Psychosocial predictors of the use of enhanced podcasting in student learning

The current study examined the influence of psychosocial constructs, from a theory of planned behavior (TPB) perspective, to predict university students’ (N = 159) use of a newly offered on-line learning tool, enhanced podcasts. Pre-semester, students completed questionnaires assessing the TPB predictors (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control) related to intended enhanced podcast use until the middle of semester. Mid-semester, students completed similar items relating to podcast use until the end of semester. Self-report measures of podcast use were obtained at the middle and end of semester. At both time points, students’ attitudes predicted their intentions and, at the initial time point, subjective norm also predicted intended podcast use. An examination of the beliefs underlying attitudes, the only construct to predict intentions at both time points, revealed differences between those students higher, rather than lower on intentions to use the podcasts, especially for the perceived educational benefits of podcast use later in the semester. Intentions to use enhanced podcasting only predicted self-reported use in the second half of the semester. Overall, this study identified some of the determinants which should be considered by those aiming to encourage student use of novel on-line educational tools.

A test of podcasting effectiveness for lecture revision

It is important to understand how student performance when higher education is delivered by via new technology. Podcasting is a relatively recent new technology gaining widespread use across the world. We present the results of a quasi-experimental research project that finds when podcasts are used as a revision tool, student performance in Accounting improves. We highlight that aligning podcast use with pedagological design is important and discuss constraints on and barriers to the use of podcasting in higher education.

The power of educational podcasting : using short-format podcasts to reinforce tertiary student learning experiences in science

In 2007 I introduced short-format educational podcast resources that reinforced conceptual teaching and learning in an interdisciplinary tertiary science study area (biochemistry). This study aims to determine student attitudes to the perceived usefulness and benefit of short-format educational podcasts, and presents the findings (qualitative and quantitative) from surveys obtained from three offerings of the science teaching unit (2007, 2008 and 2009). Podcasts were recorded (MP3 audio files) separately from the instructive lecture sessions, and subsequent to the weekly lecture, short-format podcasts summarising the key learning objectives were integrated within the resources presented through the students learning management system (Blackboard). The vast majority (>88%) of students utilised the podcast resources, indicating a high level of acceptance and uptake for this portable educational technology. The respondents reported that podcasts focused their attention to core learning concepts and supported their understanding and learning of the lecture material. Furthermore, the data showed that respondents agreed strongly that podcasts assisted with study and revision for examinations and, somewhat surprisingly, there was a perception that podcasts positively impacted on examination performance. Overall, student users perceived that podcasting is as an effective and valuable educational tool that offers convenience and flexibility for their learning and understanding of a tertiary science study area, such as biochemistry.

Podcasting - delivering learning to the iTunes generation

The Guardian newspaper (21st October 2005) informed its readers that: "Stanford University in California is to make its course content available on iTunes...The service, Stanford on iTunes, will provide…downloads of faculty lectures, campus events, performances, book readings, music recorded by Stanford students and even podcasts of Stanford football games". The emergence of Podcasting as means of sending audio data to users has clearly excited educational technologists around the world. This paper will explore the technologies behind Podcasting and how this could be used to develop and deliver new E-Learning material. The paper refers to the work done to create Podcasts of lectures for University of Greenwich students.

Creating a suitable and successful solution for the integration of podcasting and vidcasting in a higher education e-learning environment

A small research project is currently taking place within a department of the University of Greenwich. The project involves using current technology (Apple’s xServe, iPhones, iPod touch, Podcast Producer application and some 3rd party capture software) with the intention to provide a solution for quick and simple podcasting. This paper also aims to investigate the use of podcasting to help promote and extend the e-learning provision within the school. In short this project aims to justify the use of podcasting as a teaching and learning tool to help enhance student learning while identifying the most appropriate manner to integrate podcasting within an e-learning environment.

Redes de participación e intercambios en la radio pública : los podcasting.

El artículo pertenece a una sección monográfica de la revista dedicada a nuevas formas de comunicación: cibermedios y medios móviles. - Resumen tomado parcialmente de la revista.

UECOM Radio : Refuerzo de competencias mediante streaming y podcasting.

Resumen tomado de la publicación

Podcasting y el aprendizaje / ense??anza del espa??ol como lengua extranjera (E/LE) en Taiw??n : dise??o, producci??n y distribuci??n

Resumen basado en la publicaci??n

Podcasting Oral Presentations

This presentation tells how podcasts can be used to enhance the learning experience of English as a Second Language (ESL) students registered in a content-based language immersion program. The students were placed in groups of four and asked to prepare an oral presentation. The topics of the presentations included Financial Aid, College Courses and Course Schedules and Academic Policies. Each presentation was podcasted to give students an opportunity for self-evaluation and feedback.

Application of podcasting in online engineering education

Applications of mobile technologies for engineering education can be found in the literature, but, many of the reported applications are aimed at the online (wirelessly), on-campus, synchronous and proximal use of mobile technologies. Mobile technologies in engineering education can encompass more than the proximal teaching and learning environment-they can be offline, asynchronous and at a distance from the classroom. This paper reports on the initial application of `podcasting' in a wholly online engineering study unit. It presents the rationale for, technical development details of, and, limited evaluation of this initial podcasting trial.

Podcasting and pedagogy

This chapter explores the engagement of tertiary students in interviewing “green” experts. Using Engeström’s expansive activity model, the study finds that integrating podcasting into a course with strong links to other activities and resources helped students assimilate and develop the concepts of the course. The project promotes functionalist values of independent, experimental learning and deep engagement with learning material, it invokes authentic field experience, accommodates different learning styles and it provides considerable motivation.

The study suggests that mobile learning embodies the means to change relationships between learner and expert and that such connecting is a key attribute of contemporary subjective association and recontextualization. The chapter provides a brief review of the literature on podcasting in education, followed by the teaching and learning context and the application of Engeström’s “expansive activity model” (1994, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010). I describe the student group undertaking the exercises in a Level 5 Sociology course, and the project (which subsequently extended into a later course: “The Sustainable Business Environment”, because many of the podcast students had pre-enrolled in that course).

The paper discusses the methodological approach that was used, offering two strands of analysis: students’ use of the podcasts and how the latter were placed in their learning about sustainable development. The discussion section elaborates the model and offers suggestions for advancing the educational use of podcasts. Last, I offer some thoughts on how Engeström’s model might be extended in education to develop not just new objects, but also the new use of objects.