Students’ Knowledge
of and Attitudes Toward
Podcasting in Teaching & Learning
Steve C. Yuen, Ph.D. - Professor
Sharon E. Rouse, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor
Sheri L. Rawls, M.S. - Director Learning Enhancement Center
February 22, 2008 EDUCAUSE Southwest Regional Houston, Texas
Conference 2008

Podcasting
What is Podcasting?
How is it used?
When is it used?
Where is it used?

Podcasting
Educational Resources
Distance Learning
Oral Lectures
Literary Reviews
Digital Audio Books
Demonstrations and Presentations
Class News and Updates

Podcasting
Educational Resources (Continued)
Home/School Communication
Guest Expert Interviews
Supplement Information Distribution
Student-Produced Learning
Student Re-Mediation
Tours/Fieldwork
Staff Development

Podcasting
Education (Continued)
Internships/Residencies
Evaluation of Student Work
Language Lessons

Podcasting
Why podcasting in education?
Enhance Student Engagement
Self-Pace Distance Learning
Deliver Alternative Course Content
Make Content Portable
Encourage Critical Thinking
Offer A Rich Learning Environment

Podcasting
Pros
Generation X and Y and
Neo-Millemium Learners
Voice Communication
Learning Modes Added
Time-Shift Information
Learner Control

Podcasting
Cons
Copyright Issues
Technology Inappropriately Used

Podcasting
USM Podcasting Pilot Project Goals
Involve Faculty
Provide Alternative Course Content
Use of Easy Tool for Recording
Increase Students’ Podcasting
Offer Rich Learning Environment
Test Podcasting Technology with
Pilot Faculty

Podcasting
Pilot Faculty and Staff
Faculty Participants - 12 faculty members from
5 colleges and the library

Podcasting
Podcasting Pilot Project Personnel
Project Directors:
Dr. Steve Yuen
Dr. Sharon Rouse
Learning Enhancement Center Staff:
Sheri Rawls, Director
Amy Thornton, Instructional
Technologist
Adrian Castillo, Multimedia
Developer

Podcasting
Podcasting Pilot Project Faculty
Activities
Participating in a Support Group
Mailing List and Blog
Training on Podcasting Technology
Conducting Formative and Summative
Assessments

Podcasting
www.usm.edu/lec/podcasting/

Podcasting
Pilot Study
Selected Faculty Participants
Provided Training and Roundtable
Discussion Sessions for Faculty in
June 2007

Podcasting
Pilot Study Purpose
To determine students’ interest,
technology background, learning styles,
study habits, attitudes toward the use of
podcasting in teaching and learning

Podcasting
Timeline
Launched Pilot Project in April 2007
Invited Faculty to Submit
Podcasting Proposals and Ideas
Conducted Online Student Survey in
May 2007
Survey Completed by 965 Students in
Face-to-Face and Online
Undergraduate and Graduate Classes

Podcasting
Timeline (Continued)
Awarded a 80GB iPods, a Mac Book, and a
TuneTalk Recorder for each Pilot Faculty
Implemented Podcasting in Selected
Undergraduate/Graduate Courses
Beginning Fall 2007
Conducted the First Phase of Formative
Assessment in December 2007

Podcasting
USM Podcasting Survey Response
Percentages by Age
14% 8%
Under 20
7%
20-25
26-30
9%
31-35
47% 36-40
41-above
15%

Podcasting
Computer Connections Students Use
800 716
700
600 Phone Dial UP
500 Cable, DSL
400 T1/LAN/WAN
300
Not Sure
200 120 98
45 41 Other
100
0
Internet Connections

Podcasting
Media Students Use to Listen to
Podcasts
Computer/
4% 7% Laptop
1% iPod/MP3
PDA
29% 59% CD
Other

Podcasting
iPod Models Students Own
Scroll Wheel
4% 5%
21% iPod Touch
11% iPod Mini
3% Click Wheel
iPod Shuffle
11% iPod Photo
5% iPod w/ Color
34%
6% Nano
5th Gen Video

Podcasting
Number of Hours Students Use
Their iPods or MP3 Players
Weekly
2%
5% 5<
12% 34% 5<10
10<20
21% 20<30
30<40
26% 40<50

