Economic storytellers: Student-created podcasts

This paper describes an economics teaching innovation which can be modified to various courses and levels. Economics instructors seek course assignments that help students work toward course learning goals. In this pursuit, instructors can capitalize on technology that can support achievement of these learning goals and foster student engagement. This paper describes a project where students utilize technology to work in teams producing a podcast that demonstrates their achievement of course learning goals common across economics curricula. In the context of economics instruction, the use of technology in this project provides an opportunity for students to practice proficiencies deemed important for undergraduate economics majors, particularly some which are often neglected. Working in teams provides a structure that can make assessment more feasible for instructors. Student teams identify examples of economic concepts they observe in real life and develop an original podcast (audio only recording). This project provides a creative and engaging opportunity for students to demonstrate proficiency both in skills that are required for the undergraduate economics major and those valued in the professional marketplace.  Student feedback from a self-assessment survey on the project reflects findings in the literature that collaborative assignments utilizing technology tools can provide opportunities for students to practice their economic proficiencies, for instructors to assess even the higher-level proficiencies, and for students to enjoy the learning process. The paper includes introduction to assignment components, assignment instructions, rubrics and recommendations to instructors for the component assignments that make up this project.  We will also discuss the technology required, strategies for success, and the time costs for the instructor and students.