts as a means of popularizing and making accessible the expertise they hold within. This project will provide a platform for TLU students to engage with TLU experts on topics relevant to them, and then disseminate these conversations to the world. In so doing, the project will not only highlight innovative research and activity going on at TLU, but will be part of an innovative trend in education and university/community outreach. In our time of digital learning and engagement, the podcast is an ideal format for accessible university content.
Project outcome
The students will prepare, produce, and promote 6 episodes of the podcast, adding to our existing catalogue of episodes. In so doing, each student will gain skills in professional writing, interview preparation and execution, research, recording technology, and marketing. Additionally, in preparing the research synopsis for each episode, students will develop their research and writing skills, and will help make academic work more accessible to general audiences.
The University will benefit from increased and youth-relevant branding on popular online platforms.
- Creating LIFE project plan with the team members
- Filling out LIFE mid-term report with the team members (by intermediate week)
- Participating in the feedback session during intermediate week
- Writing a self-reflective report about one’s role as a team member and about others’ responsibilities in project work (present individually to supervisor)
- Put together LIFE project portfolio which should include the project report, action plan, media coverage and project evaluation
- Participating as a team in the presentation day of LIFE projects and presenting the results of the activities carried out within the team
- In order to complete the independent work, students are required to participate actively in the meetings arranged within the project and to fulfil the commitments made to the team