Podcasts have long been successful on the German market. But what about e-learning podcasts? First things first: there are still few German-language formats in this area. We have summarized a few worth listening to tips for you here – not exclusively, but predominantly from the field of e-learning.

5 recommended e-learning podcasts

Podcast growth continues: one in four Germans listens to podcasts – for an average of 13 minutes. This is shown by a representative survey by Bitkom e.V.. After all, 26 percent now use this media format. In the previous year, it was 22 percent. There is always room for more, especially in the field of digital learning. Which exciting e-learning podcasts have already managed to win us over as listeners?

Tip 1: "Inspired learning in a digital world" by Wilma Hartenfels

Brand new on the market is the podcast "Inspired learning in a digital world" by Wilma Hartenfels. In the summer of 2019, the independent consultant launched her channel, with which she wants to generate excitement for trends and awaken courage for new challenges. Wilma Hartenfels produces a new episode every month... and the first three episodes make you want more. Among others, Sirkka Freigang, Head of Smart Learning Environments at Bosch Software Innovations, has already been featured. The interview focused on her experiences with smart learning environments, current projects, and visions.

Tip 2: Corporate Learning Podcast

The Corporate Learning Community (CLC) is an open network for which interested parties from this field do not need to register. Rather, you are a member when you actively participate in a community activity. Part of the CLC is the Corporate Learning Podcast, which appears at irregular intervals. Topics include, for example, innovative teaching and learning formats, field reports, and ideas for the future orientation of learning and development. One episode is titled – fittingly for this article – "How podcasts seduce you into learning" ("Wie Podcasts zum Lernen verführen").

Tip 3: LovingHR Podcast

Jens Kollmann is active in the HR sector and specializes in New Work and digitalization. In his podcast Loving HR, he speaks with other HR experts about current trends, from employer branding and recruiting to software and development. It is about background information and orientation, but also inspiration. The podcast is not purely specialized in e-learning, but should not be missing from this list due to the large overlap in target groups and the high-quality presentation.

Tip 4: e-teaching.org Podcast

The portal e-teaching.org is a non-commercial offering from the Leibniz Institute for Knowledge Media, which specializes in information on the design of higher education with digital media. For over 10 years, this has also included a podcast format that discusses practice-relevant and scientifically sound topics. Only a few episodes appear per year. But anyone active in the higher education sector should definitely listen in. Topics from 2019 so far include:

• "Testing, evaluating and further developing teaching concepts with learning laboratories" with Elisa Thieme and Benjamin Abicht from the Center for Multimedia Teaching and Learning (LLZ) at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.
• "Changing your own teaching with digital media: Inverted classroom in neuroinformatics" with Prof. Dr. Wiskott from the Ruhr University Bochum.

Tip 5: Frisch an die Arbeit

"Frisch an die Arbeit" ("Fresh to work") is a podcast from Zeit Online, hosted by Leonie Seifert and Daniel Erk. While this is not actually a format from the e-learning podcast sector, it offers a lot of inspiration for anyone dealing with different work models – far away from the nine-to-five desk job. The focus is on the personal relationship with work, for example by Juliane Eller, who took over her parents' winery at 23, Marco from the Austrian rock band Wanda, or the Archbishop of Berlin Heiner Koch. Just three examples of people who work very differently from the masses and for whom private and professional life can probably hardly be separated anymore. In this podcast series, you will find out how much Tim Mälzer earns per year or why Lena Meyer-Landrut once considered quitting.

Conclusion: E-Learning Podcasts

Podcasts continue to be a trend, even though there is still growth potential compared to the USA or other countries. In the e-learning podcast sector, there are more and more formats trying to inspire listeners. For digital learning itself – i.e., not at a meta-level about e-learning, but as a means FOR e-learning – specialized podcasts and learning nuggets can also provide real added value. After all, they are equally uncomplicated to produce (compared to a video) and can be used in a maximally flexible way: because everyone probably has headphones and a smartphone in their pocket these days.

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