Podcasting and audio in education
Introduction
The idea of using audio in education is not new but is moving to change into new technological age fueled by the present of portable audio players, broadband Internet, and software applications that allow users easily create and distribute audio fiels (Schlosser, 2006). Using podcasting and audio files for education has become popular with the development of technology such as free tools using to create podcast, iTunes U, electronic devices and so on. The benefits of podcasting to education have been expressed throughout widespread appearing of the universities attending to iTunes U to deliver their face-to-face and online lectures such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and other famous universities in the world. Why does Podcasting become common?.
What is podcasting in a simply word?
Podcasting is a form of audio broadcasting using the Internet
The benefits of using audio in online courses
According to Lee, Miller & Newnham (2008), the benefits of podcast to education may be categorized as follows:
1. The psycho-acoustic benefits of audio as a teaching and learning medium, from both a cognitive and affective standpoint;
2. Low-cost, low-barrier content creation and distribution, due largelyto the popularity of the internet bandwidth, the widespread availability of multimedia hardware and software, MP3 players, PDAs, iPods, iPhones and other electronic devices.
3. Benefits afforded by time-shifted syndication and automated downloads through RSS (Really Simple Syndication);
4. Create opportunities for mobile learning, because the appearing and social acceptance of portable MP3-capable devices.
The most advantage of using audio in education is that it is inexpensive, simple to use, and reproducible. Teaching foreign languages can be beneficial with this. Hearing from an instructor can have great impact, especially, students can playback to practice if they want. Audio creates a deeper understanding and assists in avoiding misunderstandings information because students can playback whenever and whatever they want.
Trends
A technology that presents many advantages for users, especially, teaching and learning scopes should be strongly considered adopting. Technologies can assist in teaching and learning activities that students become more engaged in the learning process. The potential of digital audio technology in higher education is used for educational perspectives as a vehicle for promoting learner-created content (Beshears, 2005). Students valued the flexibillty that the podcast offered particularly regarding to review rather than as an alternative to attendance.
Educational technology makes everything simple for both teachers and learners to author and share rich media content quickly and easily. Teachers and learners can create their own audio teaching and learning materials by using free applications and software on the internet and share them with others. There are modern MP3 players enabling to store huge amounts of MP3 files, yet they are very light and small to carry.
Nowadays, Mp3 players and other hand held devices become ubiquitous tools. In a study involving 103 institutions across the U.S., Salaway, Caruso and Nelson (2007) found that 73.7% of students owned laptops, nearly 100% owned mobile phones or smart phones, and 76.4% owned MP3 players. Oliver and Goerke (2007) found similar numbers at a major university in Western Australia, with close to half of first year undergraduates owning laptops, 96.4% owning mobile phones, and over 69% owning MP3 playback devices. Furthermore, there are about 9 million podcast listeners today and that is projected to increase to 12 million by 2010 (Bruno, 2006). It obviously suggests that it is a time for educators to take advantage of this phenomenon to produce instructions and lectures that learners can study or review them on the go.
The fact is that today's students are considered as digital audiences and customers who can manage and participate their learning in control of the content found online and are no longer passive consumers of knowledge but also producers who are taking part in active learning process. The creative and appropriate use of audio can help appeal students’ attention and make instructional activities more interesting—for student and instructor (Schlosser, 2006). If the lecture sessions are recorded and exported to appropriate audio file formats like Mp3, students can view and listen to on their convenience by using audio player devices. The instructor can create a learning object by recording narrated sessions that demonstrates a procedure or concept for independent viewing by students. In this case, the synchronous virtual classroom becomes an asynchronous learning experience.
In sum up, in an online learning environment, text will remain a significant instructional medium, but audio can enrich the experience. The audio files are considered “walkaway content” (Schlosser, 2006 in cited in Cochrane, 2005), and the ability to share audio programs are opening a new vision that teachers and learners are one who get beneficial the most. However, the use of audio to deliver specific course-related content is not being used to its potential in online courses.
