If there is one thing certain it  is that  the explosion in the last few years of multimedia publishing on the web is going to continue.Podcasts does not have to be limited to school or community audience. There are some great examples of kids making their learning transparent for others. Or how about students teaching students. This is what all this is about: being able to share what you create with others

Before you get your students podcasting .I would urge you to try it out first, I think you need to experience what you are asking you students to do