In today's fast-paced environment, the need for innovative and effective learning solutions has never been greater. Organizations are continually seeking ways to enhance their learning and development (L&D) strategies to keep pace with technological advancements and the evolving needs of their workforce. In response to this demand, we developed Podcast+ and deployed it with our learners.
Bringing interactive learning & podcasts together
A drawback to traditional podcasts is their lack of interactivity, so our first goal with Podcast+ was transforming passive listening into an engaging and interactive educational experience. We included a feature where the episode pauses periodically to ask the listener questions. These questions are designed to reinforce learning and evaluate comprehension in real time.
A learner engages with Podcast+ on the go, using the platform's interactive knowledge checks to reinforce understanding and track progress directly within the Learning Management System.
The Knowledge Check feature allows us to track and assess learner engagement through the learning management system (LMS). We integrated XML-based templates from our Xyleme–Madcap LCMS (learning content management system) to enable seamless interaction between the podcast and the LMS.
We've found that Podcast+ is an ideal solution for mandatory training because it allows us to overcome another limitation of traditional podcasts, the inability to track completions and test for knowledge. Real-time tracking provides a significant additional benefit: Every learner's progress is monitored, and we can establish a minimum passing grade.
Leveraging social media for enhanced engagement
One of the most innovative aspects of Podcast+ is its integration with Viva Engage, Microsoft's social media platform. This component allows podcast authors to engage directly with their audience, fostering a sense of community and facilitating deeper discussions. Learners can leave comments, ask questions, and participate in discussions, creating a dynamic and interactive learning environment.
The Podcast+ platform integrates seamlessly with Viva Engage, allowing learners to participate in lively discussions and share their thoughts on episodes, fostering a collaborative and engaging learning community.
We saw this social media integration as a way to transform podcasting from a solitary activity into a collaborative experience. Using Podcast+, learners are no longer isolated but are invited into a broader community where they can share insights, discuss key topics, and learn from each other. This feature enhances their learning experience by increasing knowledge retention through active participation.
AI-Powered bilingual learning
Our company is located in Canada; for us, offering content in multiple languages is essential. We designed Podcast+ to leverage Azure Speech Services from Microsoft. Azure provides AI-powered text-to-voice capabilities, enabling us to produce podcasts in both English and French. This innovation ensures that the same high-quality content is available to learners regardless of their language preference.
Podcast+ utilizes Azure AI Speech Studio to generate lifelike multilingual voices, ensuring consistent and engaging audio content across all languages, making learning accessible to a diverse audience.
The AI-generated voices in Podcast+ are remarkably realistic, making it difficult to distinguish them from human narrators. This capability is particularly valuable when the original podcast is recorded in one language, as it allows us to deliver the same content accurately in another language without the need for re-recording. This feature not only saves time and resources, it ensures that all learners have access to the same content, regardless of the original production language.
The Podcast+ home page is the gateway to interactive learning, blending podcasts with knowledge checks and social engagement on Viva Engage. Access episodes on critical topics like Diversity, Cybersecurity, and more—mobile-friendly and equipped with downloadable transcripts for easy learning on the go.
Accessibility & Usability at the forefront
The Podcast+ chaptering menu allows learners to easily navigate through episodes, enabling quick access to specific content and reinforcing key concepts through strategically placed knowledge checks.
We designed Podcast+ with accessibility and usability in mind. Every podcast episode comes with a full transcript, making it easier for learners to follow along and review the content at their own pace. We also built in a quick chapter and content finder, which allows learners to skip directly to the topics of interest without having to listen to an entire episode. This feature is particularly useful for busy professionals who need to find specific information quickly.
Podcast+ offers the option to create video podcasts that closely resemble YouTube videos, providing a visual learning component that can enhance understanding and retention. Our learners have loved the flexibility and versatility.
Positive feedback
The response to Podcast+ within our organization has been overwhelmingly positive. Learners have expressed appreciation for the conversational and engaging nature of the platform. Comments from recent evaluations highlight the effectiveness of Podcast+:
- I like the podcast approach to this discussion—you feel like you're part of the conversation.
- I liked that it was a discussion instead of a module.
- The podcast is a great learning experience for me.
- The way they spoke was more conversational than a lecture, so I found it easier to listen to.
These testimonials underscore the platform's success in creating a more engaging and accessible experience. The conversational style of the podcasts has made learning more enjoyable and effective for many employees.
Already a key part of our L&D strategy
The integration of video, audio, and social interaction that we created with Podcast+ offers an effective and engaging multimodal learning experience. Its ability to track completion rates and integrate with our LMS has further enhanced its usefulness. We've deployed Podcast+ with topics ranging from cybersecurity to DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging)—and have received numerous requests for additional content!
Our next article will share some of our early Podcast+ use cases—along with results showing the transformation of learning into an engaging, interactive, social and fun experience for our learners.