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Student-authored podcasting in the EFL Classroom- A reflection on the need for overt consideration of the pedagogical and social purposes of integrating student-authored podcasting in the EFL syllabus

Kristen Sullivan (Shimonoseki City University)

kris@shimonoseki-cu.ac.jp

http://www.shimonoseki-cu.ac.jp/~sullivan

UNTELE2007, 29th March 2007

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What is a podcast?

A hybrid of ipod and broadcasting

Online audio (and video) content marked by the incorporation of RSS feeding allowing users to subscribe to podcasts and have them automatically downloaded to their PCs and mp3 players.

Is this distinction necessary for educational podcasting?

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Pedagogical Possibilities of Podcasting - Why Podcasting in EFL?

Listening Listening skills:

authentic texts: World Englishes, various dialects, natural speed

educational podcasts Content: cultural understanding, real time information, au

tonomy-building

Production Oral skills Cross-cultural awareness and understanding through pod

cast exchanges

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Podcast Production: stages where learning/practice can potentially occur

planning/ recording editing broadcasting listening responding/ rehearsal feedback

updating

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Why do podcasting in EFL?

Motivation Building ?????

It’s cool and new… exploiting the “novelty factor” ?????

Exploiting a technology the learners are familiar with ?????

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Message of this Presentation

Introducing technology into the classroom doesn’t automatically equal an increase in motivation.

We need to make pedagogical considerations the focus behind the decision to use podcasting in EFL situations (=integrate podcasting into the syllabus).

These pedagogical decisions should shape the types of activities, frequency of recordings and broadcastings, group formations, etc, that we use.

Be fully aware of the (social/pedagogical) needs of the particular student group in question and be willing to adapt to these needs as identified throughout the life of the project.

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The Project (1)- Motivation behind the original class

Case Study 1 (October 2005 – February 2006)

Purpose: To address issues of off-taskness and lack of (extended) use of the target language in class.

Reasoning: Hypothesized that podcasting and group project work may be expl

oited to develop motivation amongst students ( on-taskness increased use of the target language)

Project work: authentic & purposeful use of the target language Podcasting: new, fun and interesting medium

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The Project (1)- The students and the institution

Regional university in Japan Students predominately Japanese, also

exchange students from China and Turkey Various levels of English and language

backgrounds Various levels of motivation Third year students in second semester

(job hunting) Non-English majors, elective subject English conversation class

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The Project (1)- Structure of the course

First half: examining radio programs – their features, differences across genres, language of the radio

Second half: formation of groups, planning, scripting, practicing and recording programs

Last class: listening of all programs and class-level feedback

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The Project (1)- A Success?

Their Programs

* Makiko’s hot lovecounseling show* Leave it to Yukari * Ask Ayano* The Movie Studio (aninterview with anime director“Miyazaki”)* S&K Radio (interviews withforeigners about their lives inJapan)* Hot Teenage Radio (introducesyoung people with guts and hotbeats)* A Current Affairs program withYuki

* Creative, original, authentic

* All reported the experience to be rewarding and enjoyable

BUT* No significant increase in use of the target language* More instances of being off- task* Change in language skills?* In class preparation – a waste of time?* No feedback on their spoken English during the semester* No major exchange at a class level

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Student Voices

Class level interaction Inter-group collaboration (commented on by most students)

Too much Japanese when preparing Less in-class preparation time More non-podcast related activities

Social Needs

PedagogicalNeeds

Matched my observations and reflections on the class

(commented on by a couple of students)

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Other variables possibly affecting the success of the project: Case Study 1

Absenteeism Lateness Large class numbers Recording technology not readily &

individually available

Need to be monitored throughout the project

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Teacher reflections on the project/Goals for Project 2

Pedagogical activities Increase chances of feedback = increase number of podcast recordings and

broadcastings Increase access to the recording technology Multiple, unfixed group formations

Goals for Class 2 – (October 2006 – February 2007)

Use digital recording as a way to develop students’ consciousness of their spoken language and spoken communication:

* capture spoken language allowing for review * provides a defined task – concentration, continued speaking

Use podcasting as the vehicle for this:* the cycle of podcasting is pedagogically beneficial

* meaningful and authentic

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The Project (2)- The structure of the course

Focus on spoken speech: tips on keeping up a conversation. Recording 1: Interview between students about their summer holiday (2 groups, 3-4 people ea

ch)

News: investigated features of news and common language. Recording 2: Whole class recording reporting on the school festival (including recordings taken

during the festival) Recording 3: Individual news stories (gap listening activity & on the spot discussion and feedb

ack).

