A presentation delivered at the 2008 Creating Futures Through Technology Conference, Biloxi, MS, February 7, 2008

1. The University of Southern
Mississippi’s Podcasting
Pilot Project
Sharon E. Rouse, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Steve C. Yuen, Ph.D.
Professor
Sheri L. Rawls, M.S.
Director, Learning Enhancement Center
The University of Southern Mississippi

2. Content
What is Podcasting?
Podcasting in Education
Pros and Cons of Podcasts
USM Podcasting Pilot Project
Goals for Podcasting Pilot Project
Podcasting Pilot Project Activities
Podcasting Best Practices
Podcasting Issues

3. What is Podcasting?
An audio or video file that is distributed over the
Internet for listening on mobile media devices or
personal computers.
Combine technologies to “push” content to your
audience using RSS.
Portable but no iPod required!
Each separate podcast is typically referred to as an
episode. Episodes are automatically downloaded and
can be synchronized with a portable multimedia device
(like an iPod).
Create content (audio or video) for an audience that
wants to listen or watch when they want, where they
want, and how they want.
Downloadable as “subscription”

4. Podcasting in Education
Self-paced distance learning
Recording lectures for syndication
Literary reviews
Digital audio books
Video demonstrations and presentations from
students & teachers
Class news and updates
Home/school communication
Interviews with guest experts or oral history

5. Podcasting in Education (Cont.)
Distribution of supplemental information such as
speeches or music
Student-produced podcasts
Re-mediation for slower learners
Tours/fieldwork
Staff development
Internships/residencies
Feedback/evaluation of student work
Language lessons

6. Why Podcasting in Education?
Enhance student engagement with
content with audio/video.
Facilitate self-paced learning.
Deliver alternative course content
to students.
Make content portable for multi-
tasking.
Encourage critical thinking,
speaking, and writing skills.
Offer a richer learning environment.

7. iTunes University
www.apple.com/education/solutions/itunes_u/

8. Pros and Cons of Podcasts
PROS: CONS:
Appeal to Generation Copyright Issues
X and Generation Y Potential for
Use Voice Inappropriate Use of
Communication Technology
Activate Additional
Learning Modes
Offer Time-Shift
Information
Increase Learner
Control

9. USM Podcasting Pilot Project
www.usm.edu/lec/podcasting/

10. Goals for Podcasting Pilot Project
Involve USM’s faculty in podcasting
Deliver alternative course content to
students
Enhance student engagement with
content with audio/video
Provide an easy to use tool for
recording field notes, interviews, and
discussions
Increase students’ podcasting use on
campus
Offer a richer learning environment
Test podcasting technology with pilot
faculty before campus wide
implementation

11. Pilot Faculty and Staff

12. Podcasting Pilot Project Personnel
Project Directors
Dr. Steve Yuen
Dr. Sharon Rouse
Learning Enhancement Center Staff
Sheri Rawls, Director
Amy Thornton, Instructional Technologist
Faculty Participants
12 faculty members from 5 colleges and
library

13. Podcasting Pilot Project Activities
Support group meets each
month
Info sharing and support via
pilot project mailing list and
blog
Receive training on cutting-
edge podcasting technology
Conduct formative and
summative assessment via
instructors and students survey
and interviews

14. Timeline
Launched in April 2007
Announced the Call for Proposals in
April 2007 – Invited faculty to submit
podcasting proposals and ideas
Conducted online student survey in May
2007 – collected students’ interests,
technology background, learning styles,
study habits, and attitudes toward the
use of podcasting in teaching and
learning

15. Timeline (Cont.)
Began faculty training and roundtable
discussion sessions in June 2007
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 Dec 2007

16. Pilot Study
Conducted online student survey in May 2007
Determined students’ interest, technology
background, learning styles, study habits,
attitudes toward the use of podcasting in
teaching and learning
Given to students in face-to-face and online
classes of all levels
965 students responded to the online
questionnaire

17. Pilot Study Results (Cont.)
48% of the students completing the
survey were between 20-25 years of
age
72% of the students were females
A great majority of students (84%) had
a high speed or LAN connection to the
Internet
Over 37% of the students took a fully
online course or hybrid/blended class

18. Pilot Study Results (Cont.)
Over 40% of the students lived more
than 16 miles away from campus
About 43% of the students’ typical
commute time was over 20 minutes
Over 20% of them spent over 60
minutes on the road to campus

19. Pilot Study Results (Cont.)
62% of the students own either iPod or
MP3 player
More than 40% of them spend 10-20
hrs/week using their iPod or MP3 player
Almost 45% of them use their iPod or
MP3 player while walking or jogging
65% of the students have knowledge
about podcasting, but 41% have ever
listened to a podcast

20. Pilot Study Results (Cont.)
Nearly 90% of the students are
interested in accessing instructional
materials with their iPod or MP3
Player
Almost 55% of the students indicated
that a class that is being podcast
makes them more likely to take it

21. Pilot Study Results (Cont.)
74% of the students have been using a
computer for 8 or more years
36% of them do not know whether they
prefer using an iPod or MP3 player to
using a computer nor do these
students (41%) know whether they
learn better from being in a face-to-
face classroom experience

22. Pilot Study Results (Cont.)
55% of the students see themselves
as visual learners. While the other
students see themselves as auditory
(23%) and kinesthetic (23%) learners
Students preferred video podcasts
(58%) rather and podcasts with audio
and still frames (23%) and (15%) with
only audio

23. Pilot Study Results (Cont.)
Students strongly favored classes using
podcasting for the ability to review materials
repeatedly and whenever they wanted
Some students preferred taking classes that
offer podcasting, liked combination classes
that used face-to-face classroom experience
and podcasting, and were much more likely
to take a class offering podcasting, and
indicated they would be more likely to use
an iPod or MP3 if it were available

24. 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
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

25. Podcasting Best Practices (Cont.)
Know your audience.
Focus on your content. Garbage in, Garbage
Out…
Invest a good microphone for your podcast.
Have notes and an outline to keep on the topic.
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.

26. Podcasting Best Practices (Cont.)
A “talking head” is distracting. Don’t include
video if your video does not enhance the
content.
Deliver valuable, informative, engaging content
to your 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.

27. Podcasting Issues
Will students still come to your lectures?
Public access to audio files?
Copyright issue.
Difficult to search or scan podcast content.
Podcasts can lend themselves to passive and
prescriptive teaching.
Issues concerning bandwidth.
Not interactive.
Limited usefulness for the hearing impaired.

28. THE END
Questions or Comments?
Thank You for Attending Our session!
This presentation is available on the Web at:
www.slideshare.net/scyuen/