Podcasting
Students Prefer the Mobility that
the iPod/MP3 Player Provides
17% Strongly Agree
1% Agree
1%
Disagree
55%
26% Strongly
Disagree
Not Applicable

Podcasting
Students Prefer the Mobility that
the iPod/MP3 Player Provides
19% 19%
32% 30%
Ability to review materials at my own pace
Ability to review materials whenever I want
Ability to review materials repeatedly
Ability to review materials wherever I want

Podcasting
Students are More Likely to Use
the Podcasts if Available to Them
Strongly Agree
21%
Agree
1%
43% Disagree
4%
Strongly
Disagree
31%
Not Applicable

Podcasting
How Students Feel Podcasting
Course Materials Improve
Learning
27% Very Helpful
31%
Helpful
Little Help
5%
No Help
8% N/A
29%

Podcasting
Podcast Format that Students
Feel Suits Their Personal
Learning Styles
16% Audio
Audio and
59% 25% Images
Video

Podcasting
Percentage of Students
Interested in Accessing
Instructional Materials Using
Podcasting
21%
Yes
No
79%

Podcasting
Hours Students Spend Using
iPod/MP3 Player to Access
Instructional Materials
0%
1% 5<
2% 5<10
10<20
3%
20<30
85%
9% 30<40
40<50

Podcasting
Students Podcasting Media
Presentation Preferences
16%
Audio
w/Images
59% 25%
Video

Podcasting
Students Prefer Podcast Course
Delivery to Attending Lectures
Strongly Agree
17%
Agree
34%
Disagree
23%
Strongly
8% Disagree
18% Not Applicable

Podcasting
Are Students More Likely to
Enroll in Classes Offering
Podcast?
Strongly Agree
Agree
27% 25%
Disagree
5% Strongly
13% Disagree
30%
Not Applicable

Podcasting
Students Feel the Addition of
Podcasting Course Material is to
Understanding of the
Course Content
Very Helpful
28% 29%
Helpful
Little Help
5%
No Help
7% 31% N/A

Podcasting
Pilot Study Results
Students strongly favored classes
using podcasting for the ability to
review materials repeatedly and
whenever they wanted

Podcasting
Pilot Study Results (Continued)
Students preferred the following:
Taking classes that offer
combination classes that used
face- to -face classroom
experience and podcasting
Taking a class offering
podcasting, and indicated they
would be more likely to use an
iPod or MP3 if it were available

Podcasting
Conclusions from the Pilot Study
Students at USM are interested and
would like to have podcasting
implemented into their classes
The data should be used to design
and develop instructional podcasts
that will help instructors and
students in the learning process,
foster engagement and reflection,
and to enhance overall user
experience for students in their
learning environment

Podcasting
Conclusions from the Pilot Study
(Continued)
The study provided data that
supported faculty involvement in
participation in a podcasting
initiative to improve student’s
learning opportunities through the
use of innovative technologies

Podcasting
Lessons Learned
Know your audience.
Focus on your content - Garbage in,
Garbage Out…
Invest in a good microphone for your
podcast.
Have notes and an outline to keep on
the topic.

Podcasting
Podcasting 101
Edit your podcast appropriately for
content, quality, and length.
Keep your podcast short and file size
small - use a lower rate of bits per
second (32 kpbs, 16 KHz, Mono) and
still sound good to listener.

Podcasting
Podcasting 101 (Continued)
A “talking head” is distracting. Do not
include video if the video does not
enhance the content.
Deliver valuable, informative, engaging
content to students that they cannot get
from any other sources.
Provide notes for students to review
content of the episode before and while
they listen to the podcast.

Podcasting
Podcasting Questions for
Thought…
Will students still come to face-to-face
lectures?
What about public access to audio files
What about copyright issues?
Is it difficult to search or scan podcast
content?
Do podcasts lend themselves to passive
and prescriptive teaching?
What about issues concerning
bandwidth?

Podcasting
Podcasting Issues
Podcasts are not interactive.
Podcasts have limited usefulness for
the hearing impaired.

Podcasting
Questions?
Comments…
Thank You for Attending Our Session!
This presentation is available on the Web at:
www.slideshare.net/scyuen/