Podcast in Higher Education: An analysis of perception, satisfaction,

and learning outcomes

Bryce L. WalkerEd.D. student Curriculum & Instruction

George Washington University, walkerbl@gwmail.gwu.edu

• CITL is conducting a study involving podcasts in an undergraduate level history class. This study is to determine effective use of podcasts among at the university.

Purpose of Literature Review• George Washington University subscribes to iTunes University, a service feed for educational podcasting.

• A literature review is necessary in order to compare and contrast this study to similar empirical studies in the field.

– What does the literature say about podcasts in higher education?

Research Question

Themes

– Short History of Podcasts– Podcasts in Higher Education– Student Perception– Student Satisfaction– Student Learning Outcomes– Future Research

– “Podcasting" was first mentioned in a February 2004 article in The Guardian magazine by Ben Hammersley.

– It is a combination of the words “pod,” which stands for “personal on demand” and “broadcasting” (Hammersley, 2004).

– First known education study was done in 2005 at Duke University where iPod were given out to 1650 in-coming freshmen students in the fall for a one year study.

Short History of Podcasts

Podcasts in Higher Education

– “Learning on the go" technology

– “Supplemental” materials

– On-campus

– On-line

– Usable in most disciplines

– Measured prior to podcast use. • Students attitudes

• Student interaction

• Benefit and convenience

• Enhance student interest and learning

• “Familiarity helps students gain more positive attitudes towards the podcast” (Lord, 2008).

Student Perception

– Measured during and after podcast use. • Proper training

• Functionality and usability

• Applies to course materials

• Measurable results

•“Learners are said to enjoy the flexibility and ease of use…brought to their academic experiences as well as the ability to review material for better comprehension” (Evans, 2007)

Student Satisfaction

– Measured prior, during, and after podcast use.• Collaboration• Studying tool• Knowledge retention• Encourages active learning• Time efficient• Ralph & Olsen (2007) state “sometimes complex topics become more comprehensible and resonant when explained in a human voice, rather than by text…the human voice can be incredibly powerful and effective” (citing in Gahran, 2005, p. 271-2)

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Varying levels of relevance2. Technology bias3. Not quantifiable

Limitations

– Student attendance and participation,

– Student learning retention

– Teacher satisfaction

– Implications to teacher preparation programs?

– Podcasts as web 2.0 social media tools

– Podcast use at K-12 level.

Future Research

– Podcast use in education is growing exponentially through the past 5 years and has become a stable technology used in several different fields.

– This technology’s impact in higher education is contingent on faculty implementation.

Conclusion

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