"This book is a very engaging read! It mixes pedagogy and technology effortlessly with benefits, drawbacks, challenges and inspirational suggestions to try. The clear suggested routes through the book make it accessible for a wide range of educationalists, who can learn from and extend the scenarios depending on what subject, setting or educational issue they need a solution for. The breadth of educational areas covered and the inclusion of the clear 10-step design model and introduction to Audacity make the book essential for individuals ranging from the first time podcaster through to educational developers and staff development teams."
Louise Jakobsen
eLearning Curriculum Manager
Park Lane College
Leeds, UK
"The book, Podcasting for Learning in Universities, has increased my understanding of the potential benefits of podcasting for learning. Previously I was very skeptical of podcasts because I envisioned recordings of boring lectures transmitted to students (more of the same old…). After reading it, though, I am attracted to being able to offer another flexible learning choice. Podcasting affords active learning whether individual, cooperative or collaborative contributions, either formal or informal. Students may demonstrate their construction of knowledge through such activities as discussion, debate, interview, reflection and even reporting. Faculty may elaborate on key concepts in preparation for class, share tacit knowledge, include senior students’ or experts’ opinions, summarize and weave discussions, give expectations for coursework, provide detailed, specific feedback to assignments, and highlight preparation for examinations. The process of creating something fresh and meaningful with podcasts is relatively easy—the recording options can be either informal, “quick and dirty” or formally scripted with illustrations, video or enhanced functionality.
As a learning designer, I use a variety of instructional and assessment strategies which match the learning outcomes and which the students will find motivational and relevant. With podcasting, students may demonstrate their understanding of concepts and procedures, for example, as they progress through their online course. In this way, their instructor may track and support their development.
Finally remember the number 10! This book offers a 10-factor design model which cues considerations when developing pedagogical podcasts. Keep your podcasts short, --10 minutes or less."
Denise Nelson
Course Designer, SIAST Virtual Campus
Wascana Campus, Regina, Canada
"There is considerable interest in podcasting for learning in Universities with many academics who are thinking about using technology to enhance learning and teaching. Podcasting has caught the imagination because of the readily available technology and the increasing need to provide flexibility for students. This book has been published just at the right time as it provides an excellent mix of practical help together with numerous examples of good practice of using podcasting for learning teaching and assessment, all supported by research and evaluation data. It is an excellent book for the podcasting beginner and the experienced podcaster. One of the many really good features was the advice given to the reader to navigate around the book.
This book will encourage the reader to adapt new ways of employing podcasting and most importantly be of benefit to all those students lucky enough to reap the benefits of their lecturers new found skills. I have certainly taken on some new ideas and will be using podcasting in more exciting ways. An excellent book recommended to all those staff interested in developing blended learning and to all those that might need persuading that technology really does enhance learning and teaching - read this and you will be persuaded. In fact I recommend this to all academics in higher education."
Professor Peter Bullen
Ford Professor of Automotive Engineering Director of the Blended Learning Unit University of Hertfordshire, UK
“This book is exactly what is required for a wide range of potential readers - it is practical, yet derived from research; it is focused on student learning, yet has a technical component; it is leading-edge, yet it draws on many case studies.
Podcasting has attracted the attention of educators, as it is relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and appealing to students. Nevertheless, teachers need support in venturing into new teaching methods. This book provides such support, as well as inspiration and practical ideas. It covers applications in both traditional campus settings as well as online and distance teaching contexts.
A welcome contribution to a new and growing technology for teaching.”
Professor Robin Mason
Institute of Educational Technology
The Open University, UK
“Simple technologies can be surprisingly powerful. This book, edited by Gilly Salmon and Palitha Edrisingha, shows how podcasts, recorded digital audio and video files, can help transform the teaching and learning experience in higher education. Podcasts have multiple uses: lectures can be listened to at times and places that suit the learner: audio commentaries can add tone and dialogue to the feedback experience, recordings of expert discussions can be used to support the development in students of critical thinking and important presentational skills; oral guidance can be delivered to students on how to approach weekly learning activities. When properly integrated into courses and programmes, podcasts have been shown to enhance motivation, improve learning, encourage learner-autonomy and enrich the social learning experience. This book provides all one needs to know to get the best out of podcasts. It includes a framework detailing the pedagogical uses of podcasts, suggestions about how to realise the benefits of student-generated podcasts, information about technical and organisational issues surrounding podcast applications as well as numerous examples of podcast use within many disciplinary contexts. This book is timely, becoming available while most of us are still coming to terms with this ubiquitous technology. Overall, the book is a blueprint for podcast use in education.”
Professor David Nicol
Director of REAP project Deputy Director
Centre for Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland
“This highly topical new book on podcasting in higher education is to be warmly welcomed, as it provides not only a strong evidence-base for adopting this novel approach, but also clear, practical advice on how to go about it. The editors have brought together a knowledgeable group of authors to share their expertise in, and experiences of, developing, implementing and evaluating digital audio for learning. Based firmly on the research findings, the book provides useful insights into how podcasting can be used effectively across a range of subject disciplines. For people like me who are working directly with academic staff to encourage innovation in learning and teaching, this is a valuable new resource. Most importantly, the students’ views are represented strongly throughout the book, which helps to make it a compelling and extremely worthwhile read.”
Dr Linda Creanor, Development Director, Caledonian Academy, Glasgow Caledonian University Scotland
"I look forward to introducing both my students’, my fellow Faculty, and myself to the applied learning within this excellent book. This is by far the best coverage on the subject of Podcasting for Learning in Universities. The content, in my view, is unparalleled, and provides relevant, user friendly and timely guidance, using grounded learning principles - irrespective of where one is positioned on the ‘native/immigrant’ scale! The authors must be applauded for their foresight, endeavours and motivational skills – I for one am inspired and can’t wait to employ!"
Trevor Cadden BA PGCHEP FHEA MMBAAI
Lecturer in Business
and Management/MBA Course Director/Business Consultant
University of Ulster
Jordanstown
“A very comprehensive book on understanding and using Podcasting for education with many examples of implementation strategies and case studies backed by grounded research findings. A great guide book for educators who may have thought of exploring Podcasting in their teaching and learning but never knew how. Finally, a Podcasting Bible for education! “
Mazlan Hasan
Senior Instructional Designer
National Institute of Education, Singapore
"Since Apple introduced the ‘podcast U’ feature for ipod I’ve become a voracious consumer of the University podcast. My choice will sometimes be random and sometimes be prompted by a specific curiosity or interest. Depending on the first couple of minutes of my listening experience, I may abandon it immediately. But if I like it, I may continue through an entire course, as I’ve recently done with Modern European History from Berkeley University, California. I stumbled across this one, enjoyed it, and discovered that I even preferred it to Strictly Come Dancing whilst on the treadmill at the gym. I’ve never met the course leader or any fellow students and although I’ve never bothered with any of the course reading, and probably wouldn’t pass an exam, I’ve learned a hell of a lot as an informal ‘collateral learner’.
Sociologically, the podcast is an unlikely yet significant development in the support of the activity of learning, both formally and informally, and one that is sometimes overlooked in the scramble of excitement about whatever happens to be the very latest technology. As such, a pedagogical perspective on this development ( a ‘podagogy’?) specifically within the context of Higher Education is timely. Podcasting for Learning in Universities (G. Salmon & P. Edirisingha, forthcoming: Mg Graw Hill/SHRE/Open University Press) deals with both theory and practice in its presentation of a range of research undertaken in the UK, Australia and South Africa, together with best practice models for HE practitioners.
The examples contained in this collection of research summaries reflect a wide range of use in a variety of contexts. Nevertheless, certain common themes emerge. Although expressed in different ways, those identified in the section summarising an Australian study on ‘Podcasts and distance learning’ are typical. Podcasting has particular significance in: increasing learner motivation and engagement; facilitating and enhancing learning outcomes; mobility and lifestyle learning; and fostering a sense of community. Collectively, these accounts provide a compelling case for serious engagement within Higher Education with technology and podcasting in particular. With this in mind, the editors’ own work as part of the Information Mobile Podcasting and Learning Adaptation (IMPALA) research team is especially valuable. The 10-step pedagogic model for developing podcasting within Higher Education provides an essential step-by-step guide for anyone venturing into this area for the first time."
The importance of ‘Podagogy’
Blog review by Richard Wallis
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