This case study examines the use of simple audio podcasts in a fully online distance education class, as part of the DUCKLING research project conducted by the Beyond Distance Research Alliance at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. It discusses the benefits of using podcasts as part of an integrated online learning strategy in a distance learning context, and gives an overview of how podcasts were used to introduce concepts, provide support for assignments, and to give students direct feedback on their work. This video is and overview of using podcasts, one of sixty episodes with a variety of topics in the Learning to Teach Online series.
Type of Material:
Workshop and Training Material
Recommended Uses:
The video would be best used as a prompt for teachers to explore creating and sharing a podcast on a topic relevant to their students. It could be used in-class, for homework, or as a self-paced tool for teacher education students.
Technical Requirements:
Ability to access a YouTube video is required.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The purpose of this video, is to explain how podcasts can be used for online education to introduce concepts, provide support for assignments, and to give students direct feedback on their work.
Target Student Population:
Grade School, Middle School, High School, College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School, Professional
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Watching the video does not require any special skills. Creating a podcast may have a bit of a learning curve for some without basic computer skills.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This video describes the benefits of using podcasts to "introduce concepts, provide support for assignments, and to give students direct feedback on their work". The benefits include not only being an efficient way for an instructor to create a lesson but also by being easily accessible to students via embedding in an LMS, saving students time because the ability to listen can be more efficient than watching or reading material, and that student feedback showed that listening to a conversation left the student feeling less alone.
In addition to explaining why to use podcasting as a teaching method, the author suggests Audacity as a free recording tool and gives tips for effective recordings.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The survey results from students who used the podcasts as learning materials was all positive. Other research, as well, has also shown that podcasts can be an effective teaching tool for student understanding, promoting new concepts and as an alternative method for consuming content.
Overview into setting up and using podcasts as part of a Learning Management System could serve as guide for those interested in adding use of podcasts to courses.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Using the video on YouTube is as simple as clicking play and the transcript is also available for those who prefer to read. The video is 5 minutes and the read about 3 minutes.
Creative Commons:
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