podcasting for teaching and learning dr palitha edirisingha university of leicester [email protected]...
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PODCASTING FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
Dr Palitha Edirisingha
University of Leicester
MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
www.impala.ac.uk
The workshop programme
15/05/2008 Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
1.30pm – 3pm: work (content, activity 1, technology)
3pm – 3.15pm: tea/coffee break (and technology)
3.15pm – 5pm: work (content, activity 2, technology)
5pm: finish (more on research, further work)
The background
31
Informal Mobile Podcasting And Learning Adaptation(IMPALA)
Investigate the impact of podcasting on student learning
32 Deliver testable and transferable models of podcasting
33 Develop subject-specific exemplars and user cases
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
IMPALA Projects
Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Genetics and Biomedical
Sciences
Students’ transition to HE
IMPALA 2
IMPALA 3
IMPALA 4
IMPALA Ten subject areas
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
• Chemistry• Engineering• English Language &Communication• Genetics• Human Geography• Physical Geography• Physics• Sociology• Media and Communication• Veterinary Sciences
• Leicester• Kingston• Nottingham• Gloucestershire• Royal Veterinary
College• Leeds• Sussex
Universities
Disciplines
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
So… what is podcasting…
Technical definitions - distinguishing podcasts from other means of delivery and access to digital media files
- Distributed on the internet using syndication feeds- Downloaded automatically through a subscription service- Content to be automatically delivered to user’s computer
as soon as new content is posted on the web (BBC, 2005).
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
A podcast is …
- a digital media file- that plays sound (or sound and visuals)- made available from a website (via the internet)- can be opened and / or downloaded and played on a
computer, and / or- downloaded from a website to be played on a portable
digital player
(Salmon et al., 2008, p. 20)
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
Aspect Podcasting Early approaches
Content CaptureComputer, sound recorder, anywhere, free software, tools
Specialised equipment, recording studios
Distribution Feeders (RSS) – free VLE Duplication / copying
Postal services
AccessAggregator (iTunes, Google Reader) - content ‘dripping in’
Download
Postal services
Collecting personally
UseMobile devices (MP3 players) Computers
Cassette player
Walkman
Logistics of use Easy, flexibility, indexing, near-unlimited storage
Bulky tapes, limitations, lack of flexibility
Content contributors
Teachers, students, alumini, stake holders, non-specialists
Teachers, institutional
Applications Many Instructional, motivational
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
Podcasting Vs early uses of audio
Relevance of podcasting for learning
Potential for learning in new ways
Content distribution:Free software / tools andautomated services
Format of content:audio, audio-vision
Content access:free, automated tools,services
Use:learner-owned technologies
Possibilities forcontent, creativity
Patterns, locationsof use:potential to tap intodigital listening cultures
Content capture:Free software and tools
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
How can podcasts be used to support teaching, learning and assessment?
Activity 1
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
- Ten factor design framework- Use cases- Task sheet 1
A ten factor design framework
1. Pedagogical rationale 2. Medium 3. Convergence 4. Authors and contributors to podcasts 5. Structure of podcasting 6. Reusability 7. Length 8. Style 9. Framework 10. Access system
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
Group feedback
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
How podcasts fit within teaching, learning and assessment…
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
eLearning Africa, Nairobi, 28 May 2007 14
eLearning Africa, Nairobi, 28 May 2007 15
eLearning Africa, Nairobi, 28 May 2007 16
eLearning Africa, Nairobi, 28 May 2007 17
eLearning Africa, Nairobi, 28 May 2007 18
eLearning Africa, Nairobi, 28 May 2007 19
eLearning Africa, Nairobi, 28 May 2007 20
eLearning Africa, Nairobi, 28 May 2007 21
Podcast recording and editing software
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
Tea, coffee [15 minutes]
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
Designing podcasting for learning
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
‘Profcasts’ – supporting campus-based students’ online learning
An undergraduate module on Electrical Engineering, one semester (12 weeks)
Lecturer – PVC for teaching and learning Course online: 40 online lectures (each 10-mins; sound,
illustrations, video clips), Web-resources, ‘e-tivities’, formative and final assessments
Majority - non-native English speakers
15/05/2008 Screen of an online lecture
Integration of ‘profcasts’ with teaching, learning and assessment activities
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
15/05/2008
Rationale for including podcasts
Enliven the course Complement the announcement page (‘what you are doing
next week, etc.’) Feedback on work, e-tivities and assignments Informal learning / linking concepts to everyday
applications Further explanations on difficult concepts Incorporating a fun element to learning
Format of ‘profcasts’
End
End
Middle
Middle
Beginning
Beginnin
g
2 minutes2 minutes 6 minutes6 minutes 2 minutes2 minutes
Format of ‘profcasts’
Beginning: news element Course context, situating what they learn to the real world
applications E.g. birthday of fibre optics, fibre optics in the ‘Internet
Superhighway’, lunar eclipse, delivering internet over the ‘final mile’
Format of ‘profcasts’
Middle: announcements, feedback Students’ achievements Signposting to the course Overview of typical amount of work expected A comparison of findings amongst groups (e-tivity tasks) Feedback as a group Comments on assignments How to pace studies Further explanations - concepts
Format of ‘profcasts’
End: fun (joke, a rap, …) Encourage students to listen regularly Keep them listening to the end more informal
An extract from a ‘profcast’ – feedback
‘Well – how do you think the assignment went?’
