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Podcast Episode: Humanising online learning through podcasting
By Antonella Veccia, on 21 November 2025
Podcast series: Behind the scenes of curriculum design
Listen to the episode: Humanising online learning through podcasting
“Presence” is one of the most powerful yet overlooked elements of online teaching. In many digital courses, significant attention is given to content, structure, and assessments, while less attention is paid to how students experience the teacher’s human presence.
In this episode, I talk with Caitlin Mullin, former producer of UCL’s flagship climate podcast Generation One. We explore how podcasting can support presence in online learning and what transforms a simple audio file into a podcast, highlighting the intentional choices that help audio feel personal, engaging, and meaningful for learners.
As you’ll hear in our conversation, podcasting is a simple, flexible way for educators to reach students and create a more human learning experience. This episode is an invitation to academic staff developing online courses to experiment; even small, imperfect beginnings can add value to students’ sense of connection.
This is my first attempt at podcasting and far from perfect, but that’s exactly the point: creating something small, learning from it, and improving with the help of expert advice.
How I made this episode
- I used MS Teams to record the conversation, both of us used a UCL standard headset with microphone.
- I converted the MP4 file into an MP3 using a free software called CloudConvert
- I edited the file using a free software called Audacity
Want to try podcasting?
- If you want to get started with podcasting, there is a session available in February as part of the DigiEd digital skills development . Alternatively, you can book a one to one session with Rebecca Wilson.
- You can also browse UCL Linkedin Learning for courses on Audacity and Podcasting.
- If you want to book the free podcasting studio, please contact the Educational Media team at video@ucl.ac.uk
Thank you to Caitlin Mullin, Rebecca Wilson, Matt Aucott and Ahmad Athar for their feedback and encouragement.
2 Responses to “Podcast Episode: Humanising online learning through podcasting”
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Antonella Veccia wrote on 4 December 2025:
Hi Matt,
An audio file is simply a standalone recording. A podcast, by contrast, usually involves intentional design and—when it’s a technical podcast—distribution through an RSS feed so listeners can subscribe. In my case, this episode isn’t formally syndicated, but the aim was to invite academics to use podcasting techniques to create a stronger sense of presence in online courses. As my host explained in the episode, what gives audio a “podcast” quality is the intentionality behind it: having a clear purpose, using a conversational tone, seriality, creating a sense of connection, and thinking about engagement rather than simply delivering information. These choices can make a simple audio file feel like a podcast, even without formal platform distribution. In Moodle, the same intentional use of audio can create presence, whether through collective feedback, weekly reflections, or linking concepts to real professional contexts.
What’s the difference between an audio file and a podcast? Does it have to be on a distribution platform of some sort to be considered a podcast (yes, I would say, though I am interpreting the term technically … something that can be downloaded and used offline) or do you consider a link to a file to be a podcast (taken as a description of a mode of performance)?