introduction to podcasting in higher education
TRANSCRIPT
Jeffrey Nugent Center for Teaching Excellence
Virginia Commonwealth University
Introduction to Podcasting in Education
iPods on Campus
What is a Podcast?
• A multimedia file (audio / video) distributed over the Internet using RSS feeds
• Commonly subscribed to and downloaded for playback on mobile MP3 players (iPod)
• Considered a “push” technology in that the user chooses files to subscribe to through a RSS feed
Is this new technology?
• Downloadable and streaming audio are nearly as old as the web
• Ease of publication, subscription (RSS) and use across multiple environments
• Portability “time shifting”
Pew Internet & American Life Project(http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_podcasting.pdf April, 2005)
• 22 million American adults own iPods or MP3 players
• More than 6 million American adults have listened to podcasts
• 29% of those have downloaded podcasts to listen to at their leisure
• Of those who own iPods / MP3 players in the 18-28 year old range, over 50% have downloaded podcasts
Perceived Advantages of Podcasting
• Mobile and flexible learning
• No longer anchored to a computer
• Anytime-anywhere access to instructional content
• Education more portable than ever before
Using Podcasts in Higher Education
Recording & Distributing Course Lectures via Podcast
• Distribution of audio recording is a decades old practice
• Matches well defined practice to latest technology
• Highly requested among students
• Fairly easy to implement
• Subscription model is convenient
Research on Podcasting in Higher Education
All reports address lecture podcasts.
• University of Michigan School of Dentistry
• University of Washington podcasting pilot
• Harvard Extension School
Podcasting Reports: Key Findings
• Audio is most preferred format for lecture recordings
• Lecture podcast seen as convenient tool for review
• 20% of students listen to 75% of podcasts
• Obtaining files via RSS increased likelihood of lecture download
Podcasting Reports: Key Findings
• Most students (75-80%) report listening to podcasts on a computer
• Podcasting in large enrollment courses improved student perceptions of the course
• No studies to date indicate positive or negative impact on learning outcomes
Research on Auditory Instruction
• Research comparing auditory instruction technology to in-class instruction (lecture) has often found no significant difference in student learning
Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology (2004)
Emerging Instructional Practices
• Creation of supplementary course material
• Using podcasts to restructure course
• Language learning lessons
• Student generated learning content
• Develop technical skill of listening
Faculty Concerns
• Time, time, time…
• Learning curve for new practices / tools
• Copyright issues
• Impact on attendance
• Availability of institutional archives for lecture-based courses
• Disconnect b/t positive perceptions among students and study findings
Implications for Teaching & Learning
• Podcasting may be an efficient way to deliver instruction without compromising learning effectiveness
• Podcasting may be an effective means for augmenting current class instruction
• Possible learning advantage by blending the media content of daily life with university course material
• Ultimate value may lie in potential to “educate further”
Podcasting @ VCU(The Blogcast Model)
record audio (mp3)
post mp3 file to your blog
subscribe to podcast (iTunes)
download and play