How Mobile is your Podcast?Eileen WebbGaynor CavanaghUniversity of Teesside,

UK

AimsInvestigate the use of audio and enhanced audio podcasts to engage students in learning

To shift the balance from tutor supplied content to student development of the content

Where’s the students’ contribution?Lecturer – studying hard

Students – not so much studying!

Students30 first year degree digital music studentsCompetent with technologySome owned MP3/MP4 players but not allWhen asked if they would listen to academic

podcasts on an MP3/MP4 player most said they would

When we discussed the use of podcasts they were enthusiastic and seemed keen to get involved

Questions?Audio?

MP3 sound onlyEnhanced Audio?

MPEG-4, allows the incorporation of still graphics, slides and hyperlinks

Would they listen to the podcasts on their own players?Would the players support the enhanced format?

How would we get them to engage with each others and the tutors podcasts?

DecisionsAll students and tutor were given a basic

MP3 playerno strings attached other than they were asked

to be involved and take part in the evaluationsPodcats would be produced as pure audio

and also enhanced audio and we would investigate which the students

preferredAnd which platform they preferred to listen to

them onWe would introduce a competition for the

best student produced podcast

Spectrum of Mobility and Connectivity

Desktop Laptop Mobile Phone MP3 Player

Mobility

Likelihood of Connectivity

Two sources of PodcastTutor developed

Podcasts of selected lectures and integral course information were developed by the module tutor.

These podcasts were made available in two different formats, enhanced audio (including graphics and URL links) and MP3 files.

Student developedPodcasts were created by the students, working in small groups.

These took the form of micro‑lectures on research topics selected by the tutor or negotiated by the students. Their initial form consisted of recordings of the micro-lecture (in MP3 format) as presented to the class.

These were uploaded to Blackboard and made available for feedback and comments via the wiki. Students were then given the opportunity to edit and enhance the initial recording by incorporating appropriate slides, graphics and URL links.

Tutor produced podcastsGaynor Cavanagh – Module tutor

Explanation of the format of the module

Student produced podcasts

Will, Sam and Tom talking about music piracy

Student produced podcasts

Funky Four Minus 1 (group name) Talking about Music in the games industry

Student produced podcastsGenerally just audioVery creative and engagingVarious techniques used

Interstitials (music, jingles, sound effects to divide it into different segments)

Different voicesChange of pace

Accuracy of content checked by tutor and comments added where required to clarify misconceptions for other students listening

What did the students say?Students did engage in researching and

producing the micro-lectures and podcastsThey said they listened to each others

podcasts Though how much they learnt from each other

is debatableSome said they listened to the podcasts

produced by the tutorGenerally they said they listened to them on

their computer rather than a mobile device