‘The group with the highest score was group 2 – well above the others with an average score 72%. Group 3 got a score of 63% and the other two groups got average marks in the high 2(ii)s. The average mark was 31 out of 50, i.e. 62%.’
‘You mostly did well in knowing the different types of fibre and you seemed to know what attenuation was – although you didn’t always get your decibel calculations correct. You need to make sure you understand the difference between millis, micros, nanos, and kilos, megas, and gigas – if you’re not sure then check in the Engineering Data book and learn them.’
(Fothergill, 2008a).
An extract from a ‘profcast’ – feedback’
‘You were a bit more hazy on what dispersion is – which is a pity because it’s really the rationale for using lasers as you’ll see later in the course. You’ll see that lasers have a very narrow bandwidth and so reduce intramodal dispersion. Many of you couldn’t answer the question that gave you some data and then said, “If the source has a bandwidth of 50 nm, what is the maximum bit rate possible over a 10 km link?” This will be quite useful in your final assignment. In particular many of you found it difficult to distinguish between different types of dispersion.’
(Fothergill, 2008a)
What do the students say about ‘profcasts’
‘The good thing about podcasts is you can sit in your room and play and listen to them. He is saying things about the module. It is good to listen to them.’
‘I listen to them after about 8pm. When they are announced … when I don’t have anything else to do like course work, I listen to them. When the announcements say that podcasts are available I listen to them. Mostly after I go back home. … you don’t have to do it at the same time as others. Go home and listen to them. Sit down and listen.’
‘It is really good when he relates information in the lecture to real life. It helps you to understand things.’
(Fothergill, 2008a)
What do the students say about ‘profcasts’
‘In the beginning I didn’t know what podcasts were. I think he is singing in the sixth one, my friend told me, so I’m like “mm, that should be interesting! [laughter] . professor has got a really good sense of humour. I really like that. I really like his lectures and podcast.
If you are interested in the way the module is taught, then you sit down and study. But if the module is boring or the lecturer is boring you think “oh, I have to study this. But I don’t want to”.
The way the module is taught is interesting. It makes people interested in the module.’
‘It is different. It is like, “let’s see what joke he has got in this one! Also there is a lot of information as well.’
What do the students say about ‘profcasts’
‘Professor talks about the course, example, topic for the week and explanations relating to the topic studied. I learn other things which sometimes aren’t related to the course. It is quite useful, it is just general feedback. He points out where students make mistakes.’
(Fothergill, 2008a)
Evidence of improvement in quality
Optical Fibre Communications mark distribution
0102030405060708090
100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100Percentage of students with mark <M
Mar
k M
% 2004
1998
1999
2000
2005
2006
TraditionalLectureCourses
2007
2008
(Fothergill, 2008b)
Developing an outline for a 3-min podcast
Recording
Posting on a VLE
Activity 2
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
Researching and evaluating podcasting
Involving with IMPALA research
What next…
Palitha Edirisingha, MLearn 2008 pre-conference workshop, Telford, UK 7 Oct 2008
