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[edit] Podcast

Podcast Icon created by Apple

A podcast is a digital medium for delivering informative or entertaining content that is consumed audibly, sometimes accompanied by video. Podcasts typically consist of multiple episodes and can be accessed through the World Wide Web for online streaming and download at any time, a key distinction between podcasts and traditional radio.

Podcasts rose with the emergence of the Apple iPod, although it can be downloaded onto other MP3 players.

[edit] History

Developed in 2004, podcasting was developed as "MTV video jockey Adam Curry and software developer Dave Winer" discovered a method of downloading broadcast radio programs directly from the World Wide Web onto an Apple iPod. ^[1] In 2005, Apple Inc. introduced a collection of 3,000 podcasts, made accessible through the Apple iTunes Store. Although podcasts are not subject to government regulation, those made available through the iTunes Store are filtered according to quality, copyright concerns, and sometimes content. By connecting podcasts with audience listeners, Apple facilitated a quick rise in popularity for the medium. In fact, "The New Oxford American Dictionary named a 'podcast' its official 'Word of the Year,' in 2005.^[2]

Due to the success of podcasting, broadcast companies like BBC and NPR have made their content available for download online. This removes the inconvenience for listeners previously having to tune in at a specific time. ^[3]

[edit] Usage

Audacity Screenshot

Commonly produced by amateur entertainment personalities working out-of-home, podcasts are free of government restrictions on content and, because of the overwhelming number of stations, are often organized by genre. There are a number of online hosting sites where podcasters can publish their work, including SoundCloud, Archive.org,and AmazonS3. ^[4]Before hosting, the podcast must first be created. The process employs the use of a microphone and audio recording software^[5] like Audacity and Voicethread, then once produced, the file can be uploaded to the Web for listeners to stream and download.

A survey conducted by BBC shows podcast listeners are primarily men at 69%, versus 31% being women.^[6]

[edit] Scholarly Work on Teaching with Podcasts

[edit] "English For Specific Purposes: Podcasts For Listening Skills" (2009)

This study found that "Podcasts enable students to practice listening in a self-directed manner and at their own pace."^[7] The purpose of this study was to explore the potential for podcasts to improve listening skills. Research found that "the novelty and diversity of outside class listening motivates learners to perfect their skills without being observed by peers or teachers."^[8] Therefore, podcasts used for educational purposes motivate students to study outside of the classroom setting. Enabling this flexible learning tool somewhat changes the dynamic of traditional schooling by eliminating intimidation that comes with pressure to perform well in front of instructors and classmates. This study focused on enhancing learning for English studies, but others have found benefits that reach students focused on other subjects including music, visual arts, nursing and chemistry.

[edit] "Podcasting in a Writing Class? Considering the Possibilities" (2012)

Jennifer L. Bowie's piece for Kairos is both a multimodal webtext and a podcast of its own, with six "episodes" covering multiple aspects of teaching with podcasts.^[9] Topics covered include definitions of podcasts, types of podcasts, and specific assignments. Her references list is also a good place to start when looking for scholarship on podcasting from the rhetoric and composition field.

[edit] "Instructor Utilization Of Podcasts In The Online Learning Environment" (2014)

A study on how professors in higher education use podcasts as a teaching resource for online classes was conducted in 2014 and published in the MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching.^[10] The value of "anytime-anywhere-learning opportunities" ^[11] as mentioned in the "English For Specific Purposes Study" above is again noted as a valuable teaching aid in the study of using podcasts for online courses. The study acknowledges the multimodality of podcasts through the option to include picture and video as supplemental support for the material being discussed audibly. One difficulty in implementing a podcast teaching system is that it requires instructors to learn and obtain knowledge and software to produce these files. ^[12] The study itself consisted a survey responses from 25 instructors "at a small, land-grant research university in the western United States," and 22 responses from individuals "providing recommendations for educators." ^[13] Overall, the survey showed that there is a significantly higher percentage of educators creating podcasts themselves for class use than those requiring students to make podcasts of their own. One respondent required students to create their own podcast, in spite of the potential for increased engagement and learning opportunities through this types of exercise. Some respondents reported students having technical difficulties accessing the podcasts.

[edit] External Links

• "Podcast" on Wikipedia
• Podcasts at Apple's iTunes
• Podcasts in Rhetoric and Composition (Facebook Community)
• KairosCast, a podcast and network hosted by the journal Kairos

[edit] References

1. ↑ Watson, Stephanie. "Podcasting History - HowStuffWorks." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.
2. ↑ Kavaliauskienė, Galina, and Lilija Anusienė. "English For Specific Purposes: Podcasts For Listening Skills." Coactivity / Santalka 17.2 (2009): 28-37. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
3. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4631051.stm
4. ↑ Carlson, Tiffiny. "8 Best Sites to Host Your Podcast." TechNorms. N.p., 02 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.
5. ↑ Carlson, Tiffiny. "8 Best Sites to Host Your Podcast." TechNorms. N.p., 02 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.
6. ↑ Kavaliauskienė, Galina, and Lilija Anusienė. "English For Specific Purposes: Podcasts For Listening Skills." Coactivity / Santalka 17.2 (2009): 28-37. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
7. ↑ Kavaliauskienė, Galina, and Lilija Anusienė. "English For Specific Purposes: Podcasts For Listening Skills." Coactivity / Santalka 17.2 (2009): 28-37. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
8. ↑ Kavaliauskienė, Galina, and Lilija Anusienė. "English For Specific Purposes: Podcasts For Listening Skills." Coactivity / Santalka 17.2 (2009): 28-37. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
9. ↑ Bowie, Jennifer L. "Podcasting in a Writing Class? Considering the Possibilities." Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy 16.2 (2012): n.pag. Web. 28 May 2015.
10. ↑ Supanakorn-Davila, Supawan, and Doris U. Bolliger. "Instructor Utilization Of Podcasts In The Online Learning Environment." Journal Of Online Learning & Teaching 10.3 (2014): 389-404. Education Research Complete. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.
11. ↑ Supanakorn-Davila, Supawan, and Doris U. Bolliger. "Instructor Utilization Of Podcasts In The Online Learning Environment." Journal Of Online Learning & Teaching 10.3 (2014): 389-404. Education Research Complete. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.
12. ↑ Supanakorn-Davila, Supawan, and Doris U. Bolliger. "Instructor Utilization Of Podcasts In The Online Learning Environment." Journal Of Online Learning & Teaching 10.3 (2014): 389-404. Education Research Complete. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.
13. ↑ Supanakorn-Davila, Supawan, and Doris U. Bolliger. "Instructor Utilization Of Podcasts In The Online Learning Environment." Journal Of Online Learning & Teaching 10.3 (2014): 389-404. Education Research Complete. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

--​Alexis Robinson