Podcasting Technology

Podcasting (a.k.a. Vod-casting, if it includes video) is a way for instructors and other members of the U of S community to quickly distribute media content in a flexible, easily manageable and updatable format. Using common media player software installed on their personal computers, audience members access automatically generated RSS feeds to "subscribe" to a podcasting "series." Subscribers automatically receive new content whenever the "series" is updated. These media files can be saved to view or listen to later, or can be moved to personal MP3 players for mobile listening or viewing. Anyone who wants to deliver podcasts or vodcasts can create media files and publish them as a "series" using a podcasting service. These media files are published with additional "episode" information about the files for display in media players.

Podcasting is an exciting new variation on older technologies like the audio cassette, the film projector or the VCR. Like those older technologies, podcasting enables instructors to incorporate content and concepts into their teaching that would otherwise be unavailable to their students. Podcasting, however, takes this ability several steps further by:

• Enabling instructors to easily produce, distribute and provide access to their own content.
• Enabling students to have easy, direct, local, any-time access to their instructors' content.
• Providing instructors with a world-wide base of other free podcasting resources they can incorporate into their teaching.

ISS has just begun investigation into podcasting technology and its uses for teaching and learning. ISS has found examples of instructors using podcasting technology for:

• Student musical resumes/critiques;
• Libraries of course-relevant sounds (high-definition heart or respiratory sounds)
• Language lessons
• Student oral reports
• Student video or audio interviews
• Supplemental course content (National Geographic podcasts are particularly valuable.)

The full range of uses for podcasting in education has not been explored yet. Creative and imaginative instructors continue to come up with exciting ways to use this technology in their teaching every day.

Pedagogical Issues

Unfortunately, for every possible use of podcasting there is a corresponding commitment of instructor or student time and effort in development, production and consumption of the content. As the risk of "burnout" on the part of instructors and students is real, it is crucial that there be some obvious "value-added" benefit to using podcasting.

In addition, producers of podcasts generally have no control over who accesses their content once it is published. Podcasts should be considered as public-domain content and produced accordingly-giving consideration to issues such as copyright clearance, intellectual property rights and possible unauthorized redistribution. Once published, there is no way to ensure that the content is only kept by people while the information remains valid. A number of podcast publishers have identified outdated content remaining in circulation after the initial publication has been removed from the Internet.

Some concerns exist that podcasts may encourage poor pedagogy:

• Podcasts of the lectures may encourage students to pay less attention in class.
• Reviewing podcasts at real-time speeds simply places more demand on the student's time outside of the classroom.
• Creating podcasts of content that is the same as the lecture may not have added value.
• Podcasting is heavily dependent on access to personal computers, the World Wide Web and specific podcasting software; although these are readily available, there is still a risk of students being marginalized by their lack of ready access to any of these tools.

Lecture Recording Technology

A number of systems exist that can record lectures, combining video, audio and presentations (such as PowerPoint) provided on a computer. By making recorded lectures available for viewing later, students can review material to assist with learning or if a class was missed due to illness; instructors and others in the community may benefit from an archive of the class as well. Instructors do not need to change the way they teach or to interact with the recording system; they can present their lecture in normal fashion.

Typically, the lecture is recorded by a stationary video camera aimed at the front of the lecture theatre, with audio captured by a microphone (wired or wireless). The presentation material displayed over the computer (e.g. presentation slides) is captured as a series of images. The final product is a synchronized combination of the video, audio and computer display as a self-running presentation. As recordings of the lectures are streamed, they can be made available to a select audience or the general public and they can be available for viewing within minutes of the end of the lecture.

Pedagogical Issues

Recording a lecture can be controlled by a pre-determined schedule eliminating the need for camera operators. It does not require instructors to learn new technology. The only action an instructor is required to take is to clip on a wireless microphone and turn it on.

Based on pilots that have been conducted or are now ongoing, students find the recordings to be a valuable supplement and use this resource to review concepts and study before examinations. There has been no significant drop in lecture attendance. Instructors use them to improve presentations and review information they have addressed. As an e-learning tool, lecture capture is a useful resource that can be used to supplement face-to-face classes.

Some concerns still exist that recorded lectures may encourage poor pedagogy:

• Providing recordings of the lecture and presentation material may encourage students to pay less attention in class
• Reviewing the lectures at real-time speeds simply places more demand on the student's time outside of the classroom
• Recording lecture content that is the same as the lecture may not have added value
• Recording content for class formats that do not use presentation material, such as debate-style or other interaction, may not benefit from the recording
• Accessing recorded lectures is dependent on access to personal computers and the World Wide Web; although these are readily available, there is still a risk of students being marginalized by their lack of ready access to any of these tools.