A preliminary study of podcasting in developing higher education institutions: A South African case

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on podcasting experience by faculty and students in a South African higher education institution (HEI), identify issues, limitations and discuss implications for the design of future tools. Design/methodology/approach – This work consisted of two parts: semi-structured interviews with lecturers, content/curriculum developers and a student survey. Findings – Rogers’s diffusion of innovations theory provided the framework for this research including determining how new innovations are disseminated, their rate of adoption, the five-stage decision-making process for adoption and the characteristics an innovation must possess to be attractive to adopters. The methodology used relied heavily on descriptive and qualitative data analyses in order to determine the current podcasting practices and experiences. Results reveal that by assuming some of the respondents are “innovators” or “early adopters”, they are still in the early stages of the decision-making process. Research limitations/implications – Some instructors who are identified as “early adopters” are experimenting with podcasting as an add-on to existing lecture resources. However, innovations and their subsequent adoption require an understanding of lecturers’ and students’ perceptions, opportunities and challenges. Originality/value – Podcasting in developing HEIs and the tools therein to support the process has not been given much attention. The context of this study is the first kind of empirical research in this area. The findings from this exploratory research will be valuable for podcasting users.