Podcast Assignment Details

Here is an Example Podcast

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Podcast Storyboard

This podcast will serve two purposes: It will supplement instruction for US Government and Politics class, and it will be an example for students as they will be will create a similar podcast. This will be an assignment that all students will fulfill at different times throughout the semester and students in the class will subscribe to the podcast. Each week a student will post their podcast and everyone in the class will be required to listen to it. These interviews should be fun and interesting and should involve one concept from class that week.

Learning Objective: Students will better understand how people come to hold political views and will become more comfortable with intelligent, non-aggressive political dialogue.

Assignment description: Interview someone you know about his or her political views. The interview should be with someone who thinks differently from you and hasn’t helped you form your own political views and opinions (no parents or grandparents). Do not argue with them, only ask questions and listen to their opinions. A list of good questions is provided below, but you must also find a way to incorporate concepts from our class into the interview. These interviews should only last 5-10 minutes. Make it interesting and fun to listen to; your classmates will be listening and responding to each podcast as they are posted throughout the term.

Feel free to add music and be creative with your questions, but do not be aggressive.

Conducting the Interview

Be sure and start by introducing the person you are interviewing, or have them introduce themselves. Then politely ask them questions about their political views (there are examples below). It's important that you involve concepts we talk about in class the week you are assigned to do the interview, that way you can help teach the public what you are learning about our government. 

Example questions:

Is there a particular party that you identify with?

Do your parents hold similar political views?

What types of situational factors (where you were born, your religious identity, social circles) have contributed most to your political views?

Tell me what you know about ___________________________ (bring up a concept from class, let’s see if the public knows the stuff you are learning)

**With questions like these it’s important to be tactful, don’t act like you are just quizzing them on obscure concepts, ask about things that are fundamental to the workings of our government.

Do you feel that ______________________________________ is important (another concept from class, let’s see how the public feels about what you are learning)?

Analysis

In order to conclude the interview you should analyze the interview. Find a few things you’ve learned and discuss what you could have told the person about the particular concept you asked about.