About Educasts

Educasts (short for “educational podcasts”) are short audiovisual learning resources on a specific topic designed to convey knowledge. They are created entirely in PowerPoint: the slides are designed, a spoken audio commentary is recorded, and the result is a compact instructional video that students and instructors can produce on their own—without the need for specialized video editing software.

The format is particularly well-suited for presenting content in a simplified, didactically focused, and easily understandable way for others. Educasts can be used in a wide variety of contexts: as a supplement to seminar content, as a learning resource for other students, or as an alternative exam format within a course.

The Essential Components of an Educast

To turn a collection of slides into a successful Educast, several basic principles regarding content and design should be followed:

A clearly defined topic

An Educast covers a single, self-contained topic—not an entire lecture or a complex of topics. Condensing content to the essentials is itself a key skill that is developed through the creation of an Educast.

Well-thought-out visual design

Content is presented not only in text form but also visually: through diagrams, organizational charts, animations, or appropriate images. Well-designed slides aid understanding rather than simply reading text aloud.

A spoken audio commentary

The slides are explained through a recorded commentary. This can be recorded directly in PowerPoint, via the Opencast Studio plugin in ILIAS, or in the automated OBRS Studio of Netzwerk Medien—depending on the technical equipment available.

Proper Citation

Images and materials used are cited with source information. This applies in particular to freely licensed images (e.g., CC licenses), which should be labeled according to the TULLU rule (Title, Author, License, License URL, Source).

Good Examples from the Seminars

The following Educasts were created in Netzwerk Medien seminars. They demonstrate the wide range of ways the format can be used in terms of content—from film studies topics to current debates on historical politics.

The Faces of Horror

Charlotte Schuhmacher (Teacher Education)

An introduction to the subgenres of horror films. Developments in the horror film genre and the resulting subgenres are presented in chronological order. The Educast provides a foundation for further exploration of the cinematic characteristics of the individual subgenres, with a focus on the English-speaking world.

Making America's History (the way Trump wants it)

Isabell Jäger (Master’s in Public History)

Whose history is being told—and who decides that? This Educast analyzes how the Trump administration is directly intervening in U.S. educational institutions through the executive order “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” and discusses what this means for public history and democratic historical narrative.

Questions?

If you have questions about creating your own Educast, please contact the E-Learning Support team at Netzwerk Medien: e-learning@hf.uni-koeln.de