Podcasts are digital media files (most often audio,
but they can be video as well), which are produced in a series. The user can
subscribe a series of files, or podcast, by using a piece of software called a
podcatcher. The podcast is a play on the word broadcast combined with the word
iPod (one of the most popular portable MP3 players).
Podcasting attracts people who want the ability to
choose their own content (much like using the Internet), instead of the TV and
radio model of broadcast where you tune in and select from one of the programs
playing. While
interview shows may be one of the most popular formats out there currently,
there are many different kinds of podcasts available:
- · Interviews
- · Conversational
- · Educational
- · Solo-casts
- · Non-fiction storytelling
- · Fiction storytelling (sometimes called podcast theatre)
- · Comedy Casts—Shock Jocks, Skits, Standup...etc
- · Couple Casts
- · Gaming
- · Godcasts: Religious and Spiritual Podcasts
- · Music
- · News
- · Politics
- · Radio Dramas
- · Q-Podders
- · Sci-Fi
- · Sex
- · Sports
- · Tech Podcasts
- · The Written Word
- · Others Genres
EDUCATIONAL PODCASTS
New technology always has a heavy impact on
education, and Podcasting is no different. Many learning institutions are
cutting back on textbooks and investing in technology enhanced learning.
Podcasting, as one of the latest mediums to emerge into the mainstream, is one
of the forefront technologies in this change.
Podcasting offers the opportunity for lecturers to
easily broadcast engaging audio content, which students can then listen to
at any time and wherever they are. A student only need to subscribe to a
podcast feed and suddenly push educational content to them, rather than wait
for them to come. Podcasts can easily be used in schools, universities or
colleges to engage students, and improve the teaching and learning process.
Many learning institutions which have incorporated
podcasting in their education system, have reported really positive results.
This can be attributed to the ease of creating and consuming podcasts as well
as the various ways in which education podcasts enhance the students’ learning
experience. Some of the famous podcasts are Examining Ethics, TED Talks audio, College
Info Geek, NPR’s Planet Money, The Naked Scientists, Stuff You Missed in
History Class, Left, Right & Center, Hardcore History, TWiT (This Week in
Tech), This American Life…etc
MERITS OF EDUCATIONAL PODCASTS
Podcasts are used for many educational purposes and
there are several advocates of podcasting who believe that it can offer unique
educational benefits to learners. The main advantage of podcasting is the
simplicity that it offers to learners. Listeners are no longer constrained by
time and space with regard to their learning. Podcasts give superior support to
auditory learners who comprise 30% of all learners. Expensive equipment or
sophisticated know-how is not needed to create a podcast. Podcasts are created
by students for projects or by instructors for instructional purposes. Some of
the merits of educational podcasts are:
1. Flexible availability – 24 hours a day
One of the greatest advantages of education podcasts
is the portability and convenience they offer. Podcasts can be downloaded to a
mobile device, allowing the student to access the learning resources anytime,
anywhere, with very little effort. There are podcast subscription apps
available for nearly every smart phone, and these make the process even easier.
In fact, iPhones come with an excellent podcast app installed by default. Once
the student has subscribed to a show (which you can make available really
easily), they don’t have to initiate the download: it’s sent automatically to
their app whenever a new episode is available. This makes podcasts very
convenient and also paves the way for truly flexible learning.
2. Students listen for longer than
they’ll watch or read
One of the great powers of podcasting is the
attention it attracts. It’s tricky to encourage students to spend 30 minutes
reading an article or watching a recorded lecture. That’s because text and
video require the student’s full attention – they need to sit patiently, doing
just one thing. Podcasting, on the other hand, can be done in otherwise wasted
time, or alongside a routine activity. While text and video struggle to attract
2 or 3 minutes of viewing, podcasts routinely run an hour or more. One of the
most popular shows in the world is a history podcast that can run for 3
hours!
3. Student created content
One
of the most interesting and valuable uses of Podcasting in Education is the
concept of student created content. Students can create their own podcasts,
perhaps including questions, discussions, presentations or projects. These can
then be made available to their classmates. This allows students to take
control of an aspect of their education and, therefore, encourages engagement
in the material. They can question, they can contribute and they can teach each
other.
