Podcasting and Pedagogy FAQ

Faculty new to media authoring and assignments will likely have questions about how podcasting supports their teaching. Since the approach encompasses a wide range of strategies from lecture recording to student projects, the answers to the following common questions must be interpreted within the context of the individual course.


  - Which podcast format would work best for my students?

The recent explosion of podcasting on the web comes from the combination of  inexpensive recording tools and free editing software that make personal broadcasting easy and affordable. Most podcasts found in the iTunes Podcasting directory fall into one of three basic types.

Audio-only podcast - recording into MP3 or AAC offers the small, portable files that first moved podcasting into the mainstream. Whether combined with audio effects and music that approximate a radio format or not, the unique expressiveness of the individual voice is what makes any podcast. Faculty and students focused on an area of personal interest or expertise lead to compelling listening, so we shouldn't overlook the power of audio-only as the foundation of podcasting on campus.

Enhanced podcast - audio synced to a series of images or slides is usually referred to as an enhanced podcast or slidecast. Because many presenters begin with a proficiency with PowerPoint, the enhanced model lets them build on content developed previously. With the help of slide capture tools like Podcast Producer or Camtasia, faculty can simply record live presentations of their slides in the lecture hall or back in their office. With software like GarageBand or iMovie, faculty can create and edit audio slideshows with minimal training.

Video podcast - as broadband connections become standard, video podcasting or vodcasting has gained popularity. Though polished video pieces will require more time planning and editing, basic video capture is increasingly available in smart classrooms or on new laptops. While file size will continue to be a limiting factor for many students, discouraging them from accessing large files, video enables other uses incompatible with audio-only or enhanced podcasts.


  - What podcast models will work best for my class?

The momentum driving podcasting at many universities is convenience and flexibility, learning on my schedule most often focused on lecture capture. However, like mainstream podcasting, the form of the final product depends both on audience needs and expectations and objectives of the media author or producer. Faculty new to podcasting will want to weigh a variety of learning models still emerging in this new form.   

Lectures for review - sometimes referred to as coursecasts or course capture, recorded lectures are a popular model in large-enrollment courses. Either as audio-only or enhanced podcasts with slides, most lecture podcasts provide students a resource for review of confusing concepts or problems. Some thought may need to be given to policies to mitigate against increased absence, but lecture capture represents the least additional investment in editing for the professor. Some faculty may choose to record an introductory lecture before ending the podcast as they turn to discussion or active learning techniques.

Supplemental material - faculty wary of recording class lecture find short podcast supplements to class effective. Whether planned as an introduction to complex material students listen to before class or as a follow-up to unresolved questions after class, podcasting offers a complement to reading assignments and lecture or discussion classes. Many faculty produce periodic exam reviews as an alternative to the typical late-night TA review session. This model allows the faculty to provide more targeted material than the 50-80 minute lecture, using podcasts as reinforcement rather than reenactment of the class meeting.

Podcast assignments - as students raised with media authoring tools like YouTube or Blogger, a third model asks students to contribute their own ideas or research to the course via individual or collaborative podcasts. Media assignments vary from simple German pronunciation exercises to scripted and student-produced radio shows with expert interviews or audio recreations. This model makes podcasting more than an amplification method for the teacher's voice, challenging students to contribute their own research, analysis, and point of view.

Lectures
Supplemental
Assignments
Review for exams
Exam reviews
Lecture summaries
Slide capture
Oral feedback
Presentations
Step-by-step
Pre-class lectures
Radio shows
Extended classroom
Ear-training
Local interviews
Aid for absentees
End-of-class Q&A
Performances
 Expert interviews
Essay readings 


  - How long will it take?

For podcasting to be realistic for most faculty, editing and production time should be minimal. In the classroom this may mean software like Podcast Producer that automates audio/video capture to the teacher's computer and uploads directly to iTunes U. When editing audio with free tools like Audacity (Mac/PC) or GarageBand (Mac), that means emphasizing simple production style where appropriate to lessen time spent editing each piece, encouraging future efforts.

Finally, though podcasting typically implies regular, serial distribution, your uses of media authoring may focus on an individual assignment or unit. Like Blackboard, podcasting is simply a tool or strategy for solving a number of typical classroom problems. It’s up to individual teachers in every discipline to decide how best to employ audio and video in their classrooms.

Podcasting puts simple but powerful tools in the hands of anyone with a message. The effective use of these tools in our classes will challenge us to communicate in new ways, to translate familiar content into a new medium.

For more information or a schedule of upcoming podcast training events, contact the Adams Center.


For Further Investigation

Carnegie Mellon, Podcasting: A Teaching with Technology White Paper, June 2007.

Gardner Campbell, "There's Something in the Air: Podcasting in Education," EDUCAUSE Review, 40 (Winter 2005), pp. 32-47.

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