Listen & Learn: Recording Podcasts with CTL
This guest post is by Renee Dutton-O'Hara, Executive Audio Producer, and Emily Haagenson, Instructional Designer, at the Center for Teaching and Learning. Audio Editor: Wayne Kee.
Listen to this blog post as a MP3 audio file
We’re making it easier to record short, polished podcasts with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) — and we’re offering it with a 4-week deadline. This is the perfect choice if you want a quick, conversational way to refresh course content or host a guest speaker without creating or revising a full slide deck.
What’s New
- More time to record! You can record your podcasts up to 4 weeks before the start of term (compared to the current 8 weeks for PowerPoint-based lectures). A streamlined podcast production path will allow CTL to create your content faster.
- Podcast slides. A simple, standard trio of podcast slides succinctly communicates your lecture section title, format, and copyright information. We only need your lecture title, headshot, name(s), and credentials.
Figure 1: Standard CTL podcast slides from a lecture in International Adolescent Health
Why CTL Is Doing This
- People like podcasts. As of 2025, 73% of Americans have watched or listened to a podcast at least once in their lives, and of these, 55% had watched or listened in the last month and 40% in the past week (Breitman, 2025). This includes our students!
- Easier Updates. Faculty told us they want lower-effort, faster ways to update lectures, and we listened! Podcasts are a great fit: less prep, high impact.
- Quick turnaround. Fewer slides and shorter sessions cut down on your preparation, and our team can produce your podcast up to 1-month before your course opens.
Crafting your Podcast
- Tell a story. Podcasts can give life to examples or applications - consider a guest with a unique perspective on a foundational topic in your course or a discussion of a relevant “case study” or current event. Use familiar story structures: introduction, logical transitions, conclusions, even cliff-hangers, red herrings, or calls to action.
- Keep it brief. Academic podcasts are ideal for short, conversational content - quick updates, interviews, reflections, or panel discussions, like in BSPH’s Public Health on Call podcast.
- Be strategic. Podcasts are a great way to complement core instructional content covered in your lectures, but not right for all content. Foundational, technical, or highly visual content is probably not right for a podcast, and you should consider other content types.
- Be conversational. Podcasts are a different genre than a PowerPoint-based lecture - they are an opportunity for you to connect with your students and your content in a more casual format. A natural speaking style works best - a few “ums” and pauses are fine; our audio editors will fine tune the content.
- Consider your listeners. Most people listen to podcasts passively while engaged in another task (chores, commuting, exercising) - this makes this format convenient for your students but also means that you should consider tailoring your delivery to fit these contexts (Breitman, 2025).
Podcast Logistics
- For podcasts with CTL, keep the final episode content to ~30 minutes or less. If you think you have more content than this, reach out to an instructional designer to discuss your best options.
- For optimal audio quality, we recommend an external microphone, wired earbuds, or AirPods. If you want to borrow equipment, let us know - CTL has loaner microphones available.
Next Steps
- Discern where and how a podcast would enrich your course.
- Book a one-hour “Podcast” recording session in Acuity at least four weeks before term starts. See recording timelines on the Teaching Toolkit website, but know you can always record sooner, if your schedule allows.
- Outline a relevant, engaging, and conversational public health story to discuss in 30 minutes or less.
If you have questions or ideas, CTL’s Instructional Designers and Audio Production team are here to help every step of the way.
The CTL podcast option is an easy, time-saving way to share focused, conversational content without the overhead of a full slide deck. Follow the timing and technical guidance above, and we’ll help you produce an engaging, easy-listening lecture your learners will appreciate.
Source(s)
Breitman, K. (2025, December 12). Podcast Statistics and Trends for 2026 (& Why They Matter). https://riverside.com/blog/podcast-statistics