While listeners turn to podcasts for humor and news, researchers have started to take note of podcasts as a research tool (Wilson, 2018). In 2019-20, the CSDE took inspiration from participatory action research to develop a “podcasting” research protocol to investigate quality of life for students with intellectual disability. We used podcasts to allow students to tell their own stories and explore how disability and their involvement in Unified Champion Schools impacted their personal identities. Through recording their audio narratives, some students revealed that this project was not only the first time they had thought about their identity and disability identity, but also expressed the value they found in listening to other students’ stories.
Our podcast methodology drew on the methods and findings of several prior studies and articles. In particular, Worth (2017), found that interviews and audio diaries were an accessible and engaging way to investigate how visually impaired youth characterized the meaning of adulthood. Lee, McLoughlin, and Chan, (2008), similarly found that creating and sharing podcasts was a powerful way to stimulate individual and collective learning and perspective-taking for students.
In our research with youth involved in Unified Champion Schools, audio methodology was chosen to emphasize participants’ voices and experiences and encourage participants to reflect on themes and ideas (Buchwald et al., 2009). With consideration of varying communication skills within our sample, we hoped that students of all ability levels would benefit from having an extended period of time to consider and answer research prompts. Participants recorded a series of four podcast episodes, each themed around a topic related to disability or identity. After recording, participants listened to one another’s episodes and came together in focus groups to discuss themes and encourage individual and collective negotiations of the meaning of identity and disability (Lee, McLoughlin, & Chan, 2008).
Through podcasting, students were able to share thoughtful reflections on disability and identity in their own voices. Podcasts are an excellent way to bring youth with and without disabilities (and other types of participants) into the research as active members and authors of their own stories.
By Key Duckworth, former Research Assistant at the Center for Social Development and Education