Scholarly Research Synthesis Podcast

Purpose

This assignment challenges students to deeply engage with current scholarly research and course concepts through collaborative dialogue. By creating a conversational podcast, students demonstrate their ability to synthesize complex academic material, translate it into accessible language, and make meaningful connections to course themes.

This assignment emphasizes uniquely human skills such as collaboration, authentic interaction, and creative synthesis, fostering an environment where critical thinking and social-emotional intelligence enrich academic dialogue.

Learning Outcomes

1. Evaluate and synthesize current scholarly research in the field
2. Articulate complex academic concepts in clear, conversational language
3. Make meaningful connections between scholarly research and course concepts
4. Demonstrate effective collaborative communication skills
5. Create engaging audio content that maintains academic rigor while being accessible to a general audience

Instructions

Pre-Production (Individual Work)

1. With your partner, select a course-related topic that interests you both and has been covered in recent scholarly literature.
2. Each team member must independently:
   • Find 2-3 peer-reviewed scholarly articles published within the last two years – use the university’s library databases
   • Create detailed notes identifying key findings, methodologies, and connections to course concepts
   • Prepare discussion points and questions for your partner

Production Planning (Collaborative)

Meet with your partner to:

• Share and discuss your selected articles
• Identify common themes and contrasting viewpoints
• Map out how the research connects to specific course concepts
• Develop an organic conversation structure (not a rigid script)
• Create 3-4 authentic discussion questions that will drive your conversation

Podcast Recording

Record a 12-15 minute conversation that:

• Introduces your topic and its relevance
• Discusses key findings from the research
• Explores connections to course concepts
• Includes authentic reactions and insights
• Raises questions for further investigation

Required Elements

• Natural back-and-forth dialogue (no scripted presentations)
• Specific references to at least 5 scholarly sources
• Clear connections to minimum 3 course concepts
• Balanced speaking time between partners
• Clear, audible recording
• Proper attribution of sources in conversation

Submission Requirements

1. Audio file (MP3 format)
2. Reference list of cited sources (APA format) – including full citations for all five scholarly sources discussed in the podcast. Each citation should be followed by 1-2 sentences highlighting the key findings or concepts you drew from that source.
3. Brief reflection (250 words) addressing: how you divided the research and preparation work, challenges you encountered in the collaborative process, how you resolved any differences in interpretation of the research, and what you learned from the collaborative podcast creation experience.

Grading Criteria

Content (45%)

• Comprehensive coverage of research findings (20%)
• Clear connections to course concepts (15%)
• Depth of analysis and synthesis (10%)

Conversation Quality (35%)

• Natural dialogue flow (15%)
• Balanced participation (10%)
• Engagement with partner’s ideas (10%)

Technical Execution (10%)

• Clear, audible recording (5%)
• Appropriate length (12-15 minutes) and pacing (5%)

Documentation (10%)

• Complete reference list with proper APA formatting and brief source highlights (5%)
• Thoughtful reflection demonstrating critical awareness of the collaborative research and podcast creation process (5%)

Why This Assignment is Human-Centric

1. Real-time Interaction: The conversational format requires authentic, spontaneous dialogue that AI cannot easily replicate.
2. Current Research: The requirement for very recent scholarly sources ensures students must engage with new material and make original connections.
3. Personal Engagement: Students must relate research to their own understanding of course concepts and respond to their partner’s insights.
4. Process Documentation: The combination of audio recording and supporting documents makes it difficult to use AI-generated content without substantial human effort.
5. Collaborative Element: The requirement for balanced, natural dialogue between partners makes it impractical to rely on AI-generated scripts.