Podcasting at the University of Hertfordshire

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Podcasting at the University of Hertfordshire

• Alan Hilliard
• A.P.Hilliard_at_herts.ac.uk

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Presentation Outline

• Background to Podcasting
• Staff Development Workshops
• Blended Learning Unit
• How might podcasts be used?

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What is Podcasting?

• 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 DONT need an iPod
• In fact you DONT need an MP3 player

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The technology is NOT new

• but is MORE accessible. Easy to
• Create
• Publish (i.e. upload to a website)
• Subscribe and
• Listen (on MP3 players)
• at home, driving, exercising, waiting for buses
  the Dead time.
• Mobile learning when they want, how they want
  and where they want.

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How does it work?

• Staff
• Record using digital voice recorder (MP3 format)
• Upload (publish) to MLE (StudyNet)
• Student
• subscribes to the podcast (usually iTunes)
• downloads the latest recording to their MP3
  player
• AND regularly checks for new content
• But dont need iTunes/ MP3 player
• the workstation is fine

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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

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More benefits

• Relax concentrate on the material (students)
• Captures the lecturers enthusiasm
• Facilitates critiquing and self-critiquing in
  private (staff student)
• Provides an accurate record of peer group
  activity
• Act as cultural artefacts

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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

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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 students daily life
• extends beyond the classroom.

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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

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Challenges

• Attendance may fall
• Perceived, not reported (Duke Uni)
• (solve add social elements to lecture)
• We are all amateurs - not experts
• content (student) quality (speakers voice)
• (solve dont lecture, be conversational)
• The learner cannot control pacing
• Difficult to skim often listen in 1 go
• (solve add show notes chapter points)

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Challenges

• 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

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Staff development WorkshopsA brief background to
the Blended Learning Unit

• The Blended Learning Unit (BLU) CETL aims to
  promote, develop and evaluate educational
  provision where high quality e-learning
  opportunities and excellent campus-based learning
  are combined or blended in coherent, reflective
  and innovative ways so that learning is enhanced
  and choice is increased. We aim to harness
  technology to enhance learning, teaching and
  assessment. Specific objectives are to develop
  educational resources to evaluate the impact of
  change to foster internal external
  collaboration and dissemination to ensure that
  successful initiatives continue.

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Structure of Workshops

• Introduction and background to podcasting
• Facilitated groupwork on the benefits and
  challenges Which is captured using DVRs to
  create MP3 files.
• Step-by-step demonstration of how to transfer the
  files to a computer and how to upload MP3 files
  to the MLE (StudyNet)
• Real time step-by-step pictorial handout

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Structure of Workshops

• Facilitated discussion on examples of podcasts
  and sharing of practices between participants
• Participants offered a free DVR on long term loan
  from the Blended Learning Unit
• Workshop concluded with offer of ongoing support,
  either one-to-one, or within schools or
  departments.

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Factors for Success

• Loanstock of educational equipment
• Items purchased include digital voice recorders,
  digital cameras, web cams, audio headsets and an
  EVS system.
• Of the items that have been purchased the most
  popular are Digital Voice Recorders (circa 200
  units) supporting a podcasting campaign in
  2006/7.

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How can I use this? (staff)

• Record lectures
• Either during or before include slides / show
  notes
• Preparation work
• create material during the summer prior to module
  starting

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How can I use this? (staff)

• Commentaries aka radio show
• record regular commentaries in addition to the
  lecture (e.g. weekly updates, tips, views)
• unplanned brainstorming conference show (using
  skype/email)
• Add social activity to the lecture
• deeper discussion (and record it!)
• Field trips / guides
• virtual tour musecast (inc images) commentary

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How can I use this? (staff)

• Q A and Tutorial sessions
• Answer questions submitted by students
• Record 1-to-1 session with student
• Interview experts, guest lecturers
• Conferences, placements

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Student podcasting

• Increases presentation skills
• More confident
• Iterative process (critiquing)
• Review practice improve vocab
• Encourages creativity
• Explore express ideas
• Share perceptions
• And show off!

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Student Podcasting

• Field trips, placements, language practice,
  record of group work, seminars, lectures,
  interviews, field notes, interviews (with each
  other, experts).
• Oral essays (poster!) sound effects, music,
  commentary, readings - pull in above to create
  their own interpretation

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UHcasting!

• Institutional promotion
• Campus guides, student interviews, staff
  interviews
• used to promote the university and its 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).