Podcasting takes hold in classrooms at Naples Middle High School
Podcasting is no longer just a popular form of entertainment—it’s also become an educational tool in classrooms around the world, including at Naples Middle High School (NMHS), where students are turning history lessons, language arts discussions and ethical debates into engaging audio content.
At NMHS, teachers across subjects have embraced podcasting to deepen student learning and engagement. What once felt like a daunting technological challenge has now become a routine classroom activity, thanks to improved access to digital tools.
In Cory Taunton’s AP World History classes, students analyze historic events from multiple perspectives, turning their findings into narrative-driven podcasts. Michelle Ellingford’s middle school Language Arts students have created poetry discussions and newscasts set in fictional dystopias. Social Studies teacher Paul Nordhaus and Language Arts teacher Jeffrey Brundage have collaborated on a cross-curricular project exploring individual responsibility during times of injustice, with World War II as a historical backdrop.
Italian teacher Roberta Pennasilico has taken a unique approach—her students listen to the beginning of a story in Italian, then collaborate to write and record its ending, all through podcasting.
Educational technologist Mr. Wood, a former location sound recordist for wildlife documentaries, has helped pave the way for classroom podcasting at NMHS. Since his arrival three years ago, podcasting has shifted from a time-consuming, tech-heavy endeavor to a streamlined process made possible by student Chromebooks and user-friendly tools like the WeVideo Chrome app.
“In the beginning, the technology was a big barrier,” Wood said. “Now students can research, record and publish a podcast entirely on their Chromebooks, either alone or in small groups. It’s so much easier.”
The benefits are clear. Podcasting allows students to express themselves creatively while developing key skills in research, collaboration and digital literacy. It also aligns with the highest level of the SAMR Model for technology integration—redefinition—where tasks are transformed in ways that were previously inconceivable.
Teachers also benefit from seeing students actively engaged in authentic, student-centered learning that naturally includes differentiation and collaboration.
Podcasting has become a powerful educational tool at NMHS—and it’s one that any DoDEA classroom can now easily adopt.
