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
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.