Issues and Concerns
Firstly, the most concern issue raising throughout the use of podcast and audio files for education is that there is a lack of technical knowledge among students and teachers who have not fully recognized its potentials. Teachers and learners may not fully realize that advantages of the powerful capabilities of bandwidth Internet and the possibilities bring to the distribution of audio contents that is a made available for downloading via the Internet and able to be ready for portable audio players (Lee et al., 2005).
Secondly, although creating podcast and MP3 files is very easy, teachers and learners hesitate to produce due to limitation of technical knowledge, skills, technical training and experience. This leads them to refuse producing different types of learning and teaching materials.
Thirdly, many people understand that an iPod is needed for listening to podcast and Mp3 files, but it is not really true. People can listen to podcast within their web browser. Moreover, any podcast that was downloaded into computers can be transferred to any MP3 players, not limited to only iPods.
Fourthly, to produce and organize podcast for online courses, instructors have to know and be able to set up RSS feed (Really Simply Syndication). Unluckily, not all instructors know how to deal with RSS feed set up.
Finally, copyright issues, even there are free software and tools available for producing podcast. Yet, using music in podcasting can be risky due to copyright laws, so instructors might want to look at fair use law before they can apply or use any piece of music in their podcasts.
Sample use of audio
Integrating podcasting into your classroom
Telling the New Story
Buell's Orchard Field Trip
Would you like to see how little kids learn and use audio podcast to enhance their learning experiences, here is an example. Buell's Orchard Field Trip
Tools for Audio & Podcasting
Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems. Click here for more information...
Garageband 09 is one of Mac OS X applications built-in when buying a Mac. With GarageBand, users can create their own recording studio. If they want to learn to play an instrument, write music, or record a song, GarageBand can help — whether you’re a rookie or a rock star. Click here for more information...
Podomatic - Create or upload audio files and post them to your blog. Click here for more information...
It's fun and easy to create your own professional-quality audio by using Propaganda that includes everything you need to record, assemble, and publish your own podcasts. Check it out at http://www.makepropaganda.com/
Tool for publishing podcast
FeedForAll & FeedForAll Mac Software to:
- create RSS feeds & podcasts
- edit RSS feeds & podcasts
- manage and publish RSS feeds
- create iTunes compatible podcasts
Check it out at http://www.feedforall.com/index.htm
Bring the power of RSS right to your Windows desktop with FeedDemon News Aggregator
- Get your news and information instantly.
- Customize the way you read and organize feeds.
- Download podcasts to your iPod or Windows Media Player.
Check it out at http://www.newsgator.com/Individuals/FeedDemon/Default.aspx
Podcast Web Hosting
Odeo makes it easy to find, play and enjoy the latest audio & video from around the web. Discover great shows, subscribe to favorites, create playlists and share with friends. From comedy to cooking, entertainment to education, if it's online, it's on Odeo.
Check it out at http://odeo.com/studio
Learning no longer happens only at a desk. Students now expect constant access to information, no matter where they are. Which is exactly why more and more faculty are using iTunes U to distribute digital lessons to their students. Click here for more information...
Tools for subscription
- iTunes (http://www.apple.com/itunes)
- Jucie - This program lets you create your own custom online audio anytime, anywhere. Check it out at http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net/index.php
- Podcast Alley is the podcast lovers portal. Featuring the best Podcast Directory and the Top 10 podcasts, as voted on by the listeners. Check it out at http://podcastalley.com/
- Podscope lets you search the spoken word for audio and video that interests you. Click here for more information...
Tutorials
- One stop tutorial for podcasting, this website will introduce you from what is podcast, the tools needed for making your own podcast and so forth. Check it out at http://www.podcasting-tools.com/blog.htm
- Making a podcast with iTunes 8 at http://www.apple.com/itunes/whatson/podcasts/specs.html