Use of Podcasting as an Innovative Asynchronous E-Learning Tool for Students

Podcasting is an innovative, asynchronous communication tool. A pilot study was conducted to assess the utility of podcasting as an educational tool for undergraduate medical students. A paper-and-pencil questionnaire was developed and distributed to the 40 first-year students enrolled in the francophone stream of the medical curriculum at the University of Ottawa, Canada. A majority of participants endorsed the utility of the podcasting of a key-feature focused review of anatomy lecture material. The short length of the podcast, clarity of the content, and guidance with self-paced learning were among the positive aspects noted. The combination of the auditory podcasts and visual PowerPoint slides permitted the students to process information simultaneously using two different modalities. This maximized their use of working memory and facilitated learning. The investigators plan to continue their evaluation of this project by conducting a focus group study in the future.