You need to know about … Podcasting

1. You need to know about …Podcasting Dr Andrew Oliver Learning Technology Development Unit & The Blended Learning Unit University of Hertfordshire

2. So what is it? Podcasting : iPod (MP3 player) and Broadcasting What does it mean? “a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player“, New Oxford American Dictionary BUT… • But you DON’T need an iPod • In fact – you DON’T need a mobile player

3. The technology is NOT new …but is MORE accessible. Easy to… • Create • Publish (i.e. upload to a website) • Subscribe and • Listen (on mobile players) • at home, driving, exercising, waiting for buses – the ‘Dead time’. • Mobile learning: when they want, how they want and where they want.

4. How does it work? Staff • Record using digital voice recorder (MP3 format, WAV second best) • Upload (‘publish’) to website (StudyNet) Student • subscribes to the podcast (usually iTunes) • downloads the latest recording to their player • AND regularly checks for new content But don’t need iTunes/ mobile player… …the workstation is fine

5. What are the benefits? • Over to you!

6. What are the benefits? Cheap and easy to create • Recording: digital voice recorder (£50) • Editing: optional & free (Audacity) • Uploading: fast & simple (StudyNet) • Listening: free software available (iTunes) • Minimal Training: media savvy NOT essential

7. Learning on the move • NOT fixed – NOT sitting in front of the computer • Where the player goes… so does the learning • Review & prepare while: • Travelling (car, bus train etc.) • Exercising & Household chores(!) • Sitting in favourite armchair • aka mobile learning, aka m-learning

8. Reaches into ‘digital lives’ • Technology already part of Youth culture • iTunes (buy music, subscribe to radio, news) • Familiarity – non threatening - widen education • Bridges the gap between expert & learner Sits alongside other podcasts… …mixes education with the student’s daily life… … extends beyond the classroom.

9. Recover & Understand • Recovery of missed lectures & missed lecture content • Helps to prepare, review & reflect (reinforce) • Prepare (using dead time) • Review (difficult concepts) again & reinforce understanding Applies to any audio file BUT… …podcasting = ‘on the move’

10. Student perspective Do you think MP3s of lectures will be useful? Will you listen to any future lectures which are recorded? • “If you didn't understand an explanation in the lecture, you can listen back and maybe pick up on something you missed the first time round.” • “This really helps me,....i struggle to take everything in, even though im listening, and often end up teaching myself! i think all subjects should use it” • “VERY good idea, it is hard to listen and take in everything said in a lecture, and so to be able to hear it again is useful. “ • “i would be great if you could do it for the rest of the lectures.” • Comments made by Business School students (thanks to Jenny Evans)

11. More benefits • Relax & concentrate on the material (students) • Captures the lecturer’s enthusiasm • Facilitates critiquing and self-critiquing in private (staff & student) • Provides an accurate record of peer group activity • Act as ‘cultural artefacts’

12. Student podcasting part 1 • Increases presentation skills • More confident • Iterative process (thru peer critiquing) • Review & practice = improve vocab • Encourages creativity • Explore & express ideas • Share perceptions • And show off!

13. What are the challenges? • Over to you

14. Challenges • Attendance may fall • Perceived, not reported (UH Bus Sch.) • (solve: add social elements to lecture) • We are all amateurs - not experts • content (student) & quality (‘speakers voice’) • (solve: don’t lecture, be conversational) • The learner cannot control pacing • Difficult to skim & often listen in 1 go • (solve: add show notes + chapter points)

15. Just a couple more • Not designed for 2 way interaction • Brings tutor & student closer BUT… • Student cannot ask for details or revision or expand into related areas • (may) encourage shallow learning • Skim reading = half listen (esp. while ‘on the move’) • Listen at the last minute

16. How can you use this? • Over to you

17. How can I use this? (staff) Record lectures • Either during or before & include slides / show notes Preparation work (‘precasting’) • Summarise potentially difficult concepts prior to lecture

18. How can I use this? (staff) II Commentaries aka radio show • record regular commentaries in addition to the lecture (e.g. weekly updates, tips, views) Add social activity to the lecture • deeper discussion (and record it!) Field trips / guides • virtual tour ‘musecast’ (inc images) & commentary

19. How can I use this? (staff) III • Q & A and Tutorial sessions • Answer questions submitted by students • Record 1-to-1 session with student • Interview experts, guest lecturers • Conferences, placements

20. Student Podcasting part 2 BIG in the States (K12) & Musselburgh, Scotland • Field trips, placements, language practice, record of group work, seminars, lectures, interviews, field notes, interviews (with each other, experts). • Oral essays (poster!) sound affects, music, commentary, readings - pull in above to create their own interpretation

21. UHcasting! • Institutional promotion • Campus guides, student interviews, staff interviews • used to promote the university and it’s location to domestic and foreign students. • Student support (news, religion) • Linking institution to community • Profcasts, guest lecturers (seeds of interest). • Establish links to local schools (& abroad).

