From open feeds to closed platforms: the rise and retreat of educational podcasting

Over its two decades of history, podcasting has undergone a profound transfor-mation into a commercial productive practice. Once celebratedas an open, learner-driven format ideal for asynchronous education, in teaching and learning environments it has largely been absorbed into closed institutional platforms, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.This article provides a criticalexamination of the development of educational podcasting, charting its progression from an initially decentralized audio format designed for low-bandwidth contexts to its contemporary function as a broad descriptor for digital audio content integrated within Learning Management Systems (LMSs).Drawing on ongoing re-search that integrates a literature review of educational podcasting with analyses of Google Trends and Google Ngram Viewer data, this paper critically explores how advancements in technological infrastructure, mobile accessibility, and educational policies have reshaped both the practice and conceptualization of podcasting within educational settings.