Podcasting as a Creative Pedagogical Approach to train teachers to be global citizens in the Era of Digital Divide

Abstract

Researchers have long advocated the teaching of citizenship education from a more international perspective. Arguments for this position have been made from the perspective of global citizenship education (e.g., Akkari & Maleq, 2021; Guo, 2014), human rights education (e.g., Mihr & Schmitz, 2007; Kingston, 2014), and education for diverse and multicultural populations (e.g., Khaedir & Wahab, 2020). In the Age of Artificial Intelligence, particularly, the rapid technological divide has widened the gap between the global north and south. While the early 2000s coined the term 'digital divide' to signify the gap between connected and unconnected individuals, the new digital divide extends beyond mere connectivity issues. It hinders equal participation and opportunities across various life domains, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups. Among others, a significant obstacle to adopting an international approach in citizenship education is the limited global and digital literacy among teachers. This study, centered on a citizenship education podcast case study, explores whether podcasting technology, as a form of organic technology-enhanced pedagogy, can enhance teachers' global and digital literacy. Utilising practitioner-based enquiry (Murray, 1992; Lofthouse, 2014; Kerrigan et al., 2021), the research aims to determine if podcasts can effectively improve the global literacy of citizenship educators worldwide. The findings suggest that podcasts have the potential to foster global awareness through geographically diverse and controversial content and contribute to bridging the digital gap between the global North and South