22. Podcasting in 3 easy steps • Recording • Digital voice recorder (contact BLU for recommendations) • Uploading (StudyNet) • add file to Resources Library (like email attach) • Select podcast ‘on’ & save • Create a “Teaching resource” • (not all students know about podcasting)

23. And during recording… • For pre recording • Outline session content (news, future events, main items) in. episode number • Introduce yourself & others • Provide contact details • State who and where recording produced • Keep to approx 20 minutes • Use Audacity* & a mic (good for editing) • *enter into Google

24. And during recording… • Tell the students • Repeat audience questions • Mention module, class and date (and yourself) • Refer to: • Numbered list (not bullets) • Number slides

25. And… • If the session is long: • Stop periodically to create acceptable files sizes (i.e. < 16 MB).

26. Subscribe yourself • See how students subscribe to your module • Check if your podcast works • Subscribe to other modules • Download iTunes & follow the instructions on StudyNet [http://www.apple.com/itunes] • NOTE: use iTunes • to convert files to MP3 • To reduce file size to <16MB StudyNet limit

27. Some examples • EdTechTalk • Podcast for Teachers (live from the Bronx!) • UC Berkeley Courses & Events Live • Stanford on iTunes U • Learning2Go (Wolverhampton City Council) • Musselburgh Grammar Sch (UK) • StudyNet! • Public Law (Penny Wiggins) • Health & Human (Jenny Lorimar, Alan Hilliard) • Business School (Jane Waksman)

28. EdTechTalk • Educational Technology That Talks... • Radio show format w/ guests, news • Streamed live (webcast) • MP3 recording podcasted after show • Transcript posted in forum

29. UC Berkeley Courses & Events Live • examples of podcasted lecture sessions • some live, some pre recorded. • Mainly free to outside world • Access to lectures, guides, events etc. • Berkeley on iTunes U

30. Stanford on iTunes U Never mind the lectures here’s… • News, visiting lecturers & speeches • ‘Best of Philosophy Talk’, Microdocumentaries • Stanford Initiatives (environment, health, International issues) • sports (interviews and highlights, game coverage) • music (concerts) 500 tracks (for the public) averaging 15,000 downloads per week (130,000 during the first 2 weeks)

31. Musselburgh Grammar School • Produced by students for students! • Readings, interviews, news, events • Packaged with music, sound effects • Recorded ‘in the field’ • Gathered into 1 single podcast

32. StudyNet examples • Public Law (3LAW0065) • Penny Wiggins, Karen Clark • For revision and preparation • Recorded ‘live’ or pre-recorded • Range 7 mins to over 1 hour • instructions to user are included by default (but aren’t really needed…)

33. StudyNet examples • Advancing Practice (3AHP0036) • Heather Thornton, Stephanie Wyer, Jane Simmonds • Interview with clinicians • Not compulsory but 80% students listened (70% in first few days)  

34. StudyNet examples • Managing People In Health Care (MAHP0068) • Heather Thornton • Recorded students discussing coursework & receiving feedback from peers • Informal & allows students to engage rather than take notes

35. StudyNet examples • Pathology for Imaging (2RAD0020) • Jenny Lorimer • Pre recorded preparation material • And also • Physiotherapy 13 modules • All ‘opening lectures’ are podcasted

36. StudyNet examples • Auditing (3BUS0008) • Jon Easter • Lectures using powerpoints • follow up tutorial a week later • then records summary of key points (20 mins) • play back whilst looking again at the powerpoint slides

37. StudyNet examples • Jane Waksman (Business School) • Students requesting more podcasts • Attendance increased(!) • Alan Hilliard (Radiography) In StudyNet use the search box (type ‘podcast’)

38. Players ‘n’ Podcatchers • Players: • Creative Technology, iPod, iRiver, Sony, Archos, Dell • Podcatcher software: • iTunes , Odeo ,Juice

39. And just think… Big in schools (in the States) … …now staring here Next generation of the students will have podcasting skills In terms of listening & authoring And will be expecting to use them in HE

40. And finally… Google results for ‘podcast’: • May 2005: 4,460,000 • Nov 2006: 132,000,000

41. ‘How to’ series • How to Blog in 5 minutes (Word) • How to Wiki in 5 minutes (Word) • How to create a Podcast in 5 minutes (Word) • How to convert audio files to MP3 in 5 minutes (Word) • How to use RSS in 5 minutes (Word)

42. ‘You need to know…’ series • You need to know about Podcasting (Slides) • You need to know about Podcasting: a teaching and learning guide (Word) • You need to know about Online Discussions: a teaching and learning guide (Word) • You need to know about Blogs (Slides) • You need to know about Wikis (Slides) • You need to know about RSS (Slides) • You need to know about Web 2.0 (Slides) • You need to know about Computer Assessment (Slides) • You need to know about Effective Question Design (Slides) • You need to know about Electronic Voting Systems (Slides)

43. Also available: • Podcasting: audio talk on the benefits of podcasting (hi quality) • Computer Assessment: using statistic analysis to design effective questions For copies please contact: Dr Andrew Oliver. LTDU, College Lane LRC (a.oliver@herts.ac.uk, ext. 4754).