The present study explored the ways in which the production of digital media, specifically podcasts (i.e., downloadable digital audio files), rooted in the key tenets of critical literacy, can support education for democracy, in addition to the overall benefits and barriers of podcasting in an elementary classroom. The project can be considered a collaborative interpretative qualitative study that sought to understand the circumstances, experiences, practices, and perceptions of an elementary teacher, her students, and myself, a researcher who created and disseminated podcasts centered on children's literature that addressed social issues. Specifically, during the course of six months, eight podcasts were created that addressed issues of gender, race, and class, covering topics such as child labor, women's suffrage, slavery, and American Indian boarding schools. Within the study, six methods of data collection were utilized, namely, participant observation, audio recording, interviews, photographs, document review (i.e., paper-based and digital documents such as podcasts and audience comments), and reflective journaling. Data analysis centered on the constant comparative method and used frameworks for both critical democracy (Goodman, 1992) and student resistance (Solorzano & Delgado Bernal, 2002). It was found that creating and disseminating podcasts rooted in critical literacy supported students in becoming active democratic citizens committed to promoting social justice. Specifically, the podcasting project educated for critical democracy by focusing largely on topics of historical oppression, cultivating a sense of community both locally and globally, and offering a forum for students to take action in an effort to modify public consciousness. Additionally, it was found that the podcasting project promoted democratic leadership and rechanneled student self-defeating resistance into transformative resistance. These findings provide hope that in this test-driven educational landscape, it is possible for teachers and students to courageously unite as civically-engaged democratic citizens committed to making their classrooms beacons of light in dark times. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]