Beyond podcasting: creative approaches to designing educational audio

We present a case study to evaluate the use of a Wimba Voice Board to support asynchronous audio discussion. We discuss the learning strategy and pedagogic rationale when a Voice Board was implemented within an MA module for language learners, enabling students to create learning objects and facilitating peer-to-peer learning. Previously students studying the module had communicated using text-based synchronous and asynchronous discussion only. A common criticism of text-based media is the lack of non-verbal communication. Audio communication is a richer medium where use of pitch, tone, emphasis and inflection can increase personalisation and prevent misinterpretation. Feedback from staff and students on the affordances and constraints of voice communication are presented. Evaluations show that while there were several issues with the usability of the Wimba Voice Board, both staff and students felt the use of voice communication in an online environment had many advantages, including increased personalisation, motivation, and the opportunity to practice speaking and listening skills. However, some students were inhibited by feelings of embarrassment. The case study provides an in-depth study of Voice Boards, which makes an important contribution to the learning technology literature.Keywords: Voice Boards; asynchronous audio discussion; learning objects; peerto-peer learning Introduction A Voice Board (VB) is an asynchronous audio discussion forum. This paper discusses the use of the VB produced by Wimba, a company providing collaborative learning software for education. The Wimba VB allows users to record and post audio, audio and text, and text-only messages without requiring additional software or knowledge of complex audio editing tools.So far there has been little research into the use of VBs in learning and teaching. This paper therefore discusses a case study involving the use of the Wimba VB within a module on 'Language Learning and Teaching with ICT' (information and communication technology) taught by E, one of the paper authors. The paper is a 'wisdom of practice' report based on a personal account of change (Weimer 2006). Many such accounts have been criticised for failing to reference the educational literature and build on previous knowledge (Weimer 2006, 62). Particular attention has therefore been paid to the pedagogical rationale and theoretical basis for the VB-supported *Corresponding author. Email: e.yaneske@tees.ac.uk 234 E. Yaneske and B. Oates learning strategy. The aims of the paper are to illustrate how VBs can be used as part of a learning strategy, and to share lessons learned about their use, with particular reference to the Wimba VB technology, to enable a deeper understanding of VBs within the learning technology community.We discuss previous research into audio and VBs in education, and the rationale for the case study. We then explain the educational context of the selected case and describe the case-study methodology and how the learning technology was used. Finally, we discuss t...

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 70%

Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

Using Voice Boards: pedagogical design, technological implementation, evaluation and reflections

Yaneske¹,

Oates²

2010

“…A recent innovation is the use of audio feedback (Middleton 2009), although to date studies and practice have remained small-scale despite personal recording devices being readily available and recording software relatively easy to use. In a recent study by Rodway-Dyer, Dunne, and Newcombe (2009) of first-year students receiving audio feedback, they found that the main advantage was the greater detail and depth of information offered, as well as removing misunderstandings due to illegible handwriting.…”

Section: Producing Feedback Electronicallymentioning

confidence: 99%

Using technology to encourage student engagement with feedback: a literature review

Hepplestone¹,

Holden²,

Irwin³

et al. 2011

This article presents a review of the literature over the past 10 years into the use of technological interventions that tutors might use to encourage students to engage with and action the feedback that they receive on their assessment tasks. The authors hypothesise that technology has the potential to enhance student engagement with feedback. During the literature review, a particular emphasis was placed on investigating how students might better use feedback when it is published online. This includes where an adaptive release technique is applied requiring students to submit an action plan based on their feedback to activate the release of their grade, and electronic generation of feedback using statement banks. Key journals were identified and a snowball technique was used to select relevant literature. The use of technology to support and enhance student learning and assessment is well documented in the literature, and effective feedback practices are similarly well published. However, in terms of the use of technology to support and enhance feedback processes and practices (i.e. production, publication, delivery and students making use of feedback through technology), we found the literature to be limited.

“…Although previous studies have noted that the reproduction of lectures may lead to benefits (Brittain et al 2006) such as providing the lecture for those who did not attend and a record to support revision (Evans 2008), the students who took part in the current study suggested that the reproduction of a lecture in the form of a podcast is not useful. In fact, researchers point out that the strategy of simply reproducing lectures in podcasts is in conflict with learning theories that advocate richer and more active learning experiences for learners (Middleton 2009). Another reason that may account for the low rating of informational podcasts is the time of conducting the survey and the interviews.…”

Section: Dissemination and Downloadingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effectiveness of educational podcasts for teaching music and visual arts in higher education

Tam¹

2012

Podcasting is now being used frequently in the higher education sector. Although research has been conducted into the use of podcasting in teaching business, engineering, sciences and languages, little has been done on its use in arts learning. This paper reports on a study that investigated the effectiveness of using podcasts to learn music and visual arts in a teacher-education institution. A total of 128 Year-One to Year-Four students completed a survey and 24 students attended focus-group interviews and gave their feedback on the effectiveness of using podcasts in learning. Generally speaking, the students found the podcasts useful and viewed podcasting as a method which could be used to supplement faceto-face teaching. Results of the study indicated that demonstration of procedures or skills was the most effective type of podcast while reproduction of lecture materials was the least effective. The students suggested that the teachers needed to increase the relevance of the podcast content to what was taught during lessons. The paper concludes with a discussion of the production of effective podcasts and directions for future studies.