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To Podcast or Not to Podcast
Podcasting was first introduced in 2003, and its uses and benefits are still being studied and evaluated. Classrooms K-12 and post-secondary institutions are discovering new and innovative ways to incorporate podcasting into their curriculum.
According to an excerpt from “Podcasts as an Emerging Information Resource,” Podcasts add clarity and meaning, motivation, emotion, intimacy and personalization. The benefits of podcasting in education are time-shifting, convenience, simplicity and time-savings. Students are not constrained by time or space when deciding when to listen to their podcast instruction; it is portable and convenient. It has been argued that students need to engage with multiple media sources and media to become active learner, and because over 30 percent our students are auditory learners, podcasts provide an additional learning outlet for a new generation of students.
Elementary and secondary education teachers have found podcasts motivational and beneficial as supplementary materials for their students. When instructing vocabulary terms and preparing for quizzes and tests the students given access to podcasts performed slightly better. Students often respond with interest and enthusiasm when given access to podcasts.
Professors of post-secondary classrooms found that lecture replacement podcasts are often a deterrent for student attendance. While they provide a lecture source for students with a viable excuse for missing class, they also provide a reason for lazy students to skip. Who needs to go to class when class is synced to you portable iPod? At least, that’s what I assume the lazy ones would think. I would never do that, of course.
The improvements in education provided by podcasts are not increasingly significant, but that does not mean their use in the classroom should be disregarded. Students in lower education levels were motivated and excited by the outside technology and enjoyed studying more because of the casts. Podcasts are not equally useful in all areas of education, but they are worth a try. When evaluating the use of podcasts in their classroom teachers must consider the audience, the purpose, and the type of podcast. Teachers must also give a clear explanation on how to use the podcast correctly, so the benefits are not overshadowed by frustration with the technology. The better suited a podcast is for a unique learning environment, the more effective it will be.
Go to the Educator's Podcast Guide for more information on incorporating podcasts into your curriculum.
