Podcast Lectures Big Hit with Students
by Chris Collins
In 2006, UCit invited a small group of faculty to participate in a pilot to test podcasting classroom lectures. Since those early days the UCit Podcasting Project has grown rapidly. Last quarter, more than 700 students received more than 120 podcast lectures. A combination of factors, including positive feedback from students, is fueling tremendous growth in this area.
UCit Instructional & Research Computing collaborated with podcasting pioneer, Dr. Nancy Jennings, to survey students enrolled in courses that use podcasting. (Please see the video at http://homepages.uc.edu/~collicn/Streaming/ucpodcast_fox19_stream.mov.) Results of the survey were as follows:
- 95% of the 138 respondents thought that podcasting provided them with a quality academic experience, to a great extent (44%) or somewhat (51%).
- 86% strongly support (64%) or support (22%) the idea of instructors making podcasts available to students.
- 77% strongly agreed (33%) or agreed (44%) that the podcasts helped them understand the subject matter more thoroughly.
- 80% reported no technical difficulties with the service.
In response to faculty feedback, UCit Instructional & Research Computing has simplified the process of creating and posting podcast lectures through Blackboard. Instructors can record their lectures with portable recording devices or desktop computers, or use wireless microphones in UCit’s podcasting equipped electronic classrooms. An instructor simply uploads a recorded file to the proper course in Blackboard. Then, students can listen to the lecture or subscribe to the podcast.
Faculty interested in learning more about podcasting may visit the UCit Podcasting Project web pages to sign up, or attend the next Podcasting Basics Workshop, hosted by the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching & Learning, on 5 February at 10:00 am. Please see http://www.uc.edu/cetl/bestpract/wrkshp_schedule.html to register. Individual and group or department training are also available on request.
Questions or comments? E-mail chris.collins@uc.edu.
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