Pedagogical Models for Podcasts in Higher Education

This paper reports work-in-progress of a UK national study called IMPALA investigating the impact of podcasting on student learning in higher education. It presents an outline of the project implementation, initial perspectives from the pilot study and evolving models for using podcasts for specific pedagogical purposes. Data from the Semester 1 podcasts are being analysed and results will be reported at the project blog http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/impala/. Implementation of Semester 2 podcasts is underway. Based on the analysis of data on student learning from, and staff experience of developing podcasts during two academic semesters, IMPALA will contribute to improving student learning through making available: transferable models for using podcasts in different contexts, levels and disciplines; resources for practitioners for designing learning activities for podcasts for delivery on personal Mp3 players; subject-specific exemplars and user cases; and guidelines for integrating podcasting into disciplinary specific contexts and within institutions’ e-learning strategies. Introduction and the background Podcasting is a new technology that is increasingly capturing the attention and imagination of practitioners from all areas of education. Wider penetration of broadband internet access, freely available software on the internet to create digital sound and video files, and increased ownership of MP3 players all work in favour of the popularity of podcasts (EDUCAUSE, 2006). The adoption of Web2.0 applications – applications, tools and services that enable users to capture, generate and share content and form online communities – has also contributed to the popularity of podcasts. IMPALA arose from our interest in digital audio loaded onto students’ own mobile devices, especially MP3 players, which offer platforms for a variety of services with potential impact on learning and teaching in HE. Podcasting and MP3 players are new to education, yet widely used by students for entertainment. 22.5% of UK adults in the 15-24 age group own a digital media player ((MintelBMRB Survey, March 2005)). In Europe, more than 7% of the population owned and used a dedicated portable music player in 2006, compared with 2% in 2004 (Screen Digest cited in BBC, 2006). The academic community shows a strong interest in podcasts. However, research into students’ experience of podcasting is understandably in its very early stages. As EDUCAUSE (2007) highlights, effects of podcasting on student learning in higher education are yet to be examined. Through a cross disciplinary and cross institutional study of the impact of podcasting on student learning IMPALA will deliver transferable pedagogical models of podcasting, for distance and campus-based learning, mediated by VLEs. IMPALA examines following research questions: 1. How does students’ learning supported by podcasting differ from their learning through structured campus or e-learning processes? 2. What kinds of pedagogical applications can be developed for podcasting through MP3 players for students’ informal use within formal HE modules that work to enhance their learning? 3. Can students switch from using MP3 players for entertainment to learning? 4. What are the psychological, social and institutional barriers to and advantages of more informal learning using podcasting?