Media clubs in schools

The Students’ Voice: The Podcast as a New Classroom at Primary School “Ilinden”

This approach is based on successful global practices, from the USA to Finland, where podcasts are used as innovative tools to engage students and expand their knowledge. Research shows that this method of learning increases motivation, especially among students who learn best through listening, practical application, and teamwork.

Members of the media club at Primary School “Ilinden” in Kriva Palanka – Mihail, Sara, Božica, Luka, Davor, and Mihaela – prepare their mobile phones as they head to school. They check if the batteries are charged and if there is enough storage space for recording and taking photos. Unlike many of their peers who use phones mainly for games and social media, for these students, the mobile phone is a tool for recording and producing the school podcast – the new classroom in their school.

Thanks to the actively functioning media club within the school, students have started recording and producing their own school podcast. This is not just another extracurricular activity, but a true small media lab where children learn, create, and communicate in a way that is close to them and in step with modern technologies.

“The goal of these podcasts is for students to actively discuss topics related to school life, the curriculum they are studying, as well as current events and activities happening within the school,” says Dobri Jovevski, teacher and mentor of the media club.

He explains that the podcast as a medium allows students to speak out and talk about topics that concern them, share experiences from school life, discuss educational content, organize interviews with teachers and classmates, and convey the atmosphere of events happening at school. In preparing each episode, students research, write scripts, record, edit, and publish – going through all the stages of producing a modern media product.

When you see how the children prepare for a new episode, it becomes clear that behind the microphone are not just voices, but a learning process. The podcast has become an innovative educational tool that connects traditional knowledge with new media. Children acquire and strengthen skills such as public speaking, creative writing, teamwork, digital literacy, and critical thinking.

“This activity represents a modern way of learning, an interactive approach that enables students to develop a range of important skills: from public speaking and language expression to multimedia editing, digital literacy, and critical thinking,” adds Jovevski.

He says that the students themselves participate in the entire process – from the idea, script preparation, and recording, to editing and final presentation of the podcast to the wider public.

“This approach relies on concepts already applied in education around the world, from the USA to Finland, where the podcast becomes a means of engaging students and broadening horizons. Research confirms that this way of working positively affects motivation for learning, especially among students who better absorb knowledge through listening, practical work, and collaboration,” emphasizes the teacher.

According to him, this method of learning offers students the opportunity not only to create content but also to learn how to use media responsibly and creatively.

The media club at “Ilinden” school operates with support from the Macedonian Institute for Media, which provides professional and mentoring support for teachers and students. The goal is not just technical production of episodes, but the creation of a culture of media literacy from an early age – a culture of responsible and conscious use of media as a means of learning, expression, and participation in the community.

“The activities of the media club are carried out in cooperation with the Macedonian Institute for Media, which provides us with professional support, training, and guidance. Our joint goal is to create educational media products that contribute to improving the educational process and strengthening students’ media literacy,” says Jovevski.

In each new episode, you can feel the creativity, curiosity, and enthusiasm of a generation growing up with media but learning how to use it responsibly and wisely.

“Students enthusiastically and curiously embrace these challenges. Each new episode is an opportunity for creativity, collaboration, and learning through practical activities. What is especially important is that students do this with passion, enthusiasm, and a sense of personal responsibility for the content they create,” concludes Jovevski.

Author: Aleksandar Manasiev