This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study on the use of podcasting in higher education. The study was conducted during 2007 and 2008 and involved students from 20 units of study. Research data was gathered by distributing an in-class survey to 4584 enrolled students, with 39% (1780) of students completing the survey. Qualitative data was gathered by conducting student focus groups, with a total of 158 students participating, and interviewing teaching staff on their podcasting experiences. The results identified three broad approaches to podcasting employed: reframed podcasts, or content reproduced in multiple media (e.g., textbook chapters summarised as podcast episodes); complementary podcasts that added extra information to enhance the student learning experience; and supplementary podcasts that re-design and broadcast content previously presented in class.
IntroductionWith each new technology created and disseminated into the global market today, there is a rush by academics to find novel ways to implement and apply these devices in their learning and teaching. Many technologies were not originally intended or designed to be used in the educational field and are often referred to as "edutainment devices" (Egenfeldt-Neilsen, 2005 as cited in Wheeler, 2009). Wheeler (2009) identified 3 common edutainment devices: iPods, global positioning systems, and smart phones not developed for learning, emphasising that "academics require a good understanding of potential teaching applications" if these devices are to be successfully re-purposed into a learning and teaching context. This is especially important given the ongoing debate and scepticism around new technologies being integrated into learning and teaching, especially when applied in a blended learning context.In this paper we present a research study on the possible approaches that academics may take when using podcasting, a means of creating digital resources that is gaining momentum and usage in higher education. Podcasting provides teaching staff with a means to communicate with students by broadcasting a series (a podcast) of multimedia files (podcast episodes) via the Internet, to which students may subscribe. Using audio, or even multimedia, in learning and teaching is not a recent development (Gunn, Woodgate & O'Grady, 2005;Lee, McLoughlin & Chan, 2007;Schlosser & Burmeister, 2006). Nor is RSS (Really Simple Syndication), that which controls the connection of multiple podcast episodes into one subscription, as it has been in use for Taylor and Clark 387 more than a decade and is broadly used by other Internet tools today (Ebner, Nagler & Saranti, 2007;Franklin & Zdonik, 1998). A podcast, then, is unique because it is a combination of these things: a multimedia file, a subscription service and a downloadable (and therefore potentially mobile) digital file. The podcasting process remains the same for most scenarios, whether the podcast is for a radio series, a regular community group announcement or an academic lecture series. Podcasting...