Podcasting Enhances Education

By: Samantha Kroot

Table of Contents• “Podcasting And Education”

- Interview with Rice University’s Jeffrey D. Frey

• Personal Reflection• “Plugging Into Students’ Digital DNA”

- Luanne Fose & Martin Mehl

• Personal Reflection• “2006 Campus Technology Innovators: Podcasting”

- Innovator: Marist College

• Personal Reflection• Conclusion

Podcasting and EducationInterview with Jeffrey D. Frey

Five things people are doing with their podcasts:

Briggs, Linda L. (2008, January, 16). Podcasting and Education. Campus Technology, Retrieved June 11, 2009, from http://campustechnology.com/articles/2008/01/podcasting-and-education.aspx

Podcasts Enhance Recruitment

How?• “Podcasts can give a more real sense of what

it’s like to be at that university.”• “It makes you feel a little more connected to

the university.”

My Personal ReflectionI think the points Jeffrey D. Grey

made were valid in the Podcasting and Education article. I thought it was clever how he categorized the five “whys” of podcasting. I didn’t realize that podcasts were being used to recruit students as much as he said they were. Now that I think about it, a podcast would be a great way to get a better feel for a university, especially if a student doesn’t have the time or means to visit the campus.

“Plugging Into Students’ Digital DNA”Luanne Fose & Martin Mehl

Is podcastingtechnology truly aviable asset forimprovingteachingand learningoutcomes?

Preconceived notions or “myths” about podcasting:

•MP3 devices promote social isolation and educational apathy.•Podcasting will negatively effect classroom attendance.•Podcasting is only a rehash of the course lecture.•Podcasts will increase student anxiety and cause information overload.•Podcasting fosters the continental divide of Mac vs. Windows, each student must own an Ipod.

(2007, September, 3). Plugging in Students' Digital DNA:Five Myths Prohibiting Proper Podcasting Pedogagy in the New Classroom Domain. Merlot Journal of Online Technology and Teaching, 3, Retrieved June 11, 2009, from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol3no3/mehl.htm

“In this case, podcasting is not a gizmo, but definitely an instrument worthy of utilization to its full potential

as an edifying mentor inside and outside of the classroom.”

• If properly perceived, MP3 devices can enhance an instructor’s credibility and create an inviting and thriving classroom environment.

• If properly planned, podcasting can actually increase the attendance and the enthusiasm of students in the classroom.

• If properly applied, lecture content can be dynamic, timely and enjoyable while focusing on educational valued.      

• If properly distributed, students do not have to break the bank and purchase the umpteenth-and-first iPod to be engaged, nor do they even need to own an Apple hardware product.      

• If properly reviewed, function and form challenge one another and provide a more advanced, more structured, and ultimately more enjoyable workspace for both students and instructors.

“Podcasting is dependent upon the users’ approach.”

My Personal ReflectionI think the study revealed that the five myths of

podcasting are completely false, and that podcasting in the classroom is an extremely valuable tool to both the students and the teachers. Students showed their interest in podcasts and commented on how helpful they were in understanding course material. In the survey taken by the students after the pilot, it was determined that podcasting is not just an auditory/visual aid, but it is also an entertainment and academic device that fosters knowledge “in part due to its dynamism and creating competence through expediency.” This pilot and review persuaded me that podcasts in the classroom improve both teaching goals and learning outcomes.

Marist College created a newapproach to podcasting in which the

students generate and share their owncontent.

“2006 Campus Technology Innovators: Podcasting”

“Our project is leveraging the collective intelligence of the students…combining cutting-edge, taskedbased pedagogical

approaches with an approach to podcasting sometimes known as social podcasting or

group podcasting.”

(2006, July, 23). 2006 CampusTechnology Innovators:Podcasting. CampusTechnology, Retrieved June 12, 2009, from http:campustechnology.com/Articles/2006/07/2006-Campus-Technology-Innovators-Podcasting.aspx?Page=1

My Personal ReflectionI think Marist College’s idea of social podcasting is an innovative and more interactive form of podcasting. It has modified podcasting in ways that will be extremely beneficial to students studying abroad. Students at Marist college initially saw a problem when students studying abroad began taking online general education courses. The model they created offers the convenience of learning online, while deepening students study abroad experiences. I think steering away from podcasting lectures is a wise decision for all professors, and instead creating more interactive and engaging podcasts.

Conclusion