Teen Podcasting Program (TPP)
Miami-Dade Public Library System, Fla.
Innovation Synopsis
The Teen Podcasting Program program provides high school students in high-need areas of Miami-Dade County the opportunity to learn digital skills working with professional audio hardware/software in the production of weekly podcasts. Through teamwork they discover their innate creativity and ability to express their ideas in a nurturing and collaborative environment.
Challenge/Opportunity
The TPP arose from the need to offer compelling and practical digital literacy programming to teens while providing them a forum for community engagement and positive interaction. The TPP provides the teens a way to engage in civil discourse with peers and adults. By moderating and modeling constructive debate techniques, library staff use the TPP to encourage teens to become more thoughtful in their arguments and think more deeply about issues important to them.
Key Elements of Innovation
The majority of the podcast episodes produced through workshops are audio-only, recorded live and subsequently published to sites like YouTube for streaming and archival purposes. The podcasts are edited for time and quality prior to being published. Some special podcasts are streamed live with a video component to allow listeners/viewers to interact with teen podcasters by sending questions and comments through text chat. Podcast topics are suggested by both library staff and teen participants.
Achieved Outcomes
Over the past two years, the Miami-Dade Public Library System has successfully conducted over 40 teen podcast workshops. As a result, all teen participants, numbering in the hundreds, have been able to explore the fields of audio engineering, broadcast journalism and video production. More importantly, they have been able to work with each other in a collaborative effort to attain a common objective while maintaining a safe environment for their self-expression.