Agony Aunt/Call in Program: investigate agony aunt genre and language of advice. Everyone prepared a personal problem to talk about. Focused on one student’s problem with each student taking a different angle (whole class, not recorded). Followed up with class party.

Reviews (extension on listening homework) investigated review genre and language of reviews. Class joint construction of a review (written).

Recording 4: Individual podcast reviews (shared in class) Recording 5: Ran out of time: interview style

*Extended podcast listening homework and presentation at the beginning of each class*

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Student Voices from regular feedback

About spoken expression/pronunciation “I think the sentences are too monotonous” (Naoki, Miki, Atsuko) “My voice is small. I want to speak in a bigger voice than now” (Masaki) “I think the method of pausing and intonation was bad” (Miki) “The program was not easy to listen to because it was too fast” (Naoki) “My voice is too low and difficult to hear. I want to try and talk in a high

er voice” (Ayumi) “My pronunciation is not smooth” (Kazuki) “I think this program is smoother than last week’s program” (Gao Lei)

About listening (pronunciation) “I couldn’t understand the question, “Do you like it?” I heard it as, “Do y

ou like eat?” I thought my turn ended and relaxed my guard. I made a mistake.” (Miki)

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Student Comments 1- about listening to own voice

“It was shameful.” (Miki) “Listening to my recorded voice was very embarrassing. When I heard

my voice from the recorder, I think it is strange, it may make the listener feel the speaker is infant. Anyway, I feel so strange that I don’t want to listen again so much.” (Shinji)

“Listening to our own voice is a good idea. I have not listened to my voice. When I listen to my voice I can find my English bad point about voice tone and pronunciation for the first time.” (Ayumi)

“At first I felt sick because I realized many things. My pronunciation is bad. My accent is sick. And my voice is not familiar to me!! But by recording and listening to my voice, I observed my speaking by different views than before. I checked my speaking many times when recording. In that process, I realized many questions and asked the teacher. After than, I checked my speaking again. This is a good way to study English.” (Hiroko)

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Student Comments 1 continued…- about listening to own voice

“When I heard my voice for the first time, it was disgusting. But I was able to notice the feature (pronunciation, tone, speed, etc) of my voice. I can become a better English speaker if I break these habits.” (Naoki)

“To listen to my voice was very strange. Usually I didn’t listen to my voice. So I think my voice was very strange. I thought that I want to be a good voice man through this program.” (Kazuki)

“Although I am a bit ashamed about listening to my voice, I think it is a chance to improve my pronunciation. From it, I feel my English gradually getting fluent.” (Gao Lei)

“I think it is useful for my English practice to record and listen to my voice because I can check the pronunciation.” (Atsuko)

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Student Comments 2- about group work

“I think the radio programs that everyone cooperated for were interesting.” (Miki)

“I was happier making it with everyone than if I made it alone. And talking about making radio program was as happy as recording with everyone. Because, when everyone does one thing, I always obtain the feeling of accomplishment.” (Naoki)

“I also hope everyone joins in it positively.” (Gao Lei) “In the end of the year and semester we got the party which is so impor

tant for us. This kind of party makes us friendly mood to talk with each other, sometimes in English.” (Shinji)

“I enjoyed this class very much because I could make friends. I thought that few members are good for class. I want to go drinking too.” (Kazuki)

“I can enjoy talking in English with each other.” (Ayumi)

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Student Comments 3- about being the DJ

“The radio program that I enjoyed most is DJ Kazuki. Because I could DJ. I like to preside. So DJ was very comfortable for me.” (Kazuki)

