Podcasting has become a generic term for a wide range of media content delivered online - but has its origins in audio, and it is to this context that this page refers.
Podcasting can be used both to overcome barriers to learning, and also to provide a greater flexibility and engagement within the learning process.
For example:
- Students can use podcasts to access their learning anytime, any place - making use of 'dead' time (if they download the podcast to an MP3 player/iPod)
- Tutors can give students assignment feedback in audio format. This offers improved detail of explanation, greater opportunity to offer support and encouragement, and increased personification of the feedback
- Podcasts can be created relatively easily and inexpensively by tutors (see equipment below)
- Podcasts are 'reusable' so from the perspective of a tutor, the same content can be used in different settings
- Audio can be very engaging - the power of the spoken word
- New episodes of a podcast can be automatically downloaded when students subscribe
For educational purposes, a podcast could include:
- Expert interviews
- Formative assessment quizzes
- Summaries for revision
- Recaps on lectures
- Tutor feedback on assignments
- Guest lectures
Podcasts can be very easily created using either a Digital Voice Recorder (DVR) or similar device, or by recording directly into the computer via a microphone, and using freely available software such as Audacity or Goldwave
