The main advantages of using podcasts were discussed in this blog. The writer did a good job explaining the main benefits and he echoed what this week’s OER team put forward. However, one of the benefits caught my attention. The author claimed that students listened for longer than they would watch or read. I agree that a podcast is all about content and doesn’t rely on gimmicks to entertain or attract students’ attention. Nonetheless, I wonder if that’s really the case. Are students likely to listen a podcast till the end? Do podcasts retain students’ attention far longer than videos? Have you noticed this with your students?
Podcasting in Education: What Are the Benefits?
9 responses to “Podcasting in Education: What Are the Benefits?”
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From my own experiences of using podcasts in the classroom, they can really be hit or miss.
Subject Matter:
For a subject like science or math, the visual aids and labels of videos can be very effective with improving understanding while podcasts may actually cause more confusion. The success of using a podcast would definitely depend on the content being discussed.
Time:
The process of listening to a podcast can be quite time consuming for teacher and student. Videos can be long but they can also be short and concise (“a picture speaks a thousand words”). Podcasts from my own experiences tend to be longer as everything needs to be spoken which requires more time and they often follow a discussion format that can also be long on average.
English Language Learners:
Unless provided with a written version of the podcast, ELL students tend to have a difficult time understanding content that is delivered through 100% language.
Hearing Impairments:
Students with hearing impairments would also need to be considered when planning to use audio only content.
Hi Pascaline,
I wonder if there is a correlation between the length of the podcast and whether it is formal or informal learning. People can have podcasts on in the background for hours while they are completing their daily lives and be actively listening. However, for formal education, students tend to want to take notes, attempt to memorize every word and phrase because they think there may be an upcoming assessment. I don’t believe students can focus at that level for longer than 10 minutes. Podcasts are enjoyable when they are relaxed and engaging. To put the pressure on students, I believe, takes away that enjoyment. Do you think students are listening for comprehension when they are taking notes to attempt to memorize? I wonder, how do we change that perspective of learning?
Hi Kristin,
It depends on the context. If it’s in class and it’s just a routine exercise, in my opinion students listen to understand the content first. That’s also the main reason why the teacher might play the same audio file twice or split the recording into smaller chunks to allow student to digest the the information. Taking notes comes next to help them remember important points. In a listening test though, the main objective is to write down as much info as possible. If you are listening to an audio in your native language, subconsciously you are listening for comprehension. You just automatically do it. But if this is an audio in a foreign language, for example non-native students taking an English listening test, the focus is about remembering the key points so as to answer the questions in that test. A proficient learner would be able to tackle both listening for comprehension and taking notes simultaneously. How can we change that? It’s all linked to assessment. As long as we evaluate students in this way, it will be difficult to stop student from favouring memorising over comprehending. It’s the format of the questions in those tests: true/false or multiple choice questions. You are not required to fully understand the content but we need facts and information to score highly.
Unfortunately, the author of the blog post has made the claim without connecting it to any meaningful evidence that can be used to analyze the statement! One question I would have is what type of content was in the podcast, and what type of content was in the video. Also, what was the context, is this in a busy classroom environment, are they viewing this independently at home? Finally, how was this measured, was it self-reported?
The author suggests that in this case recorded lectures were less captivating than an audio format and that does not strike me as surprising given the fact that for a recorded lecture, a video does not offer substantially more than the audio version and requires greater levels of attention on the part of the viewer. Similarly to what Carla suggested, the fact that the audio version is focused on a single medium may make it easier to focus. It would be interesting to connect this theory to some research!
Interesting questions you posed. I will admit that I had not thought about that aspect much. Although I do use some podcasting in my classes, the podcasts I choose are short enough to keep the students attention. Maybe about four or five minutes in length and students always seemed engaged with the podcast. Of course, the ones I am using in class are geared to keep their interest and engagement as well. Now that you have brought up this topic, I will have to experiment and see what happens.
This is a great conversation starter. I feel podcasts were once right up there with iTunes a decade ago, but have disappeared somewhat from mainstream culture. They are still around and maybe marketing doesn’t really put them on the forefront, besides showcasing them on online articles like top 10 podcasts for the week etc., compared to online VOD services do. I believe that podcast are a niche product at this point. When did I last download a podcast? I have no idea. When did I listen to one or was interested? maybe last spring. I enjoyed some of them recommended by CBC radio or when I had interest in astronomy or science. Other than that, my take is that podcasts are almost like DIY videos explaining ideas and concepts minus the actual video. It has to be engaging but leaving out the radio-isk sound effects and gimmicky production value, I can live without.
@Carla, I do agree that listening is just one avenue to allow your brain to focus without multi-tasking on various other tasks. But listening to it means, giving your undivided attention as opposed to listening to a radio-show on the background. That is why, audio books worked well when it did in the day and today, mindfulness apps etc that help the users focus. Podcast is basically an upgrade from Radio talk shows, but available on demand and on every subject matter.
In terms of educational use, I know student unions/ schools etc, the students do produce podcasts, but actual learning is both visual and able to comprehend what they listen to, so perhaps podcasts are only there to fill a void when needed and can perhaps be used to supplement some aspect of learning without totally disregarding the technology entirely.
“New technology always has a heavy impact on education, and Podcasting is no different. Many learning institutions are cutting back on textbooks and investing in technology enhanced learning”
I really appreciated this line from the blog post. Podcasting is a valuable tool that is starting to be understood as a fantastic literacy tool in education. I especially appreciate the section about benefits for mental and visual impairment. On our launch post, there has been lots of discussion about limits for ELL students and those who are hearing impaired. It is good to read some evidence that podcasts can support students who are differently abled.
Hi Pascaline, I think the reason why podcasts are so good at grasping not only students but really everyone’s attention is that deep, personal and intimate listener experience that’s created. With a video, your attention is focused on both the audio and visual elements being transmitted but in podcasts there’s only the audio- I wonder whether that singular medium of the message allows your brain to focus and be drawn in more. I haven’t noticed this with students but I have definitely noticed it with myself. What do you think the reason behind this could be?
Hi Carla,
I think you might be right about Podcasts helping people to focus because it is a singular medium. By making stripping it down to one singular medium, people find it easier to concentrate. I also think there’s something very intimate about podcasts that I find very appealing. If you have a enthusiastic host, he/she can somehow draw you in more easily than with videos. It must be in our nature. We react almost instinctively to people’s voices.