“I think making radio programs was useful for my English. I always interested in making radio English programs, I especially enjoyed it as a DJ. I can practice my pronunciation, expression-skills and speaking English in front of all students. I also hope everyone joins in it positively.” (Gao Lei)

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Student Comments 4- about time for making the podcasts

“I think making radio programs was useful. But it’s short time to make radio program. I wanted more time.” (Ayumi)

“I think making radio programs was useful for my English practice but I couldn’t make programs which satisfied me sometimes because the time is too short to think about the content of the programs.” (Atsuko)

“My favorite radio program is the university festival. Since I had enough time and chance to prepare it and interview somebody to prepare it. And, I as a DJ join in the radio program first. From making the program I really have learned something that I did not know.” (Gao Lei)

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Visual image of the classes

Recording Listening Feedback

Chances for multiple Broadcast/ recordings gap listening

Planning

Planning &Language Activities

*

Listening (in-class, after-class: self, classmates)

Feedback (self, classmates, teacher)

Process repeated with different topic

and groupings

Case Study 1

Case Study 2

Positives and

Negatives with both

approaches

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Other variables possibly affecting the success of the project: Case Study 2

Still issue with absenteeism due to job hunting

Smaller class numbers Individual access to the technology

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Lessons learnt

Using the technology in ways which will truly address the students language needs: short-term projects, numerous chances for feedback, focus on the message and inter-language improvement over final product slickness.

Giving students as much access to the technology as possible.

Adequate time for preparation and recording

Appropriate group formations

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Mark Warshauer (1996)

“The effectiveness of CALL [or technological developments in general] cannot reside in the medium itself but only in how it is put to use.”

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Michael Rost (2007)

“According to Donald Norman (2004), for any new technology to be effective, it must be intuitively helpful and elegantly efficient. In the case of language teaching, this means the technology must – immediately and transparently – help us teach better than we do already. If it doesn’t, we simply shouldn’t use it.” = pedagogical aspects

“In addition, Norman says, for any new technology to be widely adopted, it must appeal to the emotions as well as to reason. If people don’t enjoy using a particular technology, no matter how logically useful it may be, they will tend to shun it.” = social aspects

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Michael Rost: standards for evaluating the use of technologies in the classroom

Do they give learners more opportunities to learn? Do they help learners learn more effectively? Do they help learners become better language learners – mo

re motivated, satisfied, more self-directed, more “intelligent”?

Do they make our job easier, more enjoyable, more rewarding?

“New Technologies in Language Education: Opportunities for Professional Growth” by Michael Rost: www.longman.co

m/ae/multimedia/pdf/MikeRost.PDF.pdf

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Seven Points for effective teaching in Undergraduate Education (AAHE Bulletin)

Interaction between students and teachers

Cooperation among students Active learning Feedback Time on task/Effective time management Communicate high expectations for

student work Accommodate diverse talents and

learning styles

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References

Debski, R. (2000) “Exploring the Recreation of a CALL Innovation” Computer Assisted Language Learning 13(4-5), pp. 307-332

Kaplan-Leiserson, E. (2005, June). Trend: Podcasting in Academic and Corporate Learning. Learning Circuits. Retrieved 28 February 2007, from http://www.learningcircuits.org/2005/jun2005/0506_trends

McCarty, Steve (2005) “Spoken Internet to go: popularization through Podcasting” JALT CALL Journal 11(2) pp.67-74

Rost, Michael. (2007) “Commentary: I’m only trying to help: A role for interventions in teaching listening” Language Learning & Technology 11(1): 102-108 http://llt.msu.edu/vol11num1/rost

Rost, Michael. “New Technologies in Language Education: Opportunities for 　 Professional Growth” : www.longman.com/ae/multimedia/pdf/MikeRost.PDF.pdf

Thorne, Steven L. and J. Scott Payne. (2005) “Evolutionary Trajectories, Internet-mediated Expression, and Language Education.” CALICO Journal 22(3) pp. 371-397

Warschauer, Mark. (1996) Computer-assisted language learning: An introduction. In, S. Fotos (Ed.) Multimedia Language Teaching (pp. 3-20). Tokyo: LogosInternational.