Pod Save IR: Podcasts as Effective Assignments in the International Relations Classroom.

This article examines the design, implementation, and assessment of a podcast assignment as an alternative to a traditional literature review paper in an upper-level International Political Economy (IPE) course. The assignment required student groups to create 10–15 minute podcasts that synthesize and apply peer-reviewed academic research to real-world IPE topics, communicating complex ideas clearly to an intelligent nonexpert audience. Developed partly in response to COVID-19 disruptions, the podcast project aimed to enhance student engagement, teamwork, problem-solving, communication, digital media skills, and knowledge transfer. Student surveys indicated that the assignment effectively supported these educational objectives, fostering deeper understanding of course material and collaborative learning, and it was also successfully adapted for use in U.S. politics courses. The paper provides detailed task descriptions, evaluation rubrics, and supporting resources to facilitate adoption by other instructors.