Sometimes, as a passionate nerd, you have your moments. It often happens that, as a nerd, you’re ahead of the world and fall in love with a technology, a tool, a device that said world doesn’t know yet. Then you annoy your surroundings with praises and want to convince them of the advantages of the technology, the tool, the device.
With the effect that your environment can’t quite follow, they listen to the nerd benevolently, but ultimately turn back to everyday life.
My Nerd Moments
In my life, there have been many such nerd moments both privately and professionally, and I’ve learned to deal with them 🙂 Or rather, to wait patiently until said technology finally has its breakthrough. (Usually, I wasn’t so wrong with my nerd enthusiasm)
Right now, I’m filled with deep satisfaction again, because podcasts are currently on an absolute roll. Yet they’re not new at all. We nerds have been listening to podcasts for 10 years, and many of us have even produced podcasts ourselves. Largely unnoticed by the world, of course – see above.
Podcasts as Secondary Exploitation
And now they’re suddenly the hottest new thing. Everyone listens to and makes podcasts. Public and private media are finally getting the idea to offer their programs in the form of podcasts, independent of linear broadcasting times… that this realization only comes around 2020 amazes the nerd. But anyway, he enjoys the new offerings and the exponentially growing variety.
But Beware!
As great as the joy is, so tiny is also the frustration already: Every expert is now also making podcasts. You have to constantly find new tools for self-marketing in the social media circus. Here, the nerd is critical. Because this is where the wheat quickly separates from the chaff.
A well-made podcast dedicates itself to relevant topics or relevant people and illuminates these from different perspectives. It is well researched. It has a dramaturgy and a moderation that monitors this dramaturgy.
A pub talk where every so-called expert can unreflectingly send their two cents for hours is NOT a podcast – says the nerd. And long self-adulations of more or less prominent people who primarily talk about themselves aren’t either.
Podcasts for Learning
But let’s get back to the joy: podcasts are suddenly fully in in education as well. Rightly so, because (concentrated) listening is a very suitable form of learning to acquire knowledge, repeat knowledge, reflect on knowledge. Podcasts can be produced and used by teachers AND learners. This allows for wonderful teaching settings to be created.
But here too: the content must help with learning, must be prepared for learning. The podcast must be – it doesn’t take much effort – professionally produced and edited. This enhances the dramaturgy and thus the learning effect.
Ask the Nerd!
The nerd – in this case, me – is thus happy about this current interest in one of his favorite media. And he’s in the cool situation that he can now pass on his knowledge and experience to people who are newly getting into the topic.
So if you have a good podcast idea, don’t hesitate to ask the nerd for help 🙂 #askroman #edupartner
