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

Content
What is Podcasting?
Podcasting in Education
Pros and Cons of Podcasts
Types of Podcasts
Podcasting Process
Course Podcasts
Podcasting Issues
USM Podcasting Pilot Project
Goals for Podcasting Pilot Project
Podcasting Pilot Project Activities

Podcasting Era
On December 8, 2005, the New
Oxford American Dictionary
crowned \"podcasting\" as the
2005 word of the year and
defines the term as \"a digital
recording of a radio broadcast or
similar program, made available
on the Internet for downloading to
a personal audio player\"

Popular Culture

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”

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

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

iTunes University
http://www.apple.com/education/solutions/itunes_u/

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

Types of Podcasts
Audio podcasts
An audio file
Small file size
Ideal for rapid delivery of lectures
Enhanced podcasts
A slide show with narration
Lecture notes can be synced with audio
Video podcasts (Vodcast)
Full audio and video
Not restrained by still image or slide format
Can reproduce in class experience
Require 2 MB per minutes of compressed video
Enhanced video podcasts
Contain a movie along with markers, artwork and URLs

Podcasting Process
Access
Create Distribute
• Subscribe using
•Record episode •Publish episode to web server
iTunes
•Edit episode •Reference episode in feed
• Download episode
• Playback episode
Source: Ray Schroeder & Michele Gribbins, Syndicating Learning through Blogs and Pods

How To Podcast?
http://dragon.ep.usm.edu/~yuen/howto/podcasthowto.htm

Steve Yuen’s Podcast Central

Coursecasts
Podcasts
Vodcasts

Coursecasts

Coursecasts

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.

USM Podcasting Pilot Project

USM Podcasting Pilot Project
Launched Spring/Summer 2007
Online survey conducted to collect students’ interests,
technology background, learning styles, study habits, and
attitudes toward the use of podcasting in teaching and learning
Call for Proposals – Invited faculty to submit podcasting
proposals and ideas
Faculty training begins June 2007
Implementation of podcasting in selected
undergraduate/graduate courses
(including both face-to-face and online courses) beginning Fall
2007
Formative and summative assessments

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 usage of podcasting by students
on USM’s campus
Facilitate self-paced learning
Encourage critical thinking, speaking, and
writing skills
Offer students a richer learning environment
Test podcasting technology with pilot faculty
before campus wide implementation

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

THE END
Questions or Comments?