Idea 18: Recording Podcasts to Cover Problematic Topics

What are Podcasts?

Podcasts are audio recordings that individuals can subscribe to and have automatically downloaded. Professors can record themselves lecturing over a subject, post them to the web, and have their students listen to the recordings at their own pace outside of class. The information can then be later used or hyperlinked, such as for an in-class discussion, a writing assignment, or discussion board posts.

Advantages

• Difficult content can be covered in depth without requiring the use of class time.
• Covered content can then be expanded or clarified in class.
• Unlike screencasts and YouTube videos, podcasts can be listened to on the go.
• They can also be longer than the recommended 5-10 minutes for videos.
• Podcasts work extremely well with topics that don’t lend themselves easily to visuals, or don’t require solving (like a math problem).
• Students can listen to podcasts as many times as they like, giving time for mastery of content and concepts.

Adapted from:

Kelly, R. (2013). Using Podcasts to Address Concepts Students Find Difficult. Retrieved from: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/using-podcasts-to-address-concepts-students-find-difficult/

 

For more information about podcasts in education, check out the CIIA page on Instructional Technologies in Education - Video and Audio.

 

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