4. Lecture review
One of the simplest uses of Podcasting is to record
lectures. This makes them easily accessible for students and creates invaluable
study aids. Students can use the podcast for reference purposes or when
preparing themselves for upcoming examinations. Any student who had challenges
in understanding a topic in the classroom can listen to this podcast. They can
study the content and understand the topic at their own pace. This capacity to
review, again and again, is particularly valuable to students from an
international background or with learning difficulties.
5. Make up for missed classes
When a student misses a class, by offering a podcast,
he/she can download recordings of the lectures. Moreover, a lecturer who is
unable to attend his or her classes for a week or two can create a podcast of
the lecture instead. This can be made available to the students and thus makes
up for any unattended lectures.
6. Consistency of student experience
Lecture recordings can help a teacher or
professor to ensure that they always cover any given topic in the best way
possible. This comes in handy when the lecturer in question teaches multiple
sessions of the same class. It helps the teacher to ensure that every student
gets the same experience, the same information, and that the syllabus is
covered uniformly.
7. Benefits for mental and visual
impairments
Perhaps one of the greatest pedagogic
characteristics offered by educational podcasting is the chance to learn
through listening. To many of the current student generation, learning through listening
is enjoyable and less tedious than reading. Educational podcasts are appealing
and may encourage students who don’t like reading. Many students may struggle
with reading through mental impairments, such as Dyslexia, and podcasts can be
a big aid in this. Podcasts are equally useful in cases where a visual
impairment makes traditional learning methods arduous.
There are many uses of podcasting in the classroom.
They can be used to convey instructional information from the teacher or
trainer, motivational stories, and auditory case studies. Podcasts can also be
used by the learners as artifacts and evidence of learning; for example, a
student might prepare a brief podcast as a summary of a concept in lieu of
writing an essay. Podcasts can also be used as a means of self-reflection on
the learning processes or products. Podcasts can help keep students on the same
page, including those that are absent. Absent students can use podcasts to see
class lectures, daily activities, homework assignments, handouts, and
more. Students can create their own podcast to share their learning
experiences with each other and also with other students from other schools.
Many students choose to use podcasts as a supplement
to lecture materials. Before classes, students use podcasts to gain an overall
understanding of the upcoming lecture, which makes them feel more confident and
much more prepared for the class. The use of podcasts better prepares students
for classes and promotes discussions. Students use podcasts as part of
their review for exams because it provides different methods of reinforcement
of course material. This includes (1) visual reinforcement of material, (2)
testing of their knowledge base, and (3) adding variety to the review
experience. In addition, students who missed the lecture because of
sickness or other reasons can use podcasts to catch up their
notes. Students learn better when they have a teacher present the
materials, rather than going over other people's notes. Finally, students with
disabilities and students who do not speak English as their first language use
podcasts because they can listen to the material repeatedly. These
students all find podcasts more useful than the traditional handouts because in
a conventional classroom setting, it is impossible for students to pause and
resume the class.
There are five key benefits regarding the use of
video podcasts for students.
1. Students can control the pace of their own
studies
2. Increase in motivation
3. Improvement in study habits
4. Positive impact on testing skills
5. Does not reduce
class attendance
PODCASTS FOR TEACHERS
Podcasting can be a tool for teachers or
administrators to communicate with parents and the wider community about
curriculum plans and content, student assignments and other information. Podcasting
is a significant resource which teachers can use to teach and learn a language.
It is an alternative method of learning which can help to improve your
listening skills. Most of producers of podcasts are educators who use this
technology to communicate with their students outside the traditional class.
Podcasting is also a tool which allows teachers to share their ideas and
suggestions in order to improve their method of teaching.
CONCLUSION
The role of podcasts in future learning is to
augment learning. They can have numerous benefits for both teachers and
students, not the least of which is developing improving listening and
comprehension skills. It can be an effective tool, but it has its limitations
in terms of comprehensive learning. Yet when used properly, podcasts can make
be a powerful and positive addition to the classrooms